U.S.Marshals arrested former youth pastor David Vander Meer on Monday after prosecutors charged him with murder and insurance fraud connected to his wife Bernadette Vander Meer's 2006 death in Zion National Park.Investigators had originally closed the case but relaunched it last year after Barry Diamond, a senior pastor at a church where Vander Meer had worked, allegedly expressed he didn't believe the death was an accident, according to the probable cause affidavit."At the time, due to a lack of evidence, and limited investigation, Bernadette Vander Meer’s fall was ruled an accident and the case was closed — although investigators felt the circumstances were suspicious," the affidavit reads.A little over 17 months before Bernadette's Aug.
22, 2006, death, David Vander Meer took out a life insurance policy for himself and Bernadette, each worth $150,000.Eight months later in November 2005, Vander Meer increased the policies by $400,000 each, the affidavit read.HIKER FALLS TO HIS DEATH AT ZION NATIONAL PARK IN UTAH: 'WAS BEYOND HELP'A headshot of Bernadette Vander Meer, whose husband David is accused of pushing her off a cliff.
Bernadette was 29-years-old at the time of her death.(KTSU)Vander Meer submitted a claim for the policy in November 2006, once his wife's death was ruled an accident.
In July 2007, he received a $567,439 payment.He reportedly spent the money lavishly on cars and all-expenses-paid trips for romantic partners, according to the affidavit.At the time of Bernadette's death, Vander Meer said his wife fell off the edge of a cliff while the pair were hiking in Utah's Zion National Park.Vander Meer claimed he went to clear obstructions to a camera he had set up to take a photo of the pair when his wife fell and that he "heard her scream as she fell," the affidavit reads.
Bernadette's father doubted this account.2 MYSTERY DEATHS AT ZION NATIONAL PARK PROMPT URGENT QUESTIONS ABOUT VISITOR SAFETY"I did a lot of hiking with her," her father, Richar...