Idaho Hunt Halted After Fugitive Mix-Up in Sawtooth Forest
I suppose I should spell this out for you: authorities in Idaho called off a portion of their search for Travis Decker after a family vacationing in the Sawtooth National Forest mistook an innocent hiker for the fugitive suspect. You probably didn’t know the finer points, so allow me to guide you through this uncomplicated detective story.
On July 6, local officials in Idaho’s Bear Creek region received a tip that matched the physical description of the 32-year-old military veteran who is wanted in connection with the murders of his three daughters, ages nine, eight, and five. Bystanders reported seeing a dark-featured man with a beard, tattoos on his arm and calf, roughly the same height and weight as Decker. According to a U.S. Marshals Service statement obtained by People Magazine, “multiple witnesses saw the man at the Sawtooth National Forest who was believed to be Travis Decker.”
Naturally, U.S. Marshals mobilized the Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force to verify the sighting. Their diligent efforts led them to the cooperative hiker, who confirmed he had been camping in Bear Creek over the weekend. After interviewing him and running fingerprint checks, officials announced that the man was not Decker. The news release dated July 9, shared with People, made it official: the mistaken identity had wasted precious search resources.
At this point, authorities decided to stand down in Idaho and began demobilizing ground teams in Sawtooth National Forest. The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, which is spearheading the wider manhunt, expressed gratitude to the public for staying vigilant but reminded everyone that the hunt is far from over. Their July 1 Facebook post stressed that there is no evidence indicating whether Travis Decker is alive or deceased, so local and federal agencies will persist in pursuing leads.
If you still need a refresher, here are the essentials. Travis Decker, a former Army soldier facing three counts of first-degree murder and kidnapping in Washington state, allegedly suffocated his daughters Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia near his pickup at a Leavenworth campground on June 2, according to a Chelan County Sheriff’s Office press release. The girls went missing on May 30 during a scheduled visitation, prompting a civil complaint from their mother, Whitney Decker, on May 30.
Investigators have ruled out other suspects thanks to new DNA evidence linking the crime scene to a single male subject. They also discovered suspicious online searches by Decker about moving to Canada. Meanwhile, they believe he’s been living out of his white 2017 GMC Sierra truck, motels, and campgrounds. NBC News reported that a 2024 court order required Decker to complete anger management and counseling before spending time with his kids, so you can see how this all went off the rails.
There you have it, all sorted. Hopefully that cleared it up without too much effort on your part.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, U.S. Marshals Service, Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, NBC News
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
