Inside the Manhunt for Dad Accused of Killing Three Daughters: 'Justice Will Catch Up with Him'

As law enforcement agencies continue the manhunt for Travis Decker — a Washington state father accused by police of murdering his three young daughters — Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison has vowed to bring him to justice.

“We want to do what we can to ensure that Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia’s voices are heard, justice is served, and Mr. Decker is standing in one of our courtrooms in front of our judges,” he tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue, on newsstands Friday. “It may be soon, it may be a couple of years, but justice will catch up with him.”

Decker, a 32-year-old U.S. Army veteran, disappeared on May 30 during a court-approved visit with his daughters, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5. When he failed to return them to their mother, Whitney Decker, at the scheduled 8 p.m. drop-off in Wenatchee, Wash., concern quickly grew.

Whitney reported the girls missing around 9:30 p.m., launching a frantic three-day search that ended in horror: the girls were found dead near Decker’s abandoned pickup truck at the remote Rock Island Campground in Chelan County. Each girl had a plastic bag placed over her head, and at least one was restrained with zip ties. A medical examiner ruled they died of asphyxiation.

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The grim discovery has shaken the Wenatchee community and set off a sweeping manhunt for Decker, who has not been seen since. He is wanted on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping.

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According to authorities, he may have been preparing to flee; federal investigators revealed he had searched online for “how to relocate to Canada” in the days before he disappeared.

The sheriff says investigators have used drones, as well as ground and air units during the ongoing manhunt. They have also searched mountain areas up to 8,000 feet in elevation. “I’ve personally been on the ground searching,” Sheriff Morrison says.

On or about June 10, a sheriff’s helicopter tracked a “lone hiker,” believed to be Decker, who ran for cover on a trail near Highway 97. A tipster reported that the hiker appeared to be ill-prepared for trail and weather conditions and appeared to be avoiding others.

“I think the bugs are probably causing him fits if he’s up there. I mean, we know that it’s certainly becoming that time of season where they’re out in force,” Sheriff Morrison tells PEOPLE.

As the search for Decker stretches into its fourth week, Sheriff Morrison remains hopeful. 

“We understand too that sometimes there are challenges,” he says. “We certainly hope that we’ll get some breaks here in the next couple of weeks, but again, we’re staying optimistic.”

The sheriff adds that if for some reason Decker is no longer alive, he’d still like to find him to “bring closure to not only the family, but to our communities.”

As for Whitney, she was “shocked and devastated” when she learned her girls had died, attorney Arianna Cozart tells PEOPLE. Whitney never suspected her ex-husband of causing harm. “This man never laid a hand on those girls,” Cozart says.

According to Cozart, the couple split in 2022 as a result of his alleged mental health struggles. “He seemed to suffer from PTSD as a result of combat,” she says. “Whitney struggled to help Travis through severe paranoia, nightmares and insomnia.” Cozart says he tried to get help but nothing seemed to change.

Whitney spoke out publicly for the first time at a June 20 memorial service, expressing thanks for “the outpouring of love.”

If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.