A former youth pastor killed himself in a jail cell Thursday, three days after he was charged with the homicide of his younger spouse on their anniversary twenty years in the past.
David Vander Meer, 48, died in custody after he was arrested Monday for the homicide of Bernadette Vander Meer, who plummeted to her loss of life on a infamous Utah mountaineering path 20 years in the past, authorities informed KSVN.
Vander Meer’s former church boss tipped off investigators that the tragedy “was not an accident” and that “David had pushed” Bernadette, in line with Washington County court docket paperwork.
The ex-man of God killed himself after he was thrown behind bars, though authorities haven’t revealed the specifics, citing solely “self-sustained accidents,” in line with the native outlet.
Vander Meer and his spouse have been mountaineering to the highest of Angels Touchdown in Zion Nationwide Park to rejoice their wedding ceremony anniversary on August 22, 2006 when she fell to her loss of life.
The alleged homicidal holy man informed cops he was busy establishing a digital camera for dawn photographs when he heard his 29-year-old spouse “scream as she was falling.”
Bernadette’s physique was discovered hours later on the base of Angel’s Touchdown, Fox13 reported.
Angel’s Touchdown is a notoriously terrifying rock formation with slender ridges and 1,000+ foot drop-offs.
As a consequence of an absence of proof, Bernadette’s fall was dominated an accident, and the case was closed, though investigators felt the circumstances round her loss of life have been suspicious, court docket paperwork mentioned.
Whereas Vander Meer was a youth pastor, he allegedly started having a sexual affair with an underage woman when she was 16, and had informed her that they might solely be collectively if his spouse have been “not alive,” paperwork added.
Bernadette had reportedly grown suspicious of her husband’s infidelity within the 12 months earlier than her loss of life, whereas the pastor was paying hire for a spot to have intercourse with the underage woman, the affidavit mentioned.
The woman, who was by then of authorized age, ended the four-year affair with Vander Meer the day earlier than the married couple set out on their journey to Zion Nationwide Park.
The youth pastor was allegedly axed from his church job inside a 12 months or two after Bernadette’s deadly plunge, with prosecutors stating he allegedly threw booze-filled events for underage members at his home.
Two years after Bernadette died, Vander Meer tied the knot with the woman he allegedly groomed.
The couple divorced in 2014 over allegations of infidelity, the filings detailed.
Vander Meer, nonetheless, had not been charged with any crimes for having a sexual relationship with a minor.
The paperwork additionally allege that Vander Meer elevated his spouse’s insurance coverage coverage from $150,000 to $600,000 shortly earlier than her premature loss of life.
In 2007, he acquired a life insurance coverage payout totaling roughly $567,439, in line with court docket paperwork.
Berndette’s coworker of six years on the New York New York Lodge and On line casino in Las Vegas additionally raised alarm bells about her sudden loss of life — telling police she was “involved” about some circumstances round what occurred, Fox13 reported.
The coworker mentioned that Vander Meer was a no-show at work features and alleged that after the couple bought a apartment years earlier, he bought a $50,000 Cadillac SUV with insurance coverage paying off the mortgage, the outlet mentioned.
