Former Las Vegas youth pastor dies days after being charged in wife’s fatal fall

David Vander Meer was recently arrested for the death of his wife in national park 20 years ago after new information revealed

A Las Vegas man and former youth pastor died dead days after he was arrested and charged with murdering his wife, who plummeted thousands of feet to her death while hiking in Utah ’s Zion national park in 2006.

At a scheduled extradition hearing on Thursday, a Las Vegas judge announced that David Vander Meer was deceased, according to KSNV .

The Las Vegas police department did not immediately reply to the Guardian’s request for comment.

In 2022, investigators reopened an inquiry into Bernadette Vander Meer’s fatal fall from Angels Landing after receiving new information that David had groomed and been sexually involved with a minor in his youth group ministry at that time, according to a court affidavit.

The woman, now an adult, relayed to investigators that David Vander Meer had told her they could only be together if Bernadette was not alive, according to court documents.

Local authorities had previously ruled her death an accident, but prosecutors recently accused David Vander Meer of being responsible. He was arrested Monday and charged with murder.

In August 2006, David and Bernadette Vander Meer went on a hike in Zion to celebrate an anniversary.

David told investigators that he had walked away to move the couple’s backpacks before a photograph when he heard Bernadette scream. He said he turned around to find her missing.

Prior to Bernadette’s death, David secured life insurance for the two of them. He also increased their policies from $150,000 each to $550,000 each.

David received a life insurance payout of $567,439 after his wife’s death. Afterward, according to investigators, he lived “lavishly”.

He was also facing a charge of insurance fraud.

A 2006 obituary for Bernadette said she was survived by “her adoring husband, David”.

Earlier this week, when prosecutors announced David’s arrest, Bernadette’s mother hailed the move, saying her daughter was “vindicated” to 8 News Now .

Bernadette’s father, Richard Gudenkauf, then said to the station: “We’ve been waiting on the Lord for this day.”