**Dateline: Secrets Uncovered Revisits the 2011 Disappearance and Murder of Bethany Decker in “Bethany Vanished”**
_Oxygen re-airs the original NBC report focusing on a young mother from Ashburn, Virginia, who vanished while five months pregnant._
The 2011 case of 21-year-old Bethany Decker has returned to the spotlight in the latest episode of *Dateline: Secrets Uncovered*, titled **Bethany Vanished**. This episode takes viewers through the chilling timeline—from Bethany’s last known family visit to the missing person report, and eventually to the homicide conclusion.
Years after Bethany’s disappearance, her boyfriend, Ronald Roldan, admitted responsibility as part of a plea deal. Despite this confession, her body has never been found. According to NBC News, Roldan pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2022 and was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison in 2023. Investigators, however, have expressed doubt over his claim that Bethany’s death was accidental.
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### How *Dateline: Secrets Uncovered* Frames the Case
The episode begins by portraying Bethany’s busy life as a college student balancing classes, a job, and caring for her toddler. On January 28, 2011, she visited her grandmother in Maryland. The following day, Bethany returned to her Ashburn apartment—what would become the last confirmed sighting by her family.
By mid-February, friends and relatives started receiving Facebook messages that seemed strange and out of character. Meanwhile, Bethany’s car was found parked crooked in the lot, covered in dust and sporting a flat tire. As days turned into weeks, concern grew, and a missing person investigation was launched. The tone of the case quickly shifted toward suspected foul play.
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### Case Background and Early Investigation
Bethany was married to Emile Decker, a National Guardsman who was frequently deployed overseas. Their relationship had experienced difficulties, during which time Bethany began seeing Ronald Roldan. Reports described Roldan as increasingly possessive, demanding frequent check-in photos from Bethany. Her family even began planning a safe way for her to leave the relationship.
Just before her disappearance, Bethany and Emile took a trip to Hawaii in an effort to “press reset” on their marriage. Upon returning on January 28, Bethany visited her grandmother’s home, but left hurriedly, reportedly pressured by repeated calls and texts.
As investigators dug deeper, they focused on the two men central to Bethany’s life—her husband and Roldan—and gradually narrowed their focus as digital footprints and timeline clues emerged.
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### Confession and Aftermath
Roldan eventually confessed to authorities, describing an argument in the apartment that ended with him pushing Bethany. He claimed she fell, hit her head on a windowsill, and died accidentally. According to his statement, panic prevented him from calling 911, and he disposed of her remains in a trash compactor.
However, investigators raised significant doubts about Roldan’s account. They pointed to suspicious messages allegedly sent from Bethany’s social media accounts after her disappearance—messages reportedly originating from devices linked to Roldan.
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### Upcoming Reairs and Where to Watch
Oxygen will re-air *Bethany Vanished* on the following dates and times (local listings may vary):
– Wednesday, November 5 at 8 PM and 11 PM
– Saturday, November 8 at 8 AM
– Wednesday, November 12 at 7 PM
For viewers who prefer streaming, *Bethany Vanished* is available in the *Dateline* library on multiple platforms, including Peacock Premium and the NBC app. Additional streaming options include The Roku Channel (with ads), Spectrum On Demand, and fuboTV.
Whether you catch a re-air or stream online, it’s easy to revisit this haunting case.
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**Also read:** [5 chilling details about the Dan Markel case from Dateline season 34 episode 5](#)
**Also read:** [Dateline: Secrets Uncovered – 5 key details about Cathy Torrez’s case](#)
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