Travis Decker timeline: How an 'active dad' ended up allegedly killing his daughters

WENATCHEE, Wash. -- In a mystery that has captured national attention, Washington father Travis Decker picked up his three young daughters on May 30 for a "planned visitation," and never came back.

The three girls -- Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5 -- were found dead near a Washington state campground on June 2, according to police.

Decker, who has been accused of murdering the three girls, has since disappeared, sparking a multi-agency manhunt. Nearly one month after the girls' bodies were found, the manhunt for Decker continues.

Here's a timeline of what we know about the murder of the three sisters, who were described by their mother Whitney Decker as having "warm and open hearts."

May 30

Travis Decker, 32, picked up the girls at their home in Wenatchee Valley, talked to his ex-wife for about 15 to 20 minutes and then left, Arianna Cozart, Whitney Decker's attorney, told ABC News.

"He said, 'Hey, I will see you at 8 [p.m.],' and he left, and he never came back," Cozart said.

Whitney Decker contacted police that evening with a civil complaint, saying she had not heard from Travis Decker and he had failed to bring the girls home at their scheduled time, officials said.

She attempted to call her ex-husband multiple times, but his cellphone was going straight to voicemail and she began to express concern because he "reportedly has never done this before and further noted he is currently experiencing some mental health issues," according to court records.

May 31

Detectives later learned Travis Decker and his daughters did not arrive at a "planned 5K running event" on May 31, according to court documents.

The Wenatchee Police Department announced the disappearance of the three girls, stating that Travis Decker was "homeless and living in his vehicle or at various hotels/motels or at campgrounds in the area."

Police said at the time that the investigation had not met Amber Alert criteria, but they did issue an Endangered Missing Person Alert through the Washington State Patrol.

June 2

At approximately 3 p.m. on June 2, officials located Travis Decker's vehicle unoccupied near the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, police said in a press release. Additional law enforcement officers responded to the scene and found the bodies of the three girls, but "Decker was not located."

"We want to express our sincere and deep heartfelt condolences to the family at this time," police said.

Officials began their search for Travis Decker, who police said is a former member of the military with "extensive training."

Travis Decker was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts first-degree kidnapping, police said.

June 4

Two days after the girls were found, the manhunt continued for Travis Decker, with officials saying he could be "anywhere within the nation."

"Travis, if you're listening, this is your opportunity to turn yourself in, do the right thing, do what you need to do and take accountability for your actions. We're not going to rest, and we're going to make sure we find you. You will be brought to justice, those young ladies deserve it," Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said during a press conference.

Reports of a possible sighting of Travis Decker in Idaho on June 4 were debunked by authorities the same day, officials said.

"Based off the information we got back was that the sighting in McCall, Idaho, was not our suspect, Morrison said in a press conference.

Court documents obtained by ABC News revealed more details regarding the crime scene, including that there were plastic bags over the heads of each girl and their wrists were zip-tied.

Around Travis Decker's vehicle, deputies located zip ties and plastic bags "strewn throughout the area," and the tailgate of the truck had what appeared to be "two hand prints of blood," according to the documents.

Authorities also learned that Travis Decker was well-versed in wilderness survival and could be capable of spending days or even weeks in the wilderness on his own with very little equipment.

More information about Travis Decker's military background also emerged, specifically that he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2014 while on active duty in the Army and was then transferred to the Washington National Guard in 2021 "from the active component," according to a spokesperson for the Washington State Military Department. Preparations for an "administration separation" began in 2023 or 2024, but the process had not officially started and he remained in the Washington National Guard, the spokesperson said.

Local officials began working with the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Marshal's Office in their search efforts.

June 5

Cozart revealed to ABC News more information on Travis Decker, specifically that he lacked mental health resources and struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder.

"The courts didn't fail these girls. It wasn't the judge and it wasn't Whitney; it was our system," Cozart said. "[Whitney] feels like the system really let Travis down. If somebody would have provided Travis with the help that he needed, those girls would be alive."

Before the girls disappeared, Cozart said there "were no red flags" and that he "loved those girls very much."

Additional details on Travis Decker and Whitney Decker's marriage emerged, including that his PTSD was something he "always carried with him" during their 10 years together, with Travis Decker screaming in the middle of the night, soaking the bed and only getting one or two hours of sleep, Cozart said.

After their marriage ended in 2023, Whitney Decker -- who has full custody of the children -- decided to seek legal counsel and petitioned the court to "put restrictions in place on his parenting" due to "concerning factors regarding Travis' mental health and stability," Cozart said.

Cozart told ABC News the court at the time granted visitations for the father to visit the children for three hours on Fridays and eight hours every other weekend, so long as he remained in Wenatchee Valley with the girls.

This parenting agreement was "working really well" until May 30, Cozart said.

June 9

An autopsy determined the girls' cause of death to be suffocation and the manner of death was ruled as a homicide, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

The sheriff's office said it had "collected a large amount of evidence, many of the suspect's personal items," from the truck, though the analysis of the evidence "creates more questions and information for investigators to continue to pursue."

Blood samples taken from the scene included human and non-human, the sheriff's office said.

"Further DNA and fingerprint analyses are still being conducted," the sheriff's office said.

The suspect's dog had also been recovered and turned over to a humane society for care, officials said.

June 10

An affidavit obtained by ABC News revealed that Travis Decker had made several internet searches four days before he picked up the girls about moving to Canada. His Google searches included "how does a person move to Canada" and "how to relocate to Canada," the affidavit said.

The U.S. Marshals Service, which is leading the search for the suspect, announced a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading directly to Travis Decker's arrest.

June 17

Officials released a new suspect flyer of Decker, including photos of potential ways Decker may have altered his appearance in the weeks since he was last seen.

June 20

A memorial is held for the three sisters, with mother Whitney Decker speaking for the first time since the death of her daughters.

"I'm so thankful for the time that I had with the girls. I truly hope that the legacy of the girls' lives lives in everyone's hearts forever. They were incredible," Whitney Decker said.

June 23

Officials release an update regarding the search efforts, stating that "there is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area."

The Chelan County Sheriff's Office also confirmed to ABC News that cadaver dogs have been deployed and utilized in the search, along with tracking dogs.

"We can't and won't quit this search," Kittitas County Sheriff Clay Myers said in a statement. "Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia Decker deserve justice. Decker remains a danger to the public as long as he's at large."

Detectives have investigated "dozens and dozens and dozens" of potential sightings, tips and leads, with none being successful.

June 27

Todd McGhee, a law enforcement and security analyst, told ABC News he believes the fugitive father is likely still alive and will "eventually surface," since canines have "not picked up on any type of cadaver or any type of presence of a deceased body."

"Canines are trained to look for cadavers and sniff for those types of odors, so he's still maybe on the move," McGhee said.

McGhee said Travis Decker will likely "leverage every bit" of his military experience but said he believes he will "eventually surface."

"He'll eventually have to surface through seeking shelter, seeking food, nutrition -- those types of things will require him to come out of hiding and, to some degree, expose himself to the general public," McGhee said.

Regardless of where Travis Decker may be, McGhee said he is "confident" the search efforts will lead to some form of closure.

"I'm confident that something should reveal itself as far as a resolution as to where his existence is and hopefully a capture and an arrest," McGhee told ABC News.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.