Bernadette's death was ruled and accident and went unquestioned for almost two decades (Image: KSTU)

A Nevada pastor who was charged with murder after he allegedly shoved his wife off a 1,200-foot cliff has died just before he was set to appear in court.

David Vander Meer, who was an inmate at the Clark County Detention Center, died after being transported to a local hospital on Thursday, according to a statement from the Las Vegas Police. They said he had been sent there for treatment for "self-sustained injuries."

David was arrested on Monday, following new developments in a 20-year-old case involving the tragic death of his former wife, Bernadette. The incident occurred in Utah's National Park in 2006. David and Bernadette Vander Meer, who lived in Las Vegas, had hiked to the top of the trail to reportedly take sunrise photos during an anniversary trip.

According to an affidavit, David told police that his wife stood by the edge to pose for a picture when she slipped and fell. However, a tip was given to the authorities more than fifteen years later, suggesting that Bernadette's tragic death was not an accident after all.

According to police, David, who was a pastor at the time and later became a yoga instructor, was having an affair with a teen in his youth group ministry, whom he later married.

In 2022, police received a tip "from a previous youth group member, that stated David Vander Meer was employed as a youth pastor in a church, and had been using his position of special trust to groom kids," according to the affidavit.

The source alleged that "he had groomed and actively been in a sexual relationship" with a teenage girl in the group, per the affidavit.

David was allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a teen from his youth group (Image: KSTU)

The girl was allegedly involved in a sexual relationship with David between the ages of 16 and 20, before attempting to end the relationship the day before he left on his anniversary trip with Bernadette. They "re-engaged" their relationship approximately two to three months after Bernadette's death, the affidavit says.

The arrest affidavit, obtained by Utah NBC affiliate KSL, said of their relationship, "(She) recalls David telling her, the only way they could be together is if Bernadette was not alive."

Following up on the tip in 2022, police questioned David about the incident and received conflicting statements. Although he previously stated he was grabbing something from his bag when his wife slipped, he then told police that he was moving the bags out of the shot before taking the photograph.

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In April 2026, investigators reviewed sunrise data and compared it with David's original statement from twenty years prior, that it was "starting to get light" out, as they approached the top of the cliff. They found that the sun did not rise until 34 minutes after David called the police on the morning Bernadette was killed.

During questioning, the teenage girl, now an adult, told police that she legally married David Vander Meer in 2008 "so David could be on (her) health insurance," according to the affidavit, which added that "(She) and David publicly married in 2010."

The woman later divorced him in 2014 citing infidelity accusations. David was also fired from his role as a pastor for allegedly giving alcohol to minors in 2008.

Police say that in November 2006, David allegedly filed a life insurance claim, after his wife's death was ruled accidental. They allege that he received a massive payout of roughly $567,439 in July 2007.

In October 2025, a former church official allegedly contacted the Washington County Attorney's Office and said he believed Bernadette's death was not an accident "and that David had pushed Bernadette," according to the affidavit.

When David was questioned a second time, he gave conflicting statements (Image: Getty Images)

According to the affidavit, police said David had been living "lavishly" off Bernadette's life insurance money and had purchased a car for his teenage girlfriend, "along with another vehicle for another female from the youth group."

"David knew his wife was suspicious of the infidelity and was catching on to his actions," the document says, per KTNV. "In interviews, David knowingly gave misinformation to law enforcement."

"David made conflicting statements to others about how the incident occurred. Evidence shows that David's recollection of the visibility that morning to officers could not have been accurate, as the sun did not rise till much later."

Police and prosecutors say David Vander Meer committed the crime of murder "by intentionally pushing his wife," according to the affidavit.

In addition to his murder charge, David was also charged with insurance fraud before his death. He was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.

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