Las Vegas Youth Pastor Found Dead in Jail Cell

A former Las Vegas youth pastor accused of murdering his wife nearly 20 years ago has been found dead in his jail cell just before he was expected to appear in court.

David Vander Meer, 49, had been arrested on June 22 and charged with murder and life insurance fraud in the 2006 death of his wife, Bernadette Vander Meer, who was just 29 years old when she plunged from the terrifying heights of Angels Landing at Zion National Park in Utah.

Authorities said Vander Meer was also accused of cashing in on a $600,000 life insurance policy after his wife’s death.

Now, in a stunning twist, the former church leader will never face trial.

A judge reportedly announced in court that Vander Meer would not be appearing because “he’s deceased.” Las Vegas police later confirmed a 49-year-old male inmate at the Clark County Detention Center had been found with “self-sustained injuries” and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The dramatic ending came just days after investigators reopened questions surrounding Bernadette’s fatal fall — a death that had once been ruled a tragic accident.

According to court records, Vander Meer applied for two life insurance policies for himself and his wife in 2005. The next year, the couple traveled to Zion National Park to celebrate their anniversary.

Vander Meer told investigators at the time that they had been hiking toward the summit of Angels Landing when he turned away to move their backpacks so he could take a photo. Moments later, he said he heard Bernadette scream as she fell to her death.

He claimed he did not see her trip and did not hear anything unusual before the scream.

Investigators reportedly had suspicions even then, but Bernadette’s death was ultimately ruled an accident. The case was closed, and Vander Meer collected the life insurance money.

Court records later claimed he went on to live “lavishly” after the payout.

The case exploded open again in April 2022, when police reportedly received a tip from a former youth group member accusing Vander Meer of using “his position of special trust to groom kids.”

Investigators then interviewed a woman who allegedly said she had been in a sexual relationship with Vander Meer when she was 16 years old — around the time Bernadette died.

The woman allegedly told authorities Vander Meer said the only way they could be together was if his wife “were not alive.”

She reportedly broke off the relationship the day before Vander Meer and Bernadette left for their anniversary trip to Zion. Two months after Bernadette’s death, the pair were allegedly back together.

Another tip reportedly came from Vander Meer’s former boss, who allegedly told investigators he believed Bernadette’s death was not an accident and that Vander Meer had pushed her.

Authorities also looked back at Vander Meer’s original version of events and reportedly found problems with his timeline. He had claimed the sun had begun to rise before Bernadette’s fatal fall, but investigators considered that unlikely based on the time he said it happened.

Vander Meer’s church history also came under scrutiny.

According to reports, he was fired from his job at Legacy Church in 2008 after allegedly throwing parties at his home for children and giving them alcohol.

Before his arrest, Vander Meer was reportedly working as a yoga teacher and school counselor.

His death closes the criminal case before it could be tested in court, leaving Bernadette’s family and the public with haunting questions about what really happened on that cliff in 2006.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 in the U.S. and Canada for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.