No ‘Certain Evidence’ Travis Decker Is Alive — or Even if Murder Suspect Is in Washington: Sheriff

The search for Travis Decker, the father accused of killing his three young daughters, has shifted as the manhunt entered its fourth week, authorities said.

Decker, 32, is wanted on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with the deaths of Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5. The sisters were found asphyxiated in a remote area of the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Wash., on June 2 — three days after they were last seen with their father in Wenatchee, Wash., for a court-approved visitation, PEOPLE previously reported, citing officials.

In an update shared on Facebook on Monday, June 23, the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office — one of multiple agencies involved in the manhunt — said investigators are shifting their search efforts for Decker. He has been described by authorities as a former military man trained in survival skills.

“At this time, there is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area,” the post reads. “Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs over the last two weeks of searching. Still, we can’t and won’t quit this search; Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice. And Decker remains a danger to the public as long as he’s at large.”

The sheriff’s office said deputies have patrolled several areas in and around the Teanaway Valley, Blewett Pass, Liberty, and Lauderdale. They added that investigators have spent “days and nights in remote terrain, working with K9 resources and experienced trackers to identify and follow any credible lead to Decker’s location.”

“Detectives have investigated dozens and dozens and dozens of potential sightings, tips, and leads provided by the public,” the post reads. The sheriff’s office added, “We still believe public awareness and help is our best tool.”

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Authorities announced on June 10 that they had tracked a “lone hiker” believed to be Decker to the Blewett Pass area near Highway 97 in Washington state but that the subject fled when spotted by a helicopter.

“We believe we are closing in on his trail,” Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said during a press conference at the time, adding that officers had followed up with some of the suspect’s friends and family.

Authorities have also previously said they believed Decker may have fled on foot and attempted to cross into Canada after he allegedly searched “how to relocate to Canada” online, according to a U.S. Marshals Service affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.

Last week, Decker’s ex-wife and the mother of their daughters, Whitney Decker, spoke out publicly for the first time at a memorial held in Wenatchee, and said she was “so thankful for that time I had with the girls.”

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“I truly hope that the legacy of the girls’ lives lives on in everyone’s heart forever,” she said. “They were incredible.”

In a statement shared with PEOPLE on June 6, attorney Arianna Cozart, who represents Whitney, revealed the couple split in 2022 as a result of his alleged “mental health struggles.”