Dateline NBC will document the mysterious disappearance of Bethany Decker in an upcoming episode, which will air this Thursday, October 19, 2023. The episode titled “Bethany Vanished” will dive deeper into the spine-chilling case at 10 p.m. EST.
Bethany Decker was studying at George Mason University when she mysteriously vanished after leaving her husband’s parents’ house on January 29, 2011. Later, her then-boyfriend, Ronald Roldan, claimed he saw Decker in her apartment that day before she disappeared. Despite an extensive search operation, no evidence of her or her unborn child was discovered. However, almost a decade after her disappearance, Roland pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and admitted that he killed Bethany Decker.
Roldan’s actions came to light when one of his victims, Vickey Willoughby, informed the police that he had expressed intentions to harm her and claimed that he had the ability to make people vanish. During the interrogation, Willoughby disclosed her belief that Roland may have been responsible for Decker’s death.
Ronald Roldan’s account of pregnant Bethany Decker’s murder and current whereabouts, explored
In Willoughby’s assault case, Roldan pled guilty to two felony assault charges in 2016 and was sentenced to six to eight years in prison. However, as soon as he completed his prison time, he was charged with Bethany Decker’s abduction. In November 2022, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and decided to go on record with his version of the story.
According to NBC Washington, he gave a detailed version of how he took Decker’s life during the trial.
Roldan said that he and Bethany Decker got into an argument. At some point during the argument, he pushed her, resulting in her fatal head injury. The accused also stated that he got so scared that he dropped the idea of calling 911. Following this, he decided to dispose of her body in a Christmas tree disposal bag at their complex.
After his admission, the judge sentenced him to 40 years in prison with 27.5 suspended.
According to the Virginia Department of Corrections, he is serving 12.5 years at the Greensville Correctional Center. Reports suggest that Roldan will be put under supervision for the next five years after he is released from prison.
