Authorities have ended their search for triple homicide suspect Travis Decker in Idaho’s Sawtooth National Forest after identifying and interviewing a man who was mistakenly believed to be the fugitive.
On Wednesday afternoon, members of the U.S. Marshals Service Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force located the man who had been spotted by multiple campers over the Fourth of July weekend in the Bear Creek area.
He matched Decker’s general appearance—similar height, build, dark features, a beard, and visible tattoos on his arm and calf—but was not Decker.
Investigators confirmed the man had been hiking in the Bear Creek area and described him as cooperative during the interview.
After confirming his identity, law enforcement determined the tip was a case of mistaken identity and began demobilizing the multi-agency search operation that had been active since early Monday.
The search had drawn a significant response from federal, state, and local agencies after the tipster described a man matching Decker’s description exhibiting odd behavior on an ATV trail not commonly used by hikers.
The sighting was deemed credible at the time, prompting a wide-area search across rugged terrain.
United States Marshal Brent Bunn expressed gratitude for the public’s engagement in the high-profile case and thanked the numerous agencies that supported the operation over the past five days.
As of now, Decker remains at large, and authorities continue to pursue other leads in the ongoing fugitive investigation.
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