David Vander Meer, an ex-youth pastor accused of pushing his wife off a cliff in 2006 and subsequently charged with her murder, was found dead in his jail cell in Nevada on June 24. According to reports citing police documents, Vander Meer, 49, was discovered unresponsive around 9:30 p.m. in his cell at the Clark County Detention Center.
Officers attempted resuscitation, and Vander Meer was transported to the University Medical Center in Las Vegas with "self-sustained injuries," where he was pronounced dead shortly after 2:35 a.m. the following day. Police stated that Vander Meer had not expressed suicidal intentions while in custody. A handwritten suicide letter and a will were reportedly found in his cell.
Vander Meer's death occurred just three days after he was booked into the detention center on charges of murder and insurance fraud in connection with his wife Bernadette Vander Meer's death. Her death in August 2006 was initially ruled an accident after she fell more than 1,000 feet from the Angels Landing trail in Utah's Zion National Park.
Reopening the Case
The case was reopened nearly two decades later when Vander Meer's former church supervisor informed investigators that the death was not accidental and that David had pushed Bernadette. Court documents revealed that the couple was hiking to celebrate their wedding anniversary when the incident occurred. Vander Meer claimed he was setting up for sunrise photos when he heard his wife scream as she fell. Her body was found hours later at the base of the trail.
Allegations of Infidelity and Insurance Fraud
Further investigation uncovered details of Vander Meer's alleged infidelity leading up to his wife's death. Court documents claimed that while working as a youth pastor, he began a sexual affair with a 16-year-old girl. He reportedly told her they could only be together if his wife were deceased. Bernadette Vander Meer had reportedly grown suspicious of her husband's infidelity in the year prior to her death.
The woman with whom Vander Meer had the affair, by then of legal age, ended their four-year relationship the day before the trip to Zion National Park. The pastor was reportedly dismissed from his church job about two years after his wife's death for alleged parties involving underage members and alcohol. He later married and divorced the woman with whom he had the affair.
Records also indicated that Vander Meer increased his wife's insurance policy from $150,000 to $600,000 shortly before her death. Vander Meer was facing charges of murder and insurance fraud. Bernadette's parents expressed a sense of relief regarding his death, stating it marked some form of justice and would spare them from a court trial.