The Brief
• A Boise hiker was mistaken for Travis Decker, a suspect in three murders in Central Washington, during a Fourth of July weekend camping trip
• Two separate parties reported sightings of someone matching Decker’s description in the Sawtooth National Forest on different days
• The hiker, identified only as Nick, was questioned by authorities at his workplace after tips led to a manhunt in the area where he was camping
BOISE, Idaho — A Boise man’s peaceful Fourth of July weekend camping trip turned into a case of mistaken identity when two separate parties reported seeing someone who looked like a murder suspect in the Sawtooth National Forest.
The hiker, who asked to be identified only by his first name Nick, became the subject of a manhunt after witnesses reported seeing a man matching the description of Travis Decker, a suspect in the murders of three daughters in central Washington.
Nick had ventured into the backcountry with a friend to enjoy the holiday weekend. After spending Friday night in the woods, his friend departed on Saturday, leaving Nick to continue hiking alone near Bear Creek in the Sawtooth National Forest.
“So I took this fateful trip on my own to the Bear Creek trail and here we are,” Nick said.
The first person who reported the sighting said the man didn’t make eye contact with them.
Nick said he had sunglasses on at the time.
After spending Saturday night at a different location, Nick returned home on Sunday, unaware that his presence had triggered a search operation.
“Everything seems normal until my friend who was up there with me sent a text saying something like, ‘Bro, there’s a manhunt for a killer that was in the campground with us.’ And he sent me a news article. And it described–and it had that photo–and it described a sighting in this manhunt sparked off out of our campsite when we were there,” Nick explained.
Nick didn’t fathom that he was the person that had set off the search.
“Your instinct isn’t to think this is me. So my first thought was, My God we spent the night next the murder that is frightening,” he said.
Nick contacted authorities, who asked to speak with him at work.
“We took up the conference room and they friendly interrogate me for a half hour. And it described me like the hair the beard, the hat, the glasses, my tattoo, earrings, my shirt. Shorts were a different color, my shoes, the backpack, the location I said, ‘Oh my god they think I was that guy’,” Nick recalled.
Despite the disruption, Nick emphasized that the witnesses who called the tip line acted appropriately.
“In my opinion, I don’t really look like that guy. Granted they saw me from a distance. Just be careful because this has been a little tumultuous for me and people around me. It’s been disruptive at work, but I would encourage people to do that,” Nick said.
Decker has been missing since he picked up his daughters from their mom’s house in Wenatchee.
When he didn’t return them, the girls’ mother called 911 and set off a search for Decker and the girls.
The children were found dead June 2nd near Rock Island Campground in Chelan County.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
