Katharina Buczek
Kayla M. Decker is a mom to three young boys, and in 2022, the 35-year-old was living in Bee Spring, Kentucky.
She was known as a very outgoing woman who formed friendships easily. In fact, despite not having a close relationship with her family and battling Lupus, an autoimmune disease, she had a large, solid group of friends – including Avelina Tapia.
“Everywhere we were together, until we eventually got married, started having kids, military life started separating us,” recalled Avelina, who’d been friends with Kayla since they were both 18-years-old.
“I swear every time we would have the opportunity to see each other, it was as if time never passed. We felt like 18-year-olds.”
So, none of her friends expected what occurred on December 18, 2022, when Kayla mysteriously disappeared.
That day, she first attended a little league game that took place at 225 East 3rd Avenue in Bowling Green, Kentucky. At first, investigators believed this was where Kayla had last been seen.
But then, authorities ascertained that the last sighting of Kayla was actually at a local church.
“We started in one place, and we started working, and then we eventually were able to confirm that she was seen after the game,” said Detective Michael Waggener of the Kentucky State Police Department.
Additionally, investigators determined that the last activity on Kayla’s phone occurred at her home on Old Bee Spring Road on December 18.
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