A former youth pastor who was arrested in connection with the 2006 death of his wife at Zion National Park has died while in custody in Nevada.
David Vander Meer, 49, was being held at the Clark County Detention Center while awaiting extradition to Utah. Officials from the Clark County Detention Center stated that Vander Meer was transported to a hospital on Wednesday due to self-sustained injuries. Medical personnel later confirmed on Thursday that Vander Meer had died from those injuries.
The investigation into the death of Vander Meer's wife, Bernadette, involved findings regarding her fall at Angel's Landing. According to court documents, investigators determined the death was suspicious after satellite imagery showed she died in a location that was not typical for trail accidents.
Court documents also alleged that Vander Meer benefited financially from his wife's death through a claim on a half-million-dollar life insurance policy. Investigators further noted that he had made other claims over the years, such as reporting a stolen vehicle that resulted in payouts totaling thousands of dollars.
Beyond the investigation into his wife's death, court documents indicated that Vander Meer was terminated from his position as a youth pastor. The allegations leading to his firing included hosting parties for underage churchgoers at his home where alcohol was provided and gambling occurred.
Additionally, investigators uncovered that Vander Meer was allegedly involved in a relationship with a 14-year-old churchgoer that lasted four years and ended in August of 2006.
