Manhunt for suspected Washington killer dad goes cold in Idaho after false alarm sighting

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Travis Decker pleads with family court judge in custody battle over children

Audio from a September 2024 family court hearing shows Travis Decker pleading with a family court judge to allow him to spend more time with his kids. (Credit: Fox 13)

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The manhunt for the father accused of murdering his three young daughters has hit another dead end after a possible Fourth of July sighting fizzled out in a popular Idaho state park.

Authorities are still looking for 33-year-old Travis Decker, a former member of the U.S. military and wilderness survivalist wanted for allegedly killing his three daughters – Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5 – before vanishing into the Washington wilderness. 

Last weekend, a tipster called in a potential sighting of Decker in Idaho’s Sawtooth National Forest in what was believed to be a break in the case following over a month of searching, according to Fox 13.

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Travis Decker is accused of murdering his three daughters before disappearing into the Washington wilderness. (Chelan County Sheriff’s Office)

However, the U.S. Marshals Service reportedly announced Wednesday that they had located and interviewed the man believed to be Decker, subsequently confirming he was not the wanted father. 

The U.S. Marshals Service did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

“The hiker who is the same height and roughly the same weight as Decker, also has dark features, a beard and tattoos on his arm and calf,” said Michael Leigh, supervisory deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service, District of Idaho – Coeur d’Alene.

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This undated photo provided by Whitney Decker shows Paityn, Olivia and Evelyn Decker. (Whitney Decker via AP)

Authorities called off their search for Decker within the Idaho forest after speaking with the man and confirming he was visiting the Bear Creek area over the weekend. 

Decker is wanted in connection with the murders and kidnappings of his three daughters. 

Authorities began their search for Decker after the girls’ mother reported them missing when they did not return from a court-mandated custody visit on May 30. At the time of the murders, Decker was homeless and living between motels and various campgrounds within the area. 

MANHUNT FOR FATHER ACCUSED OF KILLING 3 DAUGHTERS TAKES GRIM TURN IN WILDERNESS

The U.S. Marshals Service released photos detailing the challenging and extensive search for Travis Decker, accused of killing his three daughters. (U.S. Marshals Service)

The girls’ bodies were found with plastic bags over their heads and hands bound three days later at Rock Island Campground, along with Decker’s abandoned pickup truck, according to police. 

The search has encompassed several local, state and federal agencies – including the U.S. Marshals service and Border Patrol’s Tactical Unit – combing through the area’s vast wilderness by land and air. 

Officials have since deployed cadaver dogs in the search for Decker, with the Kittias County Sheriff’s Office revealing “there is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area,” before insisting officers are continuing to search for the wanted father. 

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Travis Decker was believed to be living out of his pickup truck at the time of the alleged murders. (Wenatchee Police Department)

“Multiple canines with different disciplines are being utilized, and have been being utilized, throughout the search,” a Chelan County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) spokesperson said in a previous statement to Fox News Digital. “This includes human remains detection dogs.”

Last week, CCSO confirmed that traces of blood found on the tailgate of Decker’s truck matched the DNA of the wanted father, further ruling out the possibility of additional suspects in the brutal slayings. 

“With this evidence, along with the other evidentiary items found at the scene, we do not have any reason to believe there are any other suspects,” the department said in a statement.

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Authorities have warned the community that Decker should be considered armed and dangerous, but is not an immediate threat to public safety. He is charged with three counts of aggravated first-degree murder and kidnapping. 

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a $20,000 reward for any information leading to Decker’s arrest. 

Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report. 

Julia Bonavita is a U.S. Writer for Fox News Digital and a Fox Flight Team drone pilot. You can follow her at @juliabonavita13 on all platforms and send story tips to julia.bonavita@fox.com.