FBI to close Leavenworth campground near where Decker sisters were found dead
In this handout photo provided by the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office deputies participate in the search for Travis Decker, at an undisclosed location in Washington state, Friday, June 6, 2025. (Snohomish County Sheriff's Office photo via AP)
LEAVENWORTH, Wash. — The FBI will close a campground near Leavenworth approximately where the three daughters of Travis Decker were found dead three months ago.
The U.S. Forest Service announced Friday that Rock Island Campground would be closed Sunday through Wednesday morning at the FBI’s request. FBI Seattle confirmed the request but said no information would be released until Monday.
The girls — Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia — were discovered near the campground along Icicle Creek.
The Forest Service notice specifies the closure will last two days. A spokesperson confirmed that, while the notice is dated to Aug. 22, the closure would begin on Sunday.
KING 5 law enforcement analyst and former King County Sheriff John Urquhart said the renewed search near Leavenworth is likely aimed at finding evidence, not Travis Decker himself. “If [investigators] thought he was in the area, they wouldn’t announce they were going in over the weekend,” Urquhart said. “That really only leaves some sort of evidentiary search.”
Urquhart noted that something must have surfaced in recent days to prompt such a large operation, one significant enough to close trailheads and restrict public access. “That’s pretty unusual,” he said. “It’s going to be really interesting to find out what they’ve got.”
He added that the limited duration of the closure suggests investigators have a specific target. “They know what they’re looking for, or have a good idea of where it is,” Urquhart said. “This isn’t going to be an extended search like when the bodies were first found.”
Earlier this week, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said Decker remains the sole suspect in the deaths of his daughters. Investigators cited new evidence that matched only Decker’s DNA to items allegedly used in the killings.
Search efforts have slowed in recent weeks. Earlier this month, the King County Sheriff’s Office sent patrols to Snoqualmie Pass after a reported sighting of Decker, but called off the search after several hours.
The U.S. Marshals Service has worked with Chelan County to search tens of thousands of acres near Blewett Pass and the Enchantments.
In July, KING 5 reported on previously unreleased body camera footage of Decker taken just days before the May 30 murders. The video, recorded during a routine traffic stop following a minor collision, shows Decker interacting with law enforcement at close range. Wenatchee police said the footage had not been released earlier because it was “not related” to the murder investigation.
During the stop, Decker asked officers whether he would be arrested for driving without insurance — a question that may suggest he feared being detained. The other party involved in the crash told KING 5 that Decker seemed outside his “full senses,” citing his body language and tone of conversation.
Records obtained by KING 5 show Decker was involved in a hit-and-run crash three weeks earlier. Although police identified his truck, the case was not pursued because the victims declined to press charges.
A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Decker’s arrest. Authorities urge anyone who spots Decker to call 911 immediately and not approach him.
KING 5's Jim Nelson contributed to this report, which was originally posted by our news partners, KREM 2 News.