During custody hearings, a Washington man accused of murdering his three young daughters reportedly begged a judge to give him more time with them.
In newly obtained audio, Travis Decker, 32, can be heard attempting to make his case to a judge during court hearings about custody arrangements with his daughters, 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia.
Travis Decker and his ex-wife Whitney Decker were in the process of divorcing when she requested a change in their custody arrangement.
In court documents relating to their divorce proceedings, Whitney Decker described her estranged husband as “unstable” and stated that he lived a transient lifestyle with no reliable or consistent housing.
Travis Decker is the primary suspect in the triple homicide of all three girls, who were discovered dead on June 2, just days after he picked them up for a scheduled visit and never returned them to their mother.
Police believe the ex-military trade worker suffocated the three girls on May 30 before fleeing, possibly to the Canadian border.
Travis Decker can be heard on audio from a Chelan County court hearing on Sept. 27, 2024, obtained by local news outlet The Wenatchee World, arguing for more time with his daughters.
Whitney Decker had been granted nearly complete custody, with visits to their father scheduled every other weekend.
However, Whitney Decker believed her estranged husband’s mental health was deteriorating and that he was refusing to seek court-ordered treatment.
Travis Decker was also said to be a transient, living in his truck, an RV, various campsites and motels, and an armory in Wenatchee, Washington.
Whitney Decker reportedly stated in court documents that the girls could be heard crying on the phone while inside the armory.
Whitney Decker requested that the girls not be subjected to overnight visits with their father because she was concerned about their safety and emotional state.
Travis Decker told the judge that he had been taking the girls camping “since the three of them were in diapers.” He stated, “I don’t believe my weekends should be completely taken away because I’ve been gone. Every time I’ve had the girls, we’ve gone to campsites, national forests, and paid campsites with campers.”
According to KCPQ, a local Fox affiliate that also obtained the audio, Travis Decker defended exposing his daughters to his lifestyle, saying, “I also think it’s important for [the girls] to understand a little bit about the world.”
He went on: “We’ve never done anything that was unsafe or anything that I wouldn’t want to put myself in.” He additionally stated: “I understand that my current position when I’m by myself isn’t ideal, but my daughters aren’t a part of that.”
Arianna Cozart, Whitney Decker’s attorney, stated, “[W]e’re not trying to take these children away from Mr. Decker.” Cozart told KCPQ that the girls’ mother “just doesn’t want the children living out of a truck or in a tent in somebody’s backyard.”
Judge Robert Jourdan stated that, while Travis Decker may have had good intentions, his living situation was “not stable.” He approved Whitney Decker’s request to change the parenting plan.
According to KCPQ, when asked to sign a document approving the new parenting plan, Travis Decker was heard saying, “And nothing can change that?” Nothing, my signature doesn’t matter, right? “If I don’t sign it, then…” It was unclear whether Travis Decker agreed to sign off on the plan.
According to the most recent update on the search for Travis Decker, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office believes they have located him in the Blewett Pass area near Highway 97.
Several agencies have joined the search for the triple murder suspect, including the US Border Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Guard, and the US Marshals Service.
Travis Decker faces three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his daughters.
