Suvechha Sarkar
In January 2011, 21-year-old Bethany Anne Decker left her grandmother’s home for Ashburn, Virginia. However, the devoted mother, who was expecting her second child, suddenly disappeared without a trace, leaving behind unanswered questions and her devastated family. NBC’s ‘Dateline: Bethany Vanished’ focuses on how weeks turned into months as the investigation continued and the case gradually went cold. It wasn’t until 2014 that authorities got a break in the case. The episode also features interviews with her loved ones and the detectives who worked tirelessly to bring the killer to light.
Bethany Decker Was Never Seen Again After Leaving Her Grandmother’s Home
Bethany Anne Littlejohn arrived as a ray of sunshine in the lives of her mother, Kimberly “Kim” Nelson, and her father on May 13, 1989, in Hawaii. According to Kim, her daughter loved being a leader of her younger sister, Ashley, and their younger brothers, Robert and Kyle. Bethany helped her mother clean the house and do several chores. She further maintained an amazing bond with her grandmother, Evelyn Bayles. The kindhearted individual was often described as a bold and brave individual who was idolized by her siblings. She also never passed up the chance to help people in need. During her time in high school, she was a proud member of the marching band. After graduation, Bethany decided to pursue an Honors program in Global and Environmental Change at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
There, Bethany met Emile Decker, and they grew closer as their personalities complemented each other. A little more than a year later, they tied the knot at a beautiful venue. Shortly after, the couple was elated to welcome their son, Kai, into the world. When Emile joined the National Guard, his work often took him overseas, leaving Bethany to take care of their son and continue her studies while working on her own. By then, she became a waitress at Carrabba’s, an Italian restaurant. Her family began helping her take care of Kai before the toddler completely moved in with Kim. By January 2011, she had been pregnant with her second child for 5 months. On January 28, 2011, she and Emile visited Evelyn’s home before she abruptly left the following day. After Bethany was last seen on January 29, her family tried to contact her, but their efforts were in vain.
On February 19, 2011, Bethany’s grandparents went to her apartment to meet her and didn’t find her there, prompting them to report the 21-year-old missing. Officials found her apartment almost empty, as she was about to move, but they also uncovered her wallet, purse, and car keys in the closet. Additionally, her car was covered in dust, and its trunk was filled with her personal items, including clothing, three cell phones, and a laptop. Although Bethany’s loved ones received messages from her Facebook account, the pattern of texting didn’t match her style, suggesting that someone else was sending them. Officials conducted an intensive search near her apartment in Ashburn, Virginia, but found no leads. When more facts came forward, she was officially presumed dead. To this day, Bethany’s remains have not been discovered.
An Unrelated Assault Case Revealed the Truth About Bethany’s Murder Years Later
At the beginning of the missing persons investigation, officials spoke with Bethany’s family and learned that during the time of her disappearance, she and Emile had just returned from a trip to Hawaii, and he was on leave. According to reports, their relationship was tumultuous, and the 21-year-old had been living separately with her boyfriend, Ronald Roldan. Police records indicate that when Emile was questioned, he admitted that his relationship with Bethany deteriorated due to his absence. He continued that he was trying to repair their relationship. In his statements, Emile said that when she abruptly left for Ashburn, he tried to follow her and then tried to convince her not to return to Virginia during their stop at a gas station. As per court records, Bethany refused to listen and left, while Emile slept in his car.
When detectives reportedly questioned Ronald, he claimed that Bethany had arrived at home on January 29, 2011, but left soon after. According to his statements, he allegedly thought she was at her grandmother’s home in Maryland and thus didn’t search for her. However, her family informed the authorities that Bethany had confided in them that Ronald had allegedly become controlling and had begun abusing her. They had reportedly suggested getting a restraining order against him, but she didn’t get it. Police records indicate that on January 29, the 21-year-old was frantically responding to Ronald’s texts before she left. The case gradually went cold due to a lack of evidence. That changed on November 13, 2014, when Ronald reportedly attacked and shot his new girlfriend, Vickey Willoughby, but she luckily survived.
According to investigative records, Vickey told the detectives that Ronald attacked her after she refused his sexual advances. She continued that she then grabbed her hidden revolver from the sofa and shot him twice before he took it away from her and fired at her. Ronald was ultimately arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon. He later pleaded guilty to two felony assault charges and was sentenced to 6 years in prison in North Carolina. Meanwhile, officials discovered that the messages sent from Bethany’s Facebook to her loved ones after her disappearance came from an IP address linked to Ronald. On November 9, 2020, he was charged with Bethany’s abduction and extradited to Virginia. By the following month, Ronald was indicted on the charge of second-degree murder.
Ronald Roldan is Incarcerated at a Virginia Prison Facility Today
Ronald ultimately avoided a jury trial by pleading guilty to second-degree murder on November 17, 2022. As a part of the plea agreement, he consented to go on record about what happened to Bethany on that fateful day. During the plea hearing, the prosecution emphasized that they believed Ronald was the father of the 21-year-old’s unborn child. In January 2023, he finally confessed to killing Bethany. According to court records, he claimed to investigators that on January 29, 2011, an argument occurred between them over her going to work at the restaurant. In his statement, Ronald claimed that he pushed her and she accidentally tripped and hit her head on the windowsill.
As per reports, Ronald continued that when he found Bethany was no longer breathing, he put her remains in a Christmas tree removal bag and disposed of them in the apartment’s trash compactor. The authorities reportedly believed that her remains were later transported to a nearby landfill. On February 21, 2023, Ronald was sentenced to 40 years in prison, with all but 12.5 years suspended. His current release date is scheduled for November 24, 2031. As of writing, Ronald is serving his sentence at the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Virginia.
Read More: Susana Morales Murder: Where is Miles Bryant Now?
