Ex-Youth Pastor Arrested for Wife's Murder After 20-Year Cover-Up of Fatal Fall

A former church youth pastor now stands charged with murdering his wife, nearly two decades after she fell from a notoriously perilous hiking trail in Utah.

David Vander Meer, aged 48, was apprehended by US Marshals on charges of murder and insurance fraud after prosecutors reopened the investigation into the August 2006 death of his wife, Bernadette Vander Meer.

The case reignited when Vander Meer's former church superior alerted authorities, claiming “the death was not an accident” and that “David had pushed Bernadette,” according to court documents from Washington County.

On August 22, 2006, the couple hiked Angels Landing in Zion National Park to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Vander Meer asserted he was preparing to take sunrise photos when he heard his then 29-year-old wife scream as she fell.

After the fall, Vander Meer allegedly rushed down the trail to find someone with better cell service to call 911. Bernadette's body was discovered hours later at the base of Angels Landing.

Angels Landing is infamous for its steep cliffs and narrow ridges, towering nearly 1,500 feet above the ground.

Initially ruled an accident due to insufficient evidence, investigators noted suspicious circumstances surrounding Bernadette's death, leading to the case being closed prematurely.

While serving as a youth pastor, Vander Meer reportedly engaged in a sexual relationship with an underage girl starting when she was 16. He allegedly told her they could only be together if his wife were “not alive.”

In the year leading up to Bernadette's death, she had grown wary of her husband's infidelity. Vander Meer was reportedly paying rent for a location to meet the underage girl.

The girl ended their four-year affair just one day before the couple's trip to Zion National Park.

Vander Meer lost his church position within a year or two following Bernadette's death, with prosecutors alleging he hosted alcohol-fueled parties for underage church members at his home.

Two years post-tragedy, Vander Meer married the former congregant with whom he had the affair. Their marriage ended in divorce in 2014 amid further allegations of infidelity.

No charges have been filed against Vander Meer regarding his sexual relationship with a minor.

Documents reveal that Vander Meer increased his wife's life insurance policy from $150,000 to $600,000 shortly before her death.

In 2007, he collected a life insurance payout totaling approximately $567,439.

A coworker of Bernadette at the New York New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas expressed concerns about her death, stating she was “worried” about the circumstances surrounding it.

This coworker noted Vander Meer's absence from work events and alleged that after selling a condo years earlier, he purchased a $50,000 Cadillac SUV with insurance covering the loan.

No signs of violence or struggle were found in the couple's hotel room following Bernadette's fall.

The specific details leading to Vander Meer's arrest remain unclear.

Vander Meer is currently listed as an inmate at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas. It is uncertain whether he will be extradited to Utah to face charges.

Bernadette's father, Richard Gudenkauf, expressed his belief that her death was not accidental. “I did a lot of hiking with her,” he stated. “She was a mountain goat. For her to fall off a cliff? No.”