Dateline NBC is set to examine the bone-chilling case of Bethany Decker, who mysteriously vanished and never showed up. The upcoming episode, titled “Bethany Vanished,” will air on the network this Thursday, October 19, at 10 p.m. EST.
Virginia resident Bethany Decker went missing on January 29, 2011, hours after leaving her husband’s parents’ home. Before disappearing, she returned to her apartment. Her then-boyfriend, Ronald Roldan, claimed he saw Decker in her apartment later that day.
However, Decker’s absence went unnoticed for three weeks since her Facebook account continued to post messages. When her family realized she was missing, they found her car parked near her apartment. Despite extensive searches, no evidence of her or her unborn child was found. Decker was five months pregnant at the time of her disappearance.
Decker’s ex-boyfriend’s arrest in another case in North Carolina provided the ultimate closure. Moreover, the mystery of Decker’s disappearance was ultimately solved when Roldan pleaded guilty to killing Decker.
Bethany Decker’s death: Who killed the pregnant woman?
In November 2022, Roldan agreed to go on record with his account of the murder and gave a detailed version of how he killed Bethany Decker. The case was solved when one of Ronald’s victims, Vickey Willoughby, told the police that he wanted to kill her. During one of their conversations, he admitted that he can make “people disappear.” After enduring multiple injuries, Willoughby told the police that her ex-boyfriend might have killed Decker.
As per NBC Washington, Roldan pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and noted that he pushed Decker during an argument, resulting in her fatal head injury. Afraid and panicked, he admitted to not calling 911 but instead disposed of her body in a Christmas tree disposal bag in the trash compactor at their complex.
In February 2023, Roldan was sentenced to 40 years in prison with 27.5 suspended. He is currently serving 12.5 years in prison, as per InsideNoVa. After getting released, Roldan will be under supervision for the next five years and cannot contact any member of the Decker family.
