Travis Decker's doppelganger reveals the heart-stopping moment he realized US Marshals were hunting him
A family camping at Sawtooth National Forest told police on July 5 they believed they saw Decker, who vanished after allegedly suffocating his three little girls and dumping their bodies near Washington's Rock Island Campground.
The US Marshals Service soon after declared the search for the Army veteran fugitive, 32, had expanded to the Idaho wilderness.
News of the shocking development in the hunt for Decker, who went missing more than a month ago, spread rapidly throughout fearful local communities.
The announcement hit particularly close to home for a man named Nick, who was in the Bear Creek area of the park at the same time 'Decker' was spotted there.
The Garden City resident told Idaho News 6 the friend he went camping with sent him an alarming text on Monday after they had both made it home.
'Bro, there's a manhunt for a killer that was in the campground with us. My God, we spent the night next the murder that is frightening,' the message read.
And then it hit him.
'On Tuesday the dots started connecting as news developed with better detail and I realized someone reported me as Decker,' Nick elaborated in a Reddit thread.
Nick's friend, who came with him on Friday, had to leave early Saturday morning. But he decided to stay and enjoy the scenic park on his time off from work.
He recalled a brief interaction he had with four people while traveling alone on a Bear Creek trail on Saturday around 10am.
'About an hour later I returned to the main 889 trail and at the intersection, there was a group of four old timers in two Razors, right in the path, just sitting there as I approached down a switchback,' he explained on Reddit.
'They started to use the intersection to 3 point turn and leave. I stayed about 25 yards back and waited for the second Razor to fumble the steering, drive over bushes, apologize for her "sh*tty driving" (her words) and finally make room for me to continue.'
Nick has tattoos, a thick beard, long hair and earrings. While he was hiking on that Saturday, he was sporting a black backpack, a tan shirt and black shorts.
This was the description the family gave to police - and it also happens to match what investigators say Decker may look like.
'In my opinion, I don't realistically look like that guy,' he told Idaho News 6. Nick was wearing sunglasses at the time and 'they saw me from a distance,' he added.
When Nick came to the nerve-wracking realization that he had been confused with the suspected triple-murderer, he immediately tried to sound the alarm to authorities.
He first tried the Fairfield Ranger Station, which is located in the national park, on Tuesday. But he said his call went straight to voicemail.
Nick tried dialed the station again the following day and to his relief, someone picked up the phone this time around.
He explained why he believed there may have been a mix up between him and Decker.
Meanwhile, helicopters and search crews were swarming the Bear Creek area hoping to capture the wanted man.
About three hours after he made the call, three plain-clothed US Marshals came to Nick's office, bringing security camera pictures of him to confirm his story.
Soon after meeting with Nick, the agency suspended the Idaho manhunt.
Eric Toms, supervisory deputy with the US Marshals, confirmed with USA TODAY on Thursday the Idaho hunt sparked by the July 5 tip was called off and that they spoke with Nick.
But the over search for Decker is far from over, Toms assured.
While investigators have been relentlessly searching for the veteran - vowing to get justice for his daughters he allegedly killed - they have considered the possibility that he may be dead, introducing cadaver dogs to their widespread manhunt.
Decker has been missing since May 30, when he failed to return the three little girls, Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, back to their mother Whitney after a visit.
Whitney, who is divorced from the veteran, told police that he had picked the girls up around 5pm but had not returned them by 8pm, and his phone went straight to voicemail, court documents said.
Detectives said she 'expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and … is currently experiencing some mental health issues.'
She also told law enforcement officials that Decker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and believes he did not take medication for the condition, according to court documents.
He was court-mandated to seek out mental health and domestic violence anger management counseling, but refused treatment.
At the time of his disappearance and his daughters' deaths, Decker was living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck, police said.
'He clearly had some sort of break and everything that he had been living with, everything that had been bottled up inside of him for so long as far as trauma, just won out,' Whitney's lawyer, Arianna Cozart, previously told the Seattle Times.
On June 2, a search party led to the chilling discovery of the sisters' dead bodies near Rock Island Campground in Chelan County along with Decker's truck.
Deputies found the girls' bodies about 75 to 100 yards from Decker's truck.
An autopsy revealed the girls died from suffocation and police reported their wrists were zip-tied and plastic bags were over their heads when they were found, court documents said.
Police collected 'a large amount of evidence' from the truck, including male blood and non-human blood.
The alleged-killer's dog was found nearby as well and taken to an animal humane society, Fox 8 reported.
Chilling audio from just months before the harrowing murders captured the fugitive father begging for more custody time to go camping with his daughters.
In the recording from a September 2024 custody hearing, Decker makes an eerie promise that no harm would come to the girls if he's given more time to take them camping in Washington's wilderness.
With an extensive combat background, authorities and locals have been concerned about Decker being on the loose.
He joined the Army in 2013 and served in Afghanistan before transferring to the Washington National Guard in 2021, Karina Shagren, communications director for the Washington Military Department, confirmed to the Daily Mail.
He was a full-time member of the Guard until 2023 or 2024, when he switched to part-time.
Decker stopped attending mandatory monthly drills a little over a year ago, and the Guard was in the process of a disciplinary discharge.
He likely has advanced combat training and was an airborne paratrooper who earned the elite rank of 'Ranger,' indicating he would have excellent wilderness and survival skills, Fox 13 Seattle reported, citing social media posts.
Decker is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
22 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Republican leading inquiry into Biden's autopen use has digitally signed letters
A Kentucky Republican leading the Trump administration's investigation into Joe Biden's mental capacities during his time in office, including Biden's reliance, like many other presidents, on an automatic signature machine, has been shown to have used a digital signature himself in the course of the investigation. NBC reported that some letters and subpoena notices issued by James Comer, which were sent out in connection to his investigation into Biden's use of the so-called autopen, bore a digital signature. Comer has sent 16 letters to former Biden White House officials requesting transcribed interviews, NBC said. Metadata analysis showed that all appeared to be signed with a digitally inserted signature. Further letters requesting testimony from the White House physician Dr Kevin O'Connor and Anthony Bernal, a senior aide to former first lady Jill Biden, were also signed with digital images, NBC said. The actual subpoenas were not shared by the committee, which just released a photo of them instead. The findings are likely to intensify the political battle over Biden's use of the autopen. Donald Trump has claimed that his predecessor had little knowledge of what he was signing, including pardons, clemencies and executive orders, and that the autopen was controlled by 'radical left' actors in the White House. On Monday Biden ridiculed those accusations, telling the New York Times in his first on-the record interview with the paper since he was elected president in 2020 that he 'made every decision' on his own. 'We're talking about [granting clemency to] a whole lot of people,' he said, explaining why autopen was used on the thousands of pardons that were issued. Trump himself has admitted using the autopen on some documents. Nevertheless, he attacked Biden again in the Oval Office during a meeting with the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, saying: 'I guarantee you he knew nothing about what he was signing, I guarantee you.' Trump has repeatedly pushed the autopen conspiracy theory to further the narrative that Biden was somehow not fully in command of his administration or its policies. Last month Trump ordered an investigation, calling it 'one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history'. Biden has maintained that the allegations are 'ridiculous and false'. Comer's apparent use of a digital signature now threatens to cloud Republicans' efforts. A spokesperson for the House committee on oversight and reform, the body Comer heads, said using a digital signature for correspondence was common practice. 'Chairman Comer has never hidden the fact that he uses a digital signature when appropriate, and he approves all official correspondence that is signed digitally,' a spokesperson for the committee told NBC News, but added that 'legally binding subpoenas issued by Chairman Comer always bear a wet signature and are never signed using an autopen or digital signature.'
Daily Mail
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Scandal star Columbus Short on the road to 'divorce' as wife gets restraining order over domestic violence
The Scandal actor Columbus Short is reportedly cruising toward a divorce after his wife was granted a temporary restraining order against him. On Monday, a judge signed off on a restraining order request filed by Aida Abramyan-Short, who claimed that her husband had injured her at their home on July 7, according to documents obtained by In her request, Short's wife claimed that he attacked her after a day of heavy drinking while she was doing laundry. has contacted Short and Abramyan-Short for comment but hasn't yet received a response. Short's wife was granted a restraining order against him a week after he received his own temporary restraining order against her for alleged domestic violence after police were called by a neighbor and arrested her. And on Tuesday, sources told TMZ that Short, 42, is preparing to file for divorce after deciding that their latest run-in with the law was the end of the marriage. Short was granted a temporary restraining order against her a week ago, but his wife received her own TRO on Monday after alleging that he was the one who attacked her and outlining a pattern of domestic violence They said the couple had shown no 'humility' in their marriage and claimed the two had failed to move beyond their issues. In Short's restraining order request, he claimed that his wife kicked and tossed their 10-week-old puppy, before hitting him in the eye with a glass trophy that cut him. The actor had brought home the puppy — named Matilda — on June 21, and he claimed that its lack of house training led his wife to lash out at him He claimed that a neighbor heard her screams and proceeded to call the police, who arrested Abramyan-Short after arriving because they allegedly saw bruising on her husband. Short, who described his wife as 'emotionally unstable,' claimed that he was subjected to verbal abuse from her on a daily basis, including in front of their two children, eight-year-old Denzel and five-year-old Liam. He also accused her of pulling knives on him and of having bitten him in the past. Sources also said the puppy was doing well after allegedly being abused, though they noted that Short didn't take it to a veterinarian after his wife allegedly injured it. Abramyan-Short is currently required to stay 100 yards away from her husband under the terms of his temporary restraining order. She said in a statement to TMZ: 'Over the past week, my family and I have endured an extremely painful and deeply personal experience. I'm disheartened by the lies spread about me. As a wife and mother, my utmost priority is always the safety and well‑being of my children and myself. Following a distressing incident in July, I felt compelled to seek legal protection to help ensure our safety while matters are addressed in court. 'My focus remains on protecting and providing for my family, and on allowing the legal system to proceed without external interference. Additionally, my prayer is that my husband gets the help he needs.' In her own temporary restraining order request from Monday, she claimed that Short began shouting at her to not slam a door before pushing her and choking her with both hands. According to her, it was her own screams about her husband trying to choke her that led a neighbor to call police, who proceeded to arrest her. In addition to the disputed July 7 incident, Abramyan-Short claimed that her husband had grabbed her roughly and gave her a bruise on the arm on June 24, which she included a photo of. She also included a photo of red marks on her back and shoulder, allegedly caused by Short pushing and scratching her on June 22. One particularly disturbing photo in the restraining order request showed Abramyan-Short with an apparent black eye, which she claimed her husband previously gave her in October 2023 with his elbow after allegedly throwing her down the stairs. Another photo appearing to show a bloody scratch and bruises on her upper arm was allegedly from Short grabbing her roughly in March 2023. She also claimed that Short had sent her threatening and abusive text messages on multiple occasions. She noted that Short had been convicted of a DUI and claimed he was drinking daily, which led him to become 'violent and belligerent,' and she said she didn't think their children were safe in his presence. According to TMZ's sources, Short and his wife have previously taken and completed domestic violence programs in the past. The actor, who was previously married to Brandi Short from 2001–2003 and Tanee McCall from 2005–2013, has a lengthy history of violence that has led to run-ins with the law. In 2014, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence involving McCall in a deal that allowed him to avoid jail time in exchange for performing 30 hours of community service. That same year he was arrested in a separate incident in which he punched a man hard enough to knock him unconscious at a family gathering. He ultimately pleaded guilty to felony assault likely to cause great bodily injury in 2015, and the incident forced him to leave his role on Scandal, which he starred on for its first three seasons. However, he again avoided jail time in exchange for three years of probation and two months of community labor, as well as the requirement that he take 26 anger management course sessions. In Abramyan-Short's restraining order request, she noted that Short was convicted in 2021 of domestic violence against her. He was also previously convicted and sentenced to a year in prison for hitting her in a 2018 conviction. Short was later arrested and charged for domestic violence against Abramyan-Short in 2022, but those charges were ultimately dropped. According to TMZ's sources, Short's wife and their children have been staying with her parents since her arrest.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Arrest made in murder of American Idol executive and her husband at LA mansion as chilling new details emerge
A suspect has been arrested after an American Idol executive and her husband were found dead inside their $5million Los Angeles mansion. Police arrested 22-year-old Raymond Boodarian on Tuesday following the grisly discovery of award winning music supervisor Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas Deluca, both 70, on Monday afternoon. Boodarian is not believed to have had any relationship with his alleged victims. Police allege he was burglarizing the home on July 10 when the couple unexpectedly arrived home. CCTV footage allegedly shows Boodarian entering the home about 30 minutes before the couple got home. He did not force entry, and instead found an open way to get inside. He allegedly shot them both dead during a struggle when they caught him in the act. Police believe it was an isolated event, and that Boodarian acted alone. Two calls were made to the LAPD about a possible burglary on the day of the couple's deaths, but when officers responded they were unable to get inside because the home is 'highly fortified', ABC reported. They saw no visible signs of forced entry and a helicopter which flew overhead did not alert officers to any dangers, so they left the scene. They returned to the six-bedroom four days later at 2.30pm following a call for a welfare check, shattering a back window to gain access to the home. When they entered, they discovered Kaye and Deluca both shot in the head. Authorities witnessed blood at the front entrance of the couple's home before breaking through a window to enter the property, a source told TMZ. According to neighbors, a person, who may have been armed, was spotted hopping a fence on the tree-lined street in the ritzy California neighborhood. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department were called to the six-bedroom home (pictured) for a welfare check, but when they entered, they discovered Kaye and Deluca's lifeless bodies Kaye with Singer La'Porsha Renae and producer Randy Jackson in 2017 After hearing of the tragic deaths, American Idol issued a statement, calling Kaye 'a cornerstone of the Idol family.' 'We are devastated to hear of Robin and her dear husband, Tom's, passing,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail. 'Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her. 'Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.' Kaye worked as the music supervisor for singing competition American Idol for the last 15 seasons, or nearly 300 episodes, per her IMDB page. Over the years, she won several Guild of Music Supervisors Awards for her work on the show. She also worked for other well-known shows, including Lip Sync Battle, Hollywood Game Night, and Worn Stories. Kaye also worked for the NAACP Image Awards, The Singing Bee, Miss USA, Miss Universe, American Inventor, The Dance Scene, Dance Your A** Off, Your Chance to Dance and Adventures of Power and Crashed. During the 7th Annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards in Hollywood in 2017, Kaye spoke about her career path, which she said was often unappreciated. 'It's one of those parts of the business that people don't even know it exists,' Kaye said. 'It's a very important part of films and TV. Pretty much everything in the entertainment industry has music in it and people just think that it's there.' Her husband was a musician who last released an album called Street Rock in 2022. His first 'acclaimed cult favorite debut' album. 'Down To The Wire,' was released by Epic Records in 1986, Deluca's website detailed. Deluca penned songs for popular hit makers, including Kid Rock, the band Molly Hatchet and Meredith Brooks. The couple purchased the home in January 2023, according to public records. It was previously owned by late rapper Juice WRLD who died in 2019 from an overdose, neighbors told KTLA. The home was also used a rental property before being sold to the couple, neighbors said.
