Ex-youth pastor David Vander Meer who allegedly pushed wife off cliff before taking own life in jail proclaimed innocence in suicide note
The former Vegas youth pastor accused of pushing his wife off a cliff 20 years ago before taking his own life in jail proclaimed his innocence but admitted he was “selective” about revealing how his spouse died in a suicide note he left behind in his cell. David Vander Meer – who was charged with murder over the 2006 death of his wife Bernadette Vander Meer – was awaiting extradition to Utah when Clark County Detention Center officials found him unresponsive in his cell on June 24, just two days after being booked into the Nevada facility.A letter and will were found near his body – and Vander Meer, who was also charged with insurance fraud, protested his innocence but acknowledged he would likely be convicted if the case went to trial, KUTV reported.“When I came here on Monday, I thought our life was going to be inconvienced [sic] for a month or two,” he wrote.“I’ve always been very selective with what I share to people about how Bernadette died, soley [sic] because I know how bad it looks.“I was never afraid of legal action though, because I didn’t kill her, and I never thought it would lead to an arrest.“The additional allegations I have heard about are largely false, but not entirely.They paint a picture that can’t be escaped.
They spell conviction.” Vander Meer continued to proclaim his innocence and told his family he loved them. “I was naive to think that just because I didn’t kill Bernadette that there would be no problem with the charges,” he said. “This is just calculated risk at this point.Reports of the affidavit contain small amounts of truth, but paint a picture I will probably not be able to overcome.”He then addressed an unidentified person who appeared to fund his legal battle before turning to his family. “I don’t deserve the finacial [sic] sacrifices of [redacted person] to try to fight this.“[The person] doesn’t deserve to be a part of my past failures, and this current mess.
None of my family ...