June 8, 2025 • 28 mins
On Friday, May 30 2025, Travis Decker failed to return his three daughters—Paityn (9), Evelyn (8), and Olivia (5) after a court-ordered visit in Wenatchee, Washington. Days later, their bodies were found at a remote campground.
Decker, a 32-year-old Army veteran with PTSD and BPD, vanished. He’s now wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and kidnapping. A nationwide manhunt is underway, with help from the FBI and U.S. Marshals. Authorities believe he may be using his military training to survive on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Sources
Decker, a 32-year-old Army veteran with PTSD and BPD, vanished. He’s now wanted for three counts of first-degree murder and kidnapping. A nationwide manhunt is underway, with help from the FBI and U.S. Marshals. Authorities believe he may be using his military training to survive on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Sources
- To submit a tip go to: https://www.co.chelan.wa.us/sheriff/forms/submit-a-tip
- https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-whitney-decker
- https://people.com/mom-decker-sisters-shares-video-tribute-fathers-day-11749786 (Happy video made by Whitney)
- https://abcnews.go.com/US/father-killed-3-daughters-active-dad-system-failed/story?id=122550676
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/why-wasnt-amber-alert-sent-170855132.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14789239/mom-three-murdered-girls-bizarre-tribute-killer-ex-decker.html
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14779755/travis-decker-military-record-murder-daughters-police-manhunt.html
- https://www.newsweek.com/travis-decker-update-manhunt-continues-new-text-message-revealed-2082023
- https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/07/us/manhunt-father-killing-daughters-wenatchee.html?searchResultPosition=2
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/manhunt-travis-decker-reaches-day-003531834.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall
- https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/travis-decker-daughters-army-washington-b2764163.html
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I'm Tina, and I'm Rich. If there's one thing we've
learned in over twenty years of marriage, it's that some.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Days you'll feel like killing your wife.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
And some days you'll feel like killing your husband.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Welcome to a bonus episode of Love Mary Kill, Hey Rich,
Hey Tina.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
How are you.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I'm doing good? How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I'm all right. I've been consumed with this story this
week about the Decker sisters. I told you a little
bit about it. I started writing a lengthy social media
post about it yesterday, and then I just kept finding
more and more information, and I said, you know, maybe
we should just do a bonus episode on the case.
It's a very sad case. So today there are no
snacks or shenanigans. Please listen with care. This is a
(00:53):
deeply disturbing and heartbreaking case. The situation is still unfolding
and details are quickly changing. We hope that Travis Decker
will be found and brought to justice soon. On Friday
May thirtieth, twenty twenty five, the Decker sisters Peyton nine,
Evelyn eight, and Olivia five, disappeared during a court ordered
visit with their father. Thirty two year old Army veteran
(01:15):
Travis Decker in Winnatchee, Washington, about one hundred fifty miles
east of Seattle. Travis had been granted limited custody three
hours every Friday and eight hours every other weekend, with
no overnights allowed, due to his ex wife's growing concerns
about his mental health. Previously, when he was allowed overnight visits,
the children had slept with him at an armory or
(01:37):
in a tent, and their mother was not comfortable with
those arrangements. Travis was not allowed to take the children
more than twenty miles from their home. On May thirtieth,
he arrived to pick up his daughters at five p m.
He and their mother, Whitney Decker, thirty three, talked for
about twenty minutes before he left with the girls. They
had a good co parenting relationship. He said, I'll see
(01:58):
you at eight o'clock. Everything seemed normal to Whitney, although
later she said Travis seemed quieter than usual. Earlier that week,
Travis told her he had nothing left in the world
except for her, Peyton, Evelyn, and Olivia. He'd recently been
concerned about his beloved dog, Chinook. Because Travis didn't have
a home or much money. He was worried about Chinook
(02:19):
getting overheated in the summer months and having enough money
to buy food for him. Whitney had offered to take
the dog. It's unclear what happened to him. When the
girls didn't return on time and Travis's phone went straight
to voicemail, Whitney was worried. She called the Wenatchee Police
department at nine forty five p m. They reached out
to the Washington State Police to request an Amber alert,
(02:40):
but the request was denied. Authority cited a lack of
evidence that the children were in immediate danger, noting that
Travis Decker had no prior history of domestic abuse. Instead,
an endangered Missing Person alert or EMPA was issued, but
not until the following day. More on this. Later, on Monday,
June second, around three pm, three days after they went missing,
(03:02):
the bodies of Peyton, Evelyn, and Olivia, were discovered near
Rock Island Campground, a remote site in Shelan County, Washington,
near the town of Leavenworth. The campground is about forty
miles from their home in Winatchee and just eleven miles
from the Canadian border. It was a devastating discovery. The
girls were found down a wooded embankment with plastic bags
(03:22):
over their heads and zip ties around their wrists. The
coroner confirmed the cause of death as asphyxiation, a tragic
end for the three precious little girls whose lives were
just beginning. Have you seen pictures of the girls? I
have just beautiful little girls.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Phone records show that Travis Decker visited the campground the
day before the murders and the days leading up to
his disappearance. Prosecutors say Decker searched Google for information on
how to relocate to Canada. According to court documents, some
of his searches included how does a person move to Canada,
how to relocate to Canada? And Jobs Canada. Hundreds of
people in the close knit community of Winatchi gathered to
(04:00):
Tuesday at Memorial Park for a vigil for Peyton, Evelyn
and Olivia. A large growing memorial filled with flowers, stuffed animals, drawings,
and balloons sits at the park. The girls were beloved
members of the community and active members of the Fabulous
Feet Dance Studio and the Short Shakespeare Theater Group. Local
resident Samansha DoD told Fox thirteen, Seattle quote. Seeing them
(04:22):
every day, seeing how happy dancing made them feel, was
truly special, and I think that's something that the studio
itself is really going to miss. Decker's truck, a white
twenty seventeen GMC Sierra, was found abandoned near the campground
seventy five to one hundred yards from the girl's bodies.
The truck had two bloody handprints on the tailgate and
inside his personal items were found, including blankets, food, car seats,
(04:47):
and his wallet. A tent and cooler were also found nearby.
On Tuesday, a judge issued a warrant for Decker's arrest
after charging him with three counts of first degree kidnapping
and three counts of first deg murder, and ordered he
beheld without bail. He hasn't been captured yet, but.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
But once he is there will be no bail exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
On Thursday, an additional charge of evading arrest was added.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
I ask you a quick question. So you said blood
was found on the tailgate or bloody handprints were found
on the tailgate of his truck, but the girls were asphyxiated,
so the blood wasn't from them. I assume, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
I don't know who the blood was from. It could
have been from the girls, but so far we don't
have a lot of details about the situation.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Yeah. Travis Decker, who suffers from borderline personality disorder and
post traumatic stress disorder, had recently quit counseling. He survived
a traumatic car accident. He was living out of his truck,
camping and sometimes staying in hotels, according to court records.
Those close to him worried that he was on the
verge of something dangerous. Whitney says that he isn't evil,
(05:50):
but that quote, something broke in him. She believes this
tragedy could have been prevented if law enforcement had acted
sooner and issued an Amber alert on her behalf. Her
attorney said, quote, something came out of this man and
he broke. That's it. When that man picked up those
girls his babies, he did not have a plan to
kill them. There's nothing that indicates that he did. Travis
(06:11):
Decker joined the Army in twenty twelve. He served in
Afghanistan in twenty fourteen for four months, where he was
among a group of elite airborne paratrooper rangers. From twenty
fourteen to twenty sixteen, he was an automatic rifleman with
the seventy fifth Ranger Regiment at Joint Base Lewis McCord
in Washington. Later, he transferred to the Washington National Guard
(06:32):
in twenty twenty one, rising to the rank of sergeant.
He was a full time member of the National Guard
until twenty twenty four, when he became a part time member.
He stopped attending required training sessions and was placed on leave.
Disciplinary discharge proceedings were under way. A military spokeswoman told
the AP quote, this is an absolute tragedy. We are
(06:53):
mourning along with the community. In an interview with Fox
News thirteen Seattle, a former squad member who served with
a travist Decker in Italy, speaking anonymously, described him as quiet,
hard working, somewhat of a loner, and exhibiting narcissistic traits.
He revealed that Decker had been removed from the Elite
Ranger Regiment after failing to complete training. According to the
(07:14):
former squad mate, Travis idolized his father, a former Green Beret,
and seemed determined to live up to his legacy, always
carrying the weight of something to prove. He noted that
Decker's social media accounts were deleted after the murders, though
it's unclear whether he removed them himself or if they
were taken down by authorities. Quote. All of us who
served with him feel completely betrayed. Were beyond distraught over
(07:38):
what's happened, he said. Whitney said that Travis attempted to
get help from veteran resources, but none were available to him.
She recalled him having recurrent nightmares and only being able
to sleep for a few hours each night. She said
he was a good, active father who loved his daughters
very much. He never missed his daughter's dance classes, theater productions,
or soccer games. Their custom the agreement was working. The
(08:01):
couple were married for seven years before filing for divorce
in twenty twenty three. Travis initiated the divorce after moving
out of their home in late twenty twenty two, telling
his wife he wasn't worth it.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
After meeting online, Whitney and Travis quickly became inseparable. The
couple first lived together on a Joint Army Air Force
base in Washington State, then spent two years stationed in
Italy before relocating to Georgia for another two and then
returned to Washington. In September twenty twenty four, Whitney, who
had full custody of the children, petitioned the court to
(08:33):
quote put restrictions in place on his parenting due to
quote concerning factors regarding Travis's mental health and stability. In
the filing, Whitney requested that Decker be evaluated for anger
management and domestic violence and have a full psychiatric evaluation
by a licensed psychiatrist. Ballure to comply would result in
(08:54):
further limitations of his parental visitation. In court documents, she wrote, quote,
Travis just keeps getting more and more unstable. He has
made huge sacrifices to serve our country and loves his
girls very much, but he has got to get better
for our girls. Since her separation, it's become increasingly clear
that Travis has been struggling to maintain stability. Travis also
(09:17):
has some emotional and mental health issues that were the
primary catalyst to the end of our marriage. His borderline
personality disorder and narcissism became rampant. She described several troubling incidents,
and one she said, Travis quote first into my home
against my objections and yelled for the girls. In another
just days before Christmas twenty twenty three, your daughter Olivia
(09:40):
facetimed her mother in tears, screaming and crying with Travis
nowhere in sight. After one of the girls was injured
and a separate incident. Whitney claimed Travis hitchhiked to her
house and asked to sleep in the basement with the girls. However,
Whitney made it clear that Travis was not an abusive
father or husband, although sometimes after a visit, the girls
would return home crying or upset. According to The Seattle Times,
(10:03):
Whitney said, quote, they are all happy, smart, well adjusted girls,
with the exception of when Travis brings them back to
me after his visitations. When Eshaw Winnie was doing her
attorney Adrianna Cozart said quote, I think she is still
reeling from losing her entire world. She is strong and
kind and wants this tragedy to spur change and save lives.
That is what is driving her right now. An Amber
(10:26):
alert was not enacted because law enforcement did not believe
that the girls were in imminent danger and there was
no indication that Decker would harm his daughters, despite his
history of mental health issues. He'd never been abusive or
violent with them or Whitney. Instead of an AMBER alert,
and endangered Missing Persons alert was issued, but not immediately.
An EMPA notification does not send a push notification or
(10:49):
text message to all cell phones in the targeted area
about the missing child or children, as an AMBER alert does.
We don't get an AMBU alert very often, but when
you do, it's like super joy.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Yeah, it's everywhere.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Yeah, it's such a great tool for law enforcement. Chris Loftis,
director of public Affairs for the Washington State Patrol, said, quote,
in this case, it was a parent with custodial privileges
and the children had not been returned home on time.
But that's a rather common occurrence and not something where
you just automatically assume abduction. We're people too, you know.
(11:24):
So the loss of a child, the loss of two children,
the loss of three children is devastating. Everybody always looks
to how we can improve. Loftis said, there wasn't enough
evidence that Peyton, Evelyn and Olivia were in peril. Quote,
we just didn't have that. Everyone wishes we could turn
back the clock. It's so devastating.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Captain Brian Chance of the Winatchee Police Department said in response, quote,
were we frustrated? Yes, probably quite a little bit. When
he was asked whether an Amber alert would have made
a difference in the search for the Ducker sisters, he
declined to speculate. White Decker is lobbying to change the
Amber alert policy along with improving veterans' mental health benefits.
(12:06):
Adriana Cozart, her attorney, set on her behalf quote, when
there is a parent with limited visitation, that has a
history of mental health issues, and is a military veteran
with the training necessary to kill one hundred different ways,
the Amber alert should have been issued. Travis Decker is
now wanted on three accounts of first degree murder and kidnapping.
(12:26):
More than five hundred tips have poured into law enforcement.
There is a twenty thousand dollars reward for information leading
to his capture and arrest. He may be traveling along
the Pacific Crest Trail, which extends two thousand, six hundred
and fifty miles along the Pacific coast from Canada to Mexico,
passing through Washington State and Oregon. So it's a vast
(12:48):
area that they're searching, but authorities have no leads on
Decker's whereabouts. Shelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said at a
press conference, quote it could be anywhere in the country.
We're searching anywhere in every where. Morrison acknowledged that it
is possible that Decker may have taken his own life. Quote,
We're operating under the assumption that he's still out there
(13:08):
despite the death of their three beautiful daughters. Whitney Decker
says she has a lot of empathy for Travis and
who he is at his core. Adriana Coozart said, quote,
he was a loving man, but something broke and whatever
monster came out of him, it's something that he was
trained to do in the military. Although Travis was struggling
with his own mental health, he was a good co parent,
(13:29):
always communicating frequently with Whitney up until Friday evening when
the girls went missing. Cosart added that the local via
is struggling. Quote they haven't been able to see any
new veteran patients for over six months.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson released emergency funds in order
to enact the Washington National Guard to help search for
Travis Decker. On Friday, June sixth, A massive manhunt is
underway involving over one hundred law enforcement officers searching for Decker,
including US Marshalls and the FBI. Several trails and campsites
have been closed to the public while the search continues.
(14:04):
Law enforcement called him dangerous and a significant risk due
to his extensive military training in mountaineering and navigation. He
may be carrying a weapon. Decker's father is now involved
in the search for his son. He said that Travis
has experienced living off the grid for as long as
two and a half months and could do so for
an extended period of time. Law enforcement agree and believe
(14:26):
that he could survive weeks or months in the wilderness.
Helicopters are searching in remote, densely wooded areas, waterways, buildings,
and structures for Decker. Special equipment to detect body heat
levels is also being used. Search warrants have been issued
for his cell phone data.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
I haven't read any reports about law enforcement having his
actual phone. I'm sure that he doesn't have it on
him anymore, but I don't know if law enforcement has
found it. I'm guessing they haven't.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Residents are reminded to keep their doors and windows locked,
turn on outside lighting. Avoid closed areas, which currently include
the Enchantments and the Icicle River area, and if you
see Travistecker, do not approach him. Called nine one one immediately.
Anyone with information should contact the Shelan County Sheriff's office.
Some roadblocks have been removed and areas have been reopened
(15:14):
as law enforcement believe the danger has passed, but warn
the public to remain alert and vigilant. As of Saturday,
the search is focused on the Cascade Mountains. Eric Hampton
of East Cascades SWAT says the search teams are well
equipped and highly skilled, but the rugged landscape poses a
serious challenge. Hampton said quote, The terrain is steep, dense
(15:35):
and vast. There are countless ways in and out, which
makes searching incredibly difficult. We are hoping to exhaust this
area for any sign of him. We are not going
to leave any stone unturned. We are doing operations into
the night. We have done them since Monday. We are
working hard. Travistecker is five feet eight inches tall, one
hundred and eighty pounds, with black hair, possibly in a ponytail,
(15:56):
and brown eyes. According to police, he was last seen
wearing a light shirt and dark shorts. If you have
any information, called the CCSO tip line at five oh
nine six six seven six eight four five or submit
information to the tip line. We'll have a link in
our show notes.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Police just released new images of Decker from a ring camera.
I think they were from before the girls went missing. Okay,
but it's just crazy how much information we get from
ring cameras these Okay, yeah, but I will post those images.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
A lot of people are questioning why an AMBER alert
was not issued in the case of the Decker sisters,
and with good reason. Amber stands for America's missing broadcast
emergency response. Between four hundred and five hundred alerts are
issued each year. The system is named for Amber Hagerman,
a nine year old girl who was abducted in nineteen
ninety six and murdered in Arlington, Texas, after going for
(16:51):
a ride on her new pink bike. She was found
four days later naked in a nearby creek. A Texas
mother named Diane Simone, heartbroken over Amber's death, called a
local radio station and asked why there wasn't a national
alert system for missing children. She thought if citizens receive
alerts for weather and crimes. Why couldn't law enforcement use
(17:12):
a similar system to inform the public about missing children.
Amber Alerts began in the Dallas Fort Worth area before
spreading nationwide. Although her murderer has never been found, Amber's
legacy has saved over a thousand children. The system is
designed to quickly notify the public via media, highway signs,
and text messages about serious child abduction cases in the
(17:34):
hope that someone will spot the child, suspect, or vehicle.
Amber's case, by the way, is still open and active.
The police say that they still receive leads in the
case every few months.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
They are a different criteria for issuing an Amber Alert
depending on the state that you live in. The US
Department of Justice recommends these for a criteria are met
before an Amber Alert is issued. The child is under eighteen,
there is evidence of abduction, Law enforcement believes the child
is an imminent danger of serious injury or death. There
is enough descriptive information suspect, vehicle, or license plate number
(18:09):
to help locate the child or abductor. Some states might
add additional requirements like the suspect must be named, the
abduction must be confirmed and not just a missing person
or a runaway, and the alert must be issued within
a specific timeframe as short as possible, I think is
their goal. There are several problems with AMBER alerts and criticisms.
(18:31):
One of the biggest issues is the delay in issuing
the alerts. Law enforcement must wait hours sometimes because they
need to verify the details of the abduction. Another issue
is the restrictive criteria needed. Some abductions don't qualify because
the situation doesn't meet the strict definition of abduction. This
happens a lot with custody disputes or runaways. Some people
(18:54):
fear that the system is overused, and some people say
that it's underused. Those alerts can kind of numb people.
I think if you receive them all the time, I
think we only receive one or two a year, so
whenever we hear one, you know, it's always very jarring
and we try to do our due diligence.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Yeah. Well, I know, if we're out driving and we
hear one, or we see one on a billboard or whatever,
I immediately start keeping my eyes open for absolutely type
of car.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
There's an issue with technological gaps. In rural or low
tech areas, the alert might not reach enough people fast enough.
And lastly, there's an issue with the public really understanding
how Amber alerts are used. They're not automatically issued for
every missing child, and it can be really confusing. I
guess we know because we have a true crime podcast
(19:41):
that if an Amber alert is issued, that means that
child is in a very dangerous situation. And it is
unfortunate though that there's a lot of missing children that
are in dangerous situations and the Amber alert isn't used right.
The Amber alert system is a powerful tool, but it's
only as effective as the policies and behind it. Its
success stories are real. Over eleven hundred children have been
(20:04):
recovered thanks to the system, but the gaps are also real.
Reform advocates call for better training, more consistent criteria, and
increased flexibility, especially in high risk situations that don't check
every box. This case has shaken the community of Winachi
and the nation. The Winnatchi community is in mourning for Olivia, Evelyn,
(20:25):
and Peyton. They were all students at Lincoln Elementary School
in the Winatchie School district. A friend of the family
tearfully recalled the girl's sunny dispositions quote they were just shining.
They were always so happy. Hug your loved ones. You
never know when the last time you're going to see them.
Tell them you love them, because you never know. We'll
continue to share updates as the search for Travis Stuckert continues.
(20:48):
Until then. Say their names, Peyton, Evelyn, Olivia. They were kind, bright, active,
compassionate little girls, full of light and love. And please
be kind to Whitney. She did everything she could under
impossible circuit stances and is now enduring a level of
heartbreak no parents should ever face. Our thoughts are with
her and her loved ones during this imaginable, unimaginable time.
(21:09):
A GoFundMe has been set up for Whitney to help
her with burial expenses, allow her to take off time
from work to heal, counseling, and her legal fund. If
you'd like to contribute, there is a link in our
show notes How you doing.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
It's a tough one. It's a really tough one. Yeah,
it's so heartbreaking.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
I think about this sign all the time that one
of our neighbors at our old house had painted by
their driveway. Do you remember what it said?
Speaker 1 (21:33):
It's said, I believe freedom is not free.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
I think about that all the time, especially this time
of year when it's you know, like Memorial Day and
Veterans Day, and you know, our soldiers deserve the very
best medical care when they come home. What they face
is really hard. As many as forty four veterans die
each day by suicide, and for a day that might
be a high number, but it's between twenty and.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Four for way, it's way too much.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
And also, our police officers are law enforcement agents. They're
also struggling. Police suicides outnumbered line of duty deaths, often
by a significant margin. These people pay such a huge
price for our safety.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Yeah, absolutely, and it's it and it shouldn't be a
political issue or anything. It's like, these people are protecting
our freedoms, protecting us, protecting our safety, and we should
be doing everything possible to get them the help that
they need. They're in traumatic situations, they see things that
are traumatizing. It's just yeah, it's unconsciousle.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
More than the human spirit can take a lot. Yeah,
we don't know what, if what made Travis do what
he did. It's a horrible act. We're not trying to
forgive it any at all, but we don't know what
his experiences were. We don't know what his mental health was, well,
we know that around twenty twenty one, it seemed like
that's when he started to really struggle with his mental health.
(22:54):
And I'm not sure how much of that had to
do with his job.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Well, and just based on the comments that you read
by Whitney, the things that she said about him, she
knows him better than we certainly do, and better than
most people do, and it seems like she really had
this feeling that he was declined, his mental health was declining,
and a lot of that probably was due to his
experiences in the military.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
When Whitney has faced criticism online, I don't know how
anyone can criticize this poor woman at this time. But
because she is leading with empathy, a lot of people
are like, you know, how can you forgive him and
how can you, you know, show kindness towards him.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Yeah, first of all, I agree with you completely that
I can't understand how anybody could criticize her online for
how she reacts to this tragedy. I think it's amazing
that she's reacting by trying to enact change like already.
I mean, it's so soon.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Yeah, very soon. But yeah, she clearly wants to make
a difference.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Yeah, I mean that's to me, that's really admirable. And
she's trying to look at the root cause of what
happened and trying to enact change that will help other people.
And like you said, it's inexcusable what he did. I
hope he's caught. I hope he faces justice for what
he did. But at the same time, I think Whitney,
the way she's handling it from my perspective is it's admirable.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
But I'm sure she also wants him arrested and to
face charges for what he did. Sure, this is not
the first case of a soldier killing his family. Sadly,
these people are trained. They're trained to kill, they're trained
to survive. They're you know, green Berets and people with
just this advanced training, right, and they really do become.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
The combination and yeah, yeah, and the combination of that training,
that skill set that they have, and the trauma that
some of them suffer in their jobs in the military. Yeah,
the combination of those things can be a really dangerous thing.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
I think it's likely that Travis has taken his own
life and maybe he you know, is in the water
somewhere because they're using this heats seeking radar and they're
using you know, every resource they have, and there's I
think at this point there's literally hundreds of law enforcement
agents searching for him.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
Yeah, I think if I had to guess, I would say,
you're probably right. I mean, it sounds like, you know,
he had mental health issues, but he also loved his kids,
and so I'm sure there has come a point for
him where he realized what he did and can't live
with himself because of that.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
But right, And he didn't take his wallet with him,
And I know he can live off the land, but
you can't live off the land forever. And I would
think he would need his wallet and the fact that
he left it behind on purpose is kind of telling.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Yeah. I hope we find out one way or another soon.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Well, thank you so much for listening. If this was
your first time with us, today's episode was a bit
different from our usual format. We hope you'll stick around
and check out some of our other episodes too. To close,
we are going to play a clip of Whitney Decker's
friends Amy Edwards and Mark Belton reading a message from her.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
To our community. The Wenacchi Valley. Thank you for the
outpoint of love. Generosity. Support has been overwhelming, not only
here in the Weinachi Valley, but from the communities around
the world. We are deeply moved and profoundly grateful seeing
everyone come together and unite and support of this family
has been humbling and reminds us of what makes the
(26:16):
Weinachi Valley so special. That compassion has been a source
of light in this dark hour.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
This valley helped nurture the creativity, confidence, and joy that
Peyton and Evelyn and Olivia shined so brightly, whether it
was performing on stage with short Shakespeareans and music theater Weinachi,
dancing with the Fabulous Feet Dance Studio, playing sports, or
walking the halls of Lincoln Elementary, their laughter, curiosity and
(26:46):
spirit left a mark on all of us. They were
the kind of children that everyone rooted forward, looked forward,
looked forward to seeing and help close in their hearts.
They are cherished not just by the family, but by
our entire community who watches them grow, perform, learn and love.
(27:06):
We ache with the love we still carry for them,
and we always will.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
Whitney is living every parent's worst nightmare. The whole in
her heart is immeasurable. There are no words that can
capture the weight of this loss. Right now, she's surrounded
by friends, family, and neighbors doing everything they can to
hold her.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Out to the media, we ask for grace at this time.
Whitney is grieving the unimaginable. Should she not have to
do so under a spot white. Please allow her the
space and privacy and compassion that she deserves. Your restraint
is a true act of humanity, and we appreciate it.
We are focused on fully cooperating with investigators so that
(27:48):
Travis Decker is found, apprehended, and brought to justice. This
case is ongoing and all legal updates will come from
law enforcement.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
The generosity we've seen from right here in Anat Valley
and nationwide has not only brought comfort during this heartbreaking time,
it also sparks some important conversations. We're talking about how
we raise awareness and advocate for improvements to the Amber
Allert system, and how we address and expand access to
mental health resources for veterans, especially in the context of
(28:18):
family and custody cases. While nothing can undo this tragedy,
we're hopeful that these conversations will lead to change that
honor Aydon, Olivia, and Evelyn's memory.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
We end with a message shared by mothers all across
the world. When one mother cries, we all cry and
hold her in our heart. Thank you for holding Whitney
in your hearts now. Thank you
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I'm Tina, and I'm Rich. If there's one thing we've
learned in over twenty years of marriage, it's that some.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Days you'll feel like killing your wife.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
And some days you'll feel like killing your husband.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Welcome to a bonus episode of Love Mary Kill, Hey Rich,
Hey Tina.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
How are you.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
I'm doing good? How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I'm all right. I've been consumed with this story this
week about the Decker sisters. I told you a little
bit about it. I started writing a lengthy social media
post about it yesterday, and then I just kept finding
more and more information, and I said, you know, maybe
we should just do a bonus episode on the case.
It's a very sad case. So today there are no
snacks or shenanigans. Please listen with care. This is a
(00:53):
deeply disturbing and heartbreaking case. The situation is still unfolding
and details are quickly changing. We hope that Travis Decker
will be found and brought to justice soon. On Friday
May thirtieth, twenty twenty five, the Decker sisters Peyton nine,
Evelyn eight, and Olivia five, disappeared during a court ordered
visit with their father. Thirty two year old Army veteran
(01:15):
Travis Decker in Winnatchee, Washington, about one hundred fifty miles
east of Seattle. Travis had been granted limited custody three
hours every Friday and eight hours every other weekend, with
no overnights allowed, due to his ex wife's growing concerns
about his mental health. Previously, when he was allowed overnight visits,
the children had slept with him at an armory or
(01:37):
in a tent, and their mother was not comfortable with
those arrangements. Travis was not allowed to take the children
more than twenty miles from their home. On May thirtieth,
he arrived to pick up his daughters at five p m.
He and their mother, Whitney Decker, thirty three, talked for
about twenty minutes before he left with the girls. They
had a good co parenting relationship. He said, I'll see
(01:58):
you at eight o'clock. Everything seemed normal to Whitney, although
later she said Travis seemed quieter than usual. Earlier that week,
Travis told her he had nothing left in the world
except for her, Peyton, Evelyn, and Olivia. He'd recently been
concerned about his beloved dog, Chinook. Because Travis didn't have
a home or much money. He was worried about Chinook
(02:19):
getting overheated in the summer months and having enough money
to buy food for him. Whitney had offered to take
the dog. It's unclear what happened to him. When the
girls didn't return on time and Travis's phone went straight
to voicemail, Whitney was worried. She called the Wenatchee Police
department at nine forty five p m. They reached out
to the Washington State Police to request an Amber alert,
(02:40):
but the request was denied. Authority cited a lack of
evidence that the children were in immediate danger, noting that
Travis Decker had no prior history of domestic abuse. Instead,
an endangered Missing Person alert or EMPA was issued, but
not until the following day. More on this. Later, on Monday,
June second, around three pm, three days after they went missing,
(03:02):
the bodies of Peyton, Evelyn, and Olivia, were discovered near
Rock Island Campground, a remote site in Shelan County, Washington,
near the town of Leavenworth. The campground is about forty
miles from their home in Winatchee and just eleven miles
from the Canadian border. It was a devastating discovery. The
girls were found down a wooded embankment with plastic bags
(03:22):
over their heads and zip ties around their wrists. The
coroner confirmed the cause of death as asphyxiation, a tragic
end for the three precious little girls whose lives were
just beginning. Have you seen pictures of the girls? I
have just beautiful little girls.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Phone records show that Travis Decker visited the campground the
day before the murders and the days leading up to
his disappearance. Prosecutors say Decker searched Google for information on
how to relocate to Canada. According to court documents, some
of his searches included how does a person move to Canada,
how to relocate to Canada? And Jobs Canada. Hundreds of
people in the close knit community of Winatchi gathered to
(04:00):
Tuesday at Memorial Park for a vigil for Peyton, Evelyn
and Olivia. A large growing memorial filled with flowers, stuffed animals, drawings,
and balloons sits at the park. The girls were beloved
members of the community and active members of the Fabulous
Feet Dance Studio and the Short Shakespeare Theater Group. Local
resident Samansha DoD told Fox thirteen, Seattle quote. Seeing them
(04:22):
every day, seeing how happy dancing made them feel, was
truly special, and I think that's something that the studio
itself is really going to miss. Decker's truck, a white
twenty seventeen GMC Sierra, was found abandoned near the campground
seventy five to one hundred yards from the girl's bodies.
The truck had two bloody handprints on the tailgate and
inside his personal items were found, including blankets, food, car seats,
(04:47):
and his wallet. A tent and cooler were also found nearby.
On Tuesday, a judge issued a warrant for Decker's arrest
after charging him with three counts of first degree kidnapping
and three counts of first deg murder, and ordered he
beheld without bail. He hasn't been captured yet, but.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
But once he is there will be no bail exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
On Thursday, an additional charge of evading arrest was added.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
I ask you a quick question. So you said blood
was found on the tailgate or bloody handprints were found
on the tailgate of his truck, but the girls were asphyxiated,
so the blood wasn't from them. I assume, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
I don't know who the blood was from. It could
have been from the girls, but so far we don't
have a lot of details about the situation.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Yeah. Travis Decker, who suffers from borderline personality disorder and
post traumatic stress disorder, had recently quit counseling. He survived
a traumatic car accident. He was living out of his truck,
camping and sometimes staying in hotels, according to court records.
Those close to him worried that he was on the
verge of something dangerous. Whitney says that he isn't evil,
(05:50):
but that quote, something broke in him. She believes this
tragedy could have been prevented if law enforcement had acted
sooner and issued an Amber alert on her behalf. Her
attorney said, quote, something came out of this man and
he broke. That's it. When that man picked up those
girls his babies, he did not have a plan to
kill them. There's nothing that indicates that he did. Travis
(06:11):
Decker joined the Army in twenty twelve. He served in
Afghanistan in twenty fourteen for four months, where he was
among a group of elite airborne paratrooper rangers. From twenty
fourteen to twenty sixteen, he was an automatic rifleman with
the seventy fifth Ranger Regiment at Joint Base Lewis McCord
in Washington. Later, he transferred to the Washington National Guard
(06:32):
in twenty twenty one, rising to the rank of sergeant.
He was a full time member of the National Guard
until twenty twenty four, when he became a part time member.
He stopped attending required training sessions and was placed on leave.
Disciplinary discharge proceedings were under way. A military spokeswoman told
the AP quote, this is an absolute tragedy. We are
(06:53):
mourning along with the community. In an interview with Fox
News thirteen Seattle, a former squad member who served with
a travist Decker in Italy, speaking anonymously, described him as quiet,
hard working, somewhat of a loner, and exhibiting narcissistic traits.
He revealed that Decker had been removed from the Elite
Ranger Regiment after failing to complete training. According to the
(07:14):
former squad mate, Travis idolized his father, a former Green Beret,
and seemed determined to live up to his legacy, always
carrying the weight of something to prove. He noted that
Decker's social media accounts were deleted after the murders, though
it's unclear whether he removed them himself or if they
were taken down by authorities. Quote. All of us who
served with him feel completely betrayed. Were beyond distraught over
(07:38):
what's happened, he said. Whitney said that Travis attempted to
get help from veteran resources, but none were available to him.
She recalled him having recurrent nightmares and only being able
to sleep for a few hours each night. She said
he was a good, active father who loved his daughters
very much. He never missed his daughter's dance classes, theater productions,
or soccer games. Their custom the agreement was working. The
(08:01):
couple were married for seven years before filing for divorce
in twenty twenty three. Travis initiated the divorce after moving
out of their home in late twenty twenty two, telling
his wife he wasn't worth it.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
After meeting online, Whitney and Travis quickly became inseparable. The
couple first lived together on a Joint Army Air Force
base in Washington State, then spent two years stationed in
Italy before relocating to Georgia for another two and then
returned to Washington. In September twenty twenty four, Whitney, who
had full custody of the children, petitioned the court to
(08:33):
quote put restrictions in place on his parenting due to
quote concerning factors regarding Travis's mental health and stability. In
the filing, Whitney requested that Decker be evaluated for anger
management and domestic violence and have a full psychiatric evaluation
by a licensed psychiatrist. Ballure to comply would result in
(08:54):
further limitations of his parental visitation. In court documents, she wrote, quote,
Travis just keeps getting more and more unstable. He has
made huge sacrifices to serve our country and loves his
girls very much, but he has got to get better
for our girls. Since her separation, it's become increasingly clear
that Travis has been struggling to maintain stability. Travis also
(09:17):
has some emotional and mental health issues that were the
primary catalyst to the end of our marriage. His borderline
personality disorder and narcissism became rampant. She described several troubling incidents,
and one she said, Travis quote first into my home
against my objections and yelled for the girls. In another
just days before Christmas twenty twenty three, your daughter Olivia
(09:40):
facetimed her mother in tears, screaming and crying with Travis
nowhere in sight. After one of the girls was injured
and a separate incident. Whitney claimed Travis hitchhiked to her
house and asked to sleep in the basement with the girls. However,
Whitney made it clear that Travis was not an abusive
father or husband, although sometimes after a visit, the girls
would return home crying or upset. According to The Seattle Times,
(10:03):
Whitney said, quote, they are all happy, smart, well adjusted girls,
with the exception of when Travis brings them back to
me after his visitations. When Eshaw Winnie was doing her
attorney Adrianna Cozart said quote, I think she is still
reeling from losing her entire world. She is strong and
kind and wants this tragedy to spur change and save lives.
That is what is driving her right now. An Amber
(10:26):
alert was not enacted because law enforcement did not believe
that the girls were in imminent danger and there was
no indication that Decker would harm his daughters, despite his
history of mental health issues. He'd never been abusive or
violent with them or Whitney. Instead of an AMBER alert,
and endangered Missing Persons alert was issued, but not immediately.
An EMPA notification does not send a push notification or
(10:49):
text message to all cell phones in the targeted area
about the missing child or children, as an AMBER alert does.
We don't get an AMBU alert very often, but when
you do, it's like super joy.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Yeah, it's everywhere.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Yeah, it's such a great tool for law enforcement. Chris Loftis,
director of public Affairs for the Washington State Patrol, said, quote,
in this case, it was a parent with custodial privileges
and the children had not been returned home on time.
But that's a rather common occurrence and not something where
you just automatically assume abduction. We're people too, you know.
(11:24):
So the loss of a child, the loss of two children,
the loss of three children is devastating. Everybody always looks
to how we can improve. Loftis said, there wasn't enough
evidence that Peyton, Evelyn and Olivia were in peril. Quote,
we just didn't have that. Everyone wishes we could turn
back the clock. It's so devastating.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Captain Brian Chance of the Winatchee Police Department said in response, quote,
were we frustrated? Yes, probably quite a little bit. When
he was asked whether an Amber alert would have made
a difference in the search for the Ducker sisters, he
declined to speculate. White Decker is lobbying to change the
Amber alert policy along with improving veterans' mental health benefits.
(12:06):
Adriana Cozart, her attorney, set on her behalf quote, when
there is a parent with limited visitation, that has a
history of mental health issues, and is a military veteran
with the training necessary to kill one hundred different ways,
the Amber alert should have been issued. Travis Decker is
now wanted on three accounts of first degree murder and kidnapping.
(12:26):
More than five hundred tips have poured into law enforcement.
There is a twenty thousand dollars reward for information leading
to his capture and arrest. He may be traveling along
the Pacific Crest Trail, which extends two thousand, six hundred
and fifty miles along the Pacific coast from Canada to Mexico,
passing through Washington State and Oregon. So it's a vast
(12:48):
area that they're searching, but authorities have no leads on
Decker's whereabouts. Shelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said at a
press conference, quote it could be anywhere in the country.
We're searching anywhere in every where. Morrison acknowledged that it
is possible that Decker may have taken his own life. Quote,
We're operating under the assumption that he's still out there
(13:08):
despite the death of their three beautiful daughters. Whitney Decker
says she has a lot of empathy for Travis and
who he is at his core. Adriana Coozart said, quote,
he was a loving man, but something broke and whatever
monster came out of him, it's something that he was
trained to do in the military. Although Travis was struggling
with his own mental health, he was a good co parent,
(13:29):
always communicating frequently with Whitney up until Friday evening when
the girls went missing. Cosart added that the local via
is struggling. Quote they haven't been able to see any
new veteran patients for over six months.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson released emergency funds in order
to enact the Washington National Guard to help search for
Travis Decker. On Friday, June sixth, A massive manhunt is
underway involving over one hundred law enforcement officers searching for Decker,
including US Marshalls and the FBI. Several trails and campsites
have been closed to the public while the search continues.
(14:04):
Law enforcement called him dangerous and a significant risk due
to his extensive military training in mountaineering and navigation. He
may be carrying a weapon. Decker's father is now involved
in the search for his son. He said that Travis
has experienced living off the grid for as long as
two and a half months and could do so for
an extended period of time. Law enforcement agree and believe
(14:26):
that he could survive weeks or months in the wilderness.
Helicopters are searching in remote, densely wooded areas, waterways, buildings,
and structures for Decker. Special equipment to detect body heat
levels is also being used. Search warrants have been issued
for his cell phone data.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
I haven't read any reports about law enforcement having his
actual phone. I'm sure that he doesn't have it on
him anymore, but I don't know if law enforcement has
found it. I'm guessing they haven't.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Residents are reminded to keep their doors and windows locked,
turn on outside lighting. Avoid closed areas, which currently include
the Enchantments and the Icicle River area, and if you
see Travistecker, do not approach him. Called nine one one immediately.
Anyone with information should contact the Shelan County Sheriff's office.
Some roadblocks have been removed and areas have been reopened
(15:14):
as law enforcement believe the danger has passed, but warn
the public to remain alert and vigilant. As of Saturday,
the search is focused on the Cascade Mountains. Eric Hampton
of East Cascades SWAT says the search teams are well
equipped and highly skilled, but the rugged landscape poses a
serious challenge. Hampton said quote, The terrain is steep, dense
(15:35):
and vast. There are countless ways in and out, which
makes searching incredibly difficult. We are hoping to exhaust this
area for any sign of him. We are not going
to leave any stone unturned. We are doing operations into
the night. We have done them since Monday. We are
working hard. Travistecker is five feet eight inches tall, one
hundred and eighty pounds, with black hair, possibly in a ponytail,
(15:56):
and brown eyes. According to police, he was last seen
wearing a light shirt and dark shorts. If you have
any information, called the CCSO tip line at five oh
nine six six seven six eight four five or submit
information to the tip line. We'll have a link in
our show notes.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Police just released new images of Decker from a ring camera.
I think they were from before the girls went missing. Okay,
but it's just crazy how much information we get from
ring cameras these Okay, yeah, but I will post those images.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
A lot of people are questioning why an AMBER alert
was not issued in the case of the Decker sisters,
and with good reason. Amber stands for America's missing broadcast
emergency response. Between four hundred and five hundred alerts are
issued each year. The system is named for Amber Hagerman,
a nine year old girl who was abducted in nineteen
ninety six and murdered in Arlington, Texas, after going for
(16:51):
a ride on her new pink bike. She was found
four days later naked in a nearby creek. A Texas
mother named Diane Simone, heartbroken over Amber's death, called a
local radio station and asked why there wasn't a national
alert system for missing children. She thought if citizens receive
alerts for weather and crimes. Why couldn't law enforcement use
(17:12):
a similar system to inform the public about missing children.
Amber Alerts began in the Dallas Fort Worth area before
spreading nationwide. Although her murderer has never been found, Amber's
legacy has saved over a thousand children. The system is
designed to quickly notify the public via media, highway signs,
and text messages about serious child abduction cases in the
(17:34):
hope that someone will spot the child, suspect, or vehicle.
Amber's case, by the way, is still open and active.
The police say that they still receive leads in the
case every few months.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
They are a different criteria for issuing an Amber Alert
depending on the state that you live in. The US
Department of Justice recommends these for a criteria are met
before an Amber Alert is issued. The child is under eighteen,
there is evidence of abduction, Law enforcement believes the child
is an imminent danger of serious injury or death. There
is enough descriptive information suspect, vehicle, or license plate number
(18:09):
to help locate the child or abductor. Some states might
add additional requirements like the suspect must be named, the
abduction must be confirmed and not just a missing person
or a runaway, and the alert must be issued within
a specific timeframe as short as possible, I think is
their goal. There are several problems with AMBER alerts and criticisms.
(18:31):
One of the biggest issues is the delay in issuing
the alerts. Law enforcement must wait hours sometimes because they
need to verify the details of the abduction. Another issue
is the restrictive criteria needed. Some abductions don't qualify because
the situation doesn't meet the strict definition of abduction. This
happens a lot with custody disputes or runaways. Some people
(18:54):
fear that the system is overused, and some people say
that it's underused. Those alerts can kind of numb people.
I think if you receive them all the time, I
think we only receive one or two a year, so
whenever we hear one, you know, it's always very jarring
and we try to do our due diligence.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Yeah. Well, I know, if we're out driving and we
hear one, or we see one on a billboard or whatever,
I immediately start keeping my eyes open for absolutely type
of car.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
There's an issue with technological gaps. In rural or low
tech areas, the alert might not reach enough people fast enough.
And lastly, there's an issue with the public really understanding
how Amber alerts are used. They're not automatically issued for
every missing child, and it can be really confusing. I
guess we know because we have a true crime podcast
(19:41):
that if an Amber alert is issued, that means that
child is in a very dangerous situation. And it is
unfortunate though that there's a lot of missing children that
are in dangerous situations and the Amber alert isn't used right.
The Amber alert system is a powerful tool, but it's
only as effective as the policies and behind it. Its
success stories are real. Over eleven hundred children have been
(20:04):
recovered thanks to the system, but the gaps are also real.
Reform advocates call for better training, more consistent criteria, and
increased flexibility, especially in high risk situations that don't check
every box. This case has shaken the community of Winachi
and the nation. The Winnatchi community is in mourning for Olivia, Evelyn,
(20:25):
and Peyton. They were all students at Lincoln Elementary School
in the Winatchie School district. A friend of the family
tearfully recalled the girl's sunny dispositions quote they were just shining.
They were always so happy. Hug your loved ones. You
never know when the last time you're going to see them.
Tell them you love them, because you never know. We'll
continue to share updates as the search for Travis Stuckert continues.
(20:48):
Until then. Say their names, Peyton, Evelyn, Olivia. They were kind, bright, active,
compassionate little girls, full of light and love. And please
be kind to Whitney. She did everything she could under
impossible circuit stances and is now enduring a level of
heartbreak no parents should ever face. Our thoughts are with
her and her loved ones during this imaginable, unimaginable time.
(21:09):
A GoFundMe has been set up for Whitney to help
her with burial expenses, allow her to take off time
from work to heal, counseling, and her legal fund. If
you'd like to contribute, there is a link in our
show notes How you doing.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
It's a tough one. It's a really tough one. Yeah,
it's so heartbreaking.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
I think about this sign all the time that one
of our neighbors at our old house had painted by
their driveway. Do you remember what it said?
Speaker 1 (21:33):
It's said, I believe freedom is not free.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
I think about that all the time, especially this time
of year when it's you know, like Memorial Day and
Veterans Day, and you know, our soldiers deserve the very
best medical care when they come home. What they face
is really hard. As many as forty four veterans die
each day by suicide, and for a day that might
be a high number, but it's between twenty and.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Four for way, it's way too much.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
And also, our police officers are law enforcement agents. They're
also struggling. Police suicides outnumbered line of duty deaths, often
by a significant margin. These people pay such a huge
price for our safety.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Yeah, absolutely, and it's it and it shouldn't be a
political issue or anything. It's like, these people are protecting
our freedoms, protecting us, protecting our safety, and we should
be doing everything possible to get them the help that
they need. They're in traumatic situations, they see things that
are traumatizing. It's just yeah, it's unconsciousle.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
More than the human spirit can take a lot. Yeah,
we don't know what, if what made Travis do what
he did. It's a horrible act. We're not trying to
forgive it any at all, but we don't know what
his experiences were. We don't know what his mental health was, well,
we know that around twenty twenty one, it seemed like
that's when he started to really struggle with his mental health.
(22:54):
And I'm not sure how much of that had to
do with his job.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Well, and just based on the comments that you read
by Whitney, the things that she said about him, she
knows him better than we certainly do, and better than
most people do, and it seems like she really had
this feeling that he was declined, his mental health was declining,
and a lot of that probably was due to his
experiences in the military.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
When Whitney has faced criticism online, I don't know how
anyone can criticize this poor woman at this time. But
because she is leading with empathy, a lot of people
are like, you know, how can you forgive him and
how can you, you know, show kindness towards him.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Yeah, first of all, I agree with you completely that
I can't understand how anybody could criticize her online for
how she reacts to this tragedy. I think it's amazing
that she's reacting by trying to enact change like already.
I mean, it's so soon.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Yeah, very soon. But yeah, she clearly wants to make
a difference.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Yeah, I mean that's to me, that's really admirable. And
she's trying to look at the root cause of what
happened and trying to enact change that will help other people.
And like you said, it's inexcusable what he did. I
hope he's caught. I hope he faces justice for what
he did. But at the same time, I think Whitney,
the way she's handling it from my perspective is it's admirable.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
But I'm sure she also wants him arrested and to
face charges for what he did. Sure, this is not
the first case of a soldier killing his family. Sadly,
these people are trained. They're trained to kill, they're trained
to survive. They're you know, green Berets and people with
just this advanced training, right, and they really do become.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
The combination and yeah, yeah, and the combination of that training,
that skill set that they have, and the trauma that
some of them suffer in their jobs in the military. Yeah,
the combination of those things can be a really dangerous thing.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
I think it's likely that Travis has taken his own
life and maybe he you know, is in the water
somewhere because they're using this heats seeking radar and they're
using you know, every resource they have, and there's I
think at this point there's literally hundreds of law enforcement
agents searching for him.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
Yeah, I think if I had to guess, I would say,
you're probably right. I mean, it sounds like, you know,
he had mental health issues, but he also loved his kids,
and so I'm sure there has come a point for
him where he realized what he did and can't live
with himself because of that.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
But right, And he didn't take his wallet with him,
And I know he can live off the land, but
you can't live off the land forever. And I would
think he would need his wallet and the fact that
he left it behind on purpose is kind of telling.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Yeah. I hope we find out one way or another soon.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Well, thank you so much for listening. If this was
your first time with us, today's episode was a bit
different from our usual format. We hope you'll stick around
and check out some of our other episodes too. To close,
we are going to play a clip of Whitney Decker's
friends Amy Edwards and Mark Belton reading a message from her.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
To our community. The Wenacchi Valley. Thank you for the
outpoint of love. Generosity. Support has been overwhelming, not only
here in the Weinachi Valley, but from the communities around
the world. We are deeply moved and profoundly grateful seeing
everyone come together and unite and support of this family
has been humbling and reminds us of what makes the
(26:16):
Weinachi Valley so special. That compassion has been a source
of light in this dark hour.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
This valley helped nurture the creativity, confidence, and joy that
Peyton and Evelyn and Olivia shined so brightly, whether it
was performing on stage with short Shakespeareans and music theater Weinachi,
dancing with the Fabulous Feet Dance Studio, playing sports, or
walking the halls of Lincoln Elementary, their laughter, curiosity and
(26:46):
spirit left a mark on all of us. They were
the kind of children that everyone rooted forward, looked forward,
looked forward to seeing and help close in their hearts.
They are cherished not just by the family, but by
our entire community who watches them grow, perform, learn and love.
(27:06):
We ache with the love we still carry for them,
and we always will.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
Whitney is living every parent's worst nightmare. The whole in
her heart is immeasurable. There are no words that can
capture the weight of this loss. Right now, she's surrounded
by friends, family, and neighbors doing everything they can to
hold her.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Out to the media, we ask for grace at this time.
Whitney is grieving the unimaginable. Should she not have to
do so under a spot white. Please allow her the
space and privacy and compassion that she deserves. Your restraint
is a true act of humanity, and we appreciate it.
We are focused on fully cooperating with investigators so that
(27:48):
Travis Decker is found, apprehended, and brought to justice. This
case is ongoing and all legal updates will come from
law enforcement.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
The generosity we've seen from right here in Anat Valley
and nationwide has not only brought comfort during this heartbreaking time,
it also sparks some important conversations. We're talking about how
we raise awareness and advocate for improvements to the Amber
Allert system, and how we address and expand access to
mental health resources for veterans, especially in the context of
(28:18):
family and custody cases. While nothing can undo this tragedy,
we're hopeful that these conversations will lead to change that
honor Aydon, Olivia, and Evelyn's memory.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
We end with a message shared by mothers all across
the world. When one mother cries, we all cry and
hold her in our heart. Thank you for holding Whitney
in your hearts now. Thank you
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