Search warrant executed in Decker disappearance reveals new details

Bethany Decker, here with her brother Kyle Littlejohn and her son Kai, pose for a photo. Decker, who is a Mason senior, hasn't been heard from since the end of January. (photo provided to C2M by Kyle Littlejohn)

New details emerged Friday in the disappearance of Mason senior Bethany Anne Decker when Loudoun County Sheriff’s deputies searched the Centreville home of, who court papers described as, Decker’s current boyfriend.

Authorities say Decker’s boyfriend was the last person to see the missing woman on Jan. 29. The search warrant, executed at the Centreville home that the man shares with his mother, was issued to investigators looking for evidence that might help to locate the missing 21-year-old, according to authorities.

Decker had been studying Global and Environmental Change at Mason, even registering and paying for spring semester classes, but she never showed up for those classes according to friends.  Her family reported her missing to police on Feb. 19.

Decker is believed to be about five months pregnant with her boyfriend’s child with whom she was living in an Ashburn apartment until the boyfriend moved sometime last month.  Decker was still living in that apartment, located on Orchard Grass Terrace in Ashburn, where police also found her vehicle parked outside.

The missing woman also has a 17-month-old son with her husband who is currently deployed to Afghanistan.  The child has been staying with his maternal grandparents since before Decker went missing.

Decker’s husband was recently home on leave and returned to Afghanistan on Feb. 2, but Decker did not see him off, which her family said was strange.

Investigators have spoken with Decker’s husband and boyfriend who they say are cooperating.  Investigators also say there are not any identified suspects or persons of interest in the case.

Speaking to Nancy Grace on Thursday, an attorney for Decker’s family said Decker had “transient communications” with them.

“What would happen would be that Bethany would talk to a member of the family -- not a particular individual, but whoever she felt like reaching at the time,” Attorney Peter Byrnes said. “If for whatever reason, someone hadn’t heard from her in a few days, they’d start calling everybody else.  It wasn’t unusual for Bethany to go off the grid for a little bit.”

The details reveled in the search warrant were not discussed at a Wednesday press conference where Decker’s family members and sheriff’s investigators reached out to the public in hopes of finding Decker.

Anyone with information about Decker's disapearance is asked to contact Investigator M. Halley with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office at 703-777-0475.

Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Press Release:
LCSO Seeks Woman Missing Since Late January
 

C2M’s past coverage of Decker’s disappearance:
Investigation into missing Mason student continues
Police search for missing Mason student

*Front page photo: Loundoun County Sheriff's Office