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A Las Vegas man and erstwhile younker pastor died dormant days aft he was arrested and charged pinch murdering his wife, who plummeted thousands of feet to her decease while hiking successful Utah’s Zion nationalist parkland successful 2006.
At a scheduled extradition proceeding connected Thursday, a Las Vegas judge announced that David Vander Meer was deceased, according to KSNV.
The Las Vegas constabulary section did not instantly reply to nan Guardian’s petition for comment.
In 2022, investigators reopened an enquiry into Bernadette Vander Meer’s fatal autumn from Angels Landing aft receiving caller accusation that David had groomed and been sexually progressive pinch a insignificant successful his younker group ministry astatine that time, according to a tribunal affidavit.
The woman, now an adult, relayed to investigators that David Vander Meer had told her they could only beryllium together if Bernadette was not alive, according to tribunal documents.
Local authorities had antecedently ruled her decease an accident, but prosecutors precocious accused David Vander Meer of being responsible. He was arrested Monday and charged pinch murder.
In August 2006, David and Bernadette Vander Meer went connected a hike successful Zion to observe an anniversary.
David told investigators that he had walked distant to move nan couple’s backpacks earlier a photograph erstwhile he heard Bernadette scream. He said he turned astir to find her missing.
Prior to Bernadette’s death, David secured life security for nan 2 of them. He besides accrued their policies from $150,000 each to $550,000 each.
David received a life security payout of $567,439 aft his wife’s death. Afterward, according to investigators, he lived “lavishly”.
He was besides facing a complaint of security fraud.
A 2006 obituary for Bernadette said she was survived by “her adoring husband, David”.
Earlier this week, erstwhile prosecutors announced David’s arrest, Bernadette’s mother hailed nan move, saying her girl was “vindicated” to 8 News Now.
Bernadette’s father, Richard Gudenkauf, past said to nan station: “We’ve been waiting connected nan Lord for this day.”
