Travis Decker's Brother - “His actions are unrecognizable from when we were children,” Thomas said

ROCK ISLAND, Wash. — In a heart-wrenching development, the brother of Travis Decker, a 32-year-old man accused of the brutal murder of his three young daughters, has publicly pleaded for him to surrender while revealing a disturbing secret about Decker’s escalating violent behavior. The bodies of Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were discovered near Rock Island Campground on June 2, 2025, sparking a manhunt for Decker, who remains at large in Washington state’s wilderness.

Thomas Decker, 35, spoke exclusively to the Daily Mail, describing a troubling history of aggression that culminated in the unthinkable tragedy. “His actions are unrecognizable from when we were children,” Thomas said, urging his younger brother to “stop this evil” and turn himself in. The chilling secret, he revealed, was Travis’s violent reaction to a family intervention aimed at addressing his financial neglect and abandonment of his daughters after his divorce from their mother, Whitney.

The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office reported that the girls were found suffocated, with plastic bags over their heads and their bodies bound with zip ties, three days after they failed to return from a scheduled visit with their father on May 30. A no-bail arrest warrant has been issued for Decker, charging him with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of kidnapping. Investigators also uncovered disturbing evidence: Decker’s pickup truck, found near the campground, bore two bloody handprints, and a preliminary report indicated the girls’ cause of death as asphyxiation.

Thomas recounted a strained relationship with his brother, marked by Travis’s failure to pay child support and fulfill parental duties. “Whatever I said fell on deaf ears,” Thomas said, noting that he eventually cut contact after Travis spread lies that threatened his career. “We grew up together, he is my baby brother… I thought we were going to be a big happy family,” he added, his voice heavy with grief. The brothers, once close, pursued similar paths—both joined the Army—but Travis’s behavior deteriorated, leading to a three-year estrangement before the tragedy.

Adding to the horror, reports indicate Decker searched online about fleeing to Canada days before the murders, suggesting premeditation. The discovery of blankets, food, and car seats in his truck further paints a picture of a calculated act.

Whitney, the girls’ mother, gave no indication to Thomas or his wife, Jessica, that she feared for her daughters’ safety during their visit with Travis. “If we had known, we would’ve intervened,” Thomas said. Jessica shared a photo of her children with Travis’s daughters, a haunting reminder of happier times, posted after the girls’ bodies were found.

The community remains in shock as authorities continue their search for Decker. Thomas expressed hope for closure, not just for the family but for all those affected. “There’s a lot of people that want closure with this,” he said. As the manhunt intensifies, the nation mourns the loss of three young lives and grapples with the chilling secret of a father’s descent into violence.

17GEN4.com

17GEN4 news