Episode 402: BETHANY DECKER: PART 2
On January 29, 2011, Bethany Decker called into her waitressing job to see if she could work the evening shift. She never made it to work. Her estranged husband, Army National Guardsman, Emile Decker, was in Virginia on leave but was due to ship back to Afghanistan just days later. Her boyfriend, Ronald Roldan, claims that he saw her that afternoon at their apartment, but has no idea where she went.
It would take over ten years and a brutal assault, but in 2020, an arrest would finally be made in Bethany Decker’s case. But why did it take so long? What new evidence appeared in the intervening decade that led to Bethany’s family getting answers?
Bethany was a victim of domestic violence. If any of the situations in this episode sound familiar to you or someone you know, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE. You can also text “Start” to 8788 or visit thehotline.org.
Since Bethany’s disappearance, her mother, Kimberly Nelson, has been involved in the organization, Help Save the Next Girl. Help Save the Next Girl was started by the Harrington family, whose daughter Morgan, a Virginia Tech student, was murdered in 2009 after attending a concert in Charlottesville. Their primary focus is to spread safety information and prevent future crimes against young women. You can learn more and get involved at helpsavethenextgirl.com.
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This week's promo is from Beyond the Rainbow: True Crimes of the LGBT . Remember, it’s not a crime to be gay...unless you’re a murderer.
