A horrifying crime has rocked Washington state and stunned the nation: the tragic deaths of three young sisters—Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5.

The girls were found murdered on Monday, June 2, following a weekend visit with their father, 32-year-old Travis Decker—a former soldier who had been living homeless in a pickup truck near a makeshift encampment two hours outside Seattle.

According to authorities, the visit had been court-approved as part of a shared custody agreement with their mother, Whitney Decker. The girls were picked up by their father on Friday, May 30, but when they weren’t returned the following day as scheduled, Whitney became alarmed. Her calls to Travis went unanswered and straight to voicemail.

On Sunday, June 1, she contacted the police. An arrest warrant for custodial interference was issued that same day. Hours later, law enforcement discovered the bodies of the three girls near Travis’s abandoned vehicle at the campsite.

Investigators reported that the children’s wrists had been bound and plastic bags placed over their heads. The medical examiner confirmed they died by asphyxiation. Travis fled the scene and is now the subject of an intense manhunt by both state and federal authorities. Charges against him have been upgraded to include murder and kidnapping.

The case has ignited widespread anger and grief, while also raising serious concerns about how custody agreements are enforced, what support is provided to veterans facing mental health issues, and why red flags weren’t acted on sooner.

The nation mourns the loss of three innocent lives and demands answers. As of now, no details have been released regarding funeral services for the girls.