Lover hid body in a Christmas tree bag

Pregnant Bethany Decker was part of a love triangle that would end in a terrible tragedy

- GAIL SHORTLAND

Juggling her university studies, a job and a toddler certainly kept Bethany Decker busy. The 21-year-old was motivated and full of energy, with a bright future.

She was studying global and economic change at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, working as a waitress to support herself through classes.

While at university, Bethany met Emile Decker, an Army National Guardsman. She became pregnant and the couple married in 2009. Six months later, their son was born.

Emile would be deployed to Afghanistan for months at a time. His parents would help care for the couple's son in Columbia, Maryland while Bethany continued her studies and worked at an Italian restaurant.

Bethany admitted to friends that she was lonely when her husband was away. At the restaurant, she met Ronald Roldan and they started an affair.

Roldan was originally from Bolivia and had children with several women. It's unknown whether Bethany knew he also had a criminal record.

In 2010, Bethany and Emile started to have marital problems and Bethany moved out to an apartment of her own in Ashburn, Virginia.

She continued to date Roldan and he moved in.

Bethany's loved ones were concerned about the relationship. Roldan was possessive and controlling.

He would make Bethany send a picture of herself on her mobile, several times a day, to prove who she was with.

Bethany's family called domestic violence helplines to try to help get her away. By the end of 2010, Bethany was pregnant. She was still in touch with her husband, and when he returned from deployment for a month's leave in January 2011, they tried to make their marriage work.

THE DISAPPEARANCE

The spouses went to Hawaii for a week. They returned on 28 January and stayed at Bethany's grandparents' home in Maryland.