Fugitive dad accused of killing his 3 daughters googled ‘how to relocate to Canada' before vanishing, affidavit reveals
A 32-year-old Army veteran accused of murdering his three young daughters in rural Washington State had searched the internet a few days earlier for information on how to quietly slip across the border into Canada, according to a U.S. Marshals Service affidavit obtained first by The Independent.
Authorities began searching last Friday for sisters Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, after they didn't return from a scheduled visitation with dad Travis Caleb Decker. On Monday afternoon, Decker's 2017 GMC Sierra pickup was found near the Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Washington. The bodies of all three girls were found about 75 to 100 yards away, their wrists zip-tied and a bag over each of their heads, apparently suffocated, police said.
Decker, however, was nowhere to be found.
Over the next two days, investigators 'obtained and served multiple search warrants for records contained in Decker's Google accounts,' the Marshals' affidavit states.
'I reviewed the Google-provided records containing some of the Google searches that occurred on 05/26/2025 using Decker's Google account,' Deputy U.S. Marshal Keegan Stanley wrote. 'These Google searches included the following: 'how does a person move to canada,' 'how to relocate to canada' … and 'jobs canada.' After the above-listed Google searches, he visited the site 'Find a job - Canada.ca.''
The affidavit notes that the children's remains were found 'relatively close to the Canadian border and approximately 11 miles from the Pacific Crest Trail, a well-established trail that leads directly to Canada.'
Decker, who is now wanted on three counts each of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping, has 'training in navigation, woodland/mountainous terrain, long distance movements, survival and numerous other disciplines needed to be able to flee,' the affidavit goes on. He is also facing an additional federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
'Prior to the above alleged crimes, Decker frequently recreated in outdoor, woodland and mountainous areas throughout the Eastern District of Washington and surrounding states,' it says. 'Amongst other outdoorsman activities, Decker frequently engaged in hiking, camping, survival skill practice, hunting and even lived off the grid in the backwoods for approximately 2.5 months on one occasion.'
The affidavit points out that the charges against Decker 'are all very serious violent felonies which all carry significant prison sentences if convicted,' and that 'those facing significant prison sentences have a propensity' to flee.
In the aftermath of the triple homicide, a 'very public national campaign to locate Decker,' was launched, and 'it is publicly known there is a warrant for his arrest,' the affidavit states.
Attorney Arianna Cozart, who represents Decker's ex, Whitney, said Thursday that there had been 'no red flags' leading up to the death of the three girls. At the same time Decker reportedly struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and was unable to access sufficient resources to deal with it.
'He had some mental health issues and some instability in his life that really led to the restrictions as far as overnight visitation or him taking them out of the area, but other than that, he loved those girls very much and him and Whitney were able to communicate on a regular basis, not just as co-parents, but as friends,' Cozart told ABC News.
Cozart did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
A GoFundMe campaign set up four days ago by a longtime friend of Whitney Decker has so far raised more than $1 million. In it, organizer Amy Edwards, the music director of a local Shakespeare program who taught the Decker children, said their 'joy touched so many.'
'Their loss is unimaginable, but the compassion we've received from this community and beyond has brought light into this darkness,' the GoFundMe page tells prospective donors. 'Thank you for continuing to hold Whitney close in your hearts. Your support is not only helping her through this tragedy, it's also carrying forward the love and spirit her daughters brought into the world.'
Decker's current location is unknown, the Marshals' affidavit says. Authorities have asked anyone who lives in a remote area of Chelan, Kittitas, King, Snohomish, and Okanogan counties to lock all of their doors, secure any sheds or outbuildings, and leave their window blinds open and outside lights on.
'Due to safety concerns do not attempt to contact or approach Decker,' the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
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