Youth Pastor Was Finally Charged in His Wife’s 1,200-Foot Cliff Death. Days Later, Police Say He Did the Unthinkable and Left Behind a Chilling Note
Police have released pictures of a suicide note left behind by a former Arizona youth pastor charged with killing his wife.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department released images of a suicide note left by 49-year-old David Vander Meer. He committed suicide at the Clark County Detention Center on June 24, two days after he was charged with his wife’s death.
Bernadette Vander Meer was just 28 years old when she plummeted to her death. She was hiking on Angel’s Landing in August 2006 when she died.
She and Vander Meer were visiting the park for their anniversary, KSL reported.
Newly Released Suicide Note
ABC4 obtained pictures of the note Vander Meer left behind when he took his life. Large portions of it have been redacted. The first page is addressed to an individual whose name was redacted.
“When I came here on Monday, I thought our life was going to be inconvenienced for a month or two. I’ve always been very selective with what to share to people about how Bernadette died, solely 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.”
The rest of the message was redacted. He signed the bottom “David.”
On another page, the letter is addressed to a redacted name “and family.”
“I was naïve to think that, just because I didn’t kill Bernadette, that there would be no problem with charges. 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.”
“I don’t deserve the financial sacrifices of [redacted] to try to fight this. [Redacted] doesn’t deserve to be a part of my past failures, and this current mess. None of my family does. I hope see this last effort of one of love by removal of the issue. I love you all! David.”
There is reportedly a third page, but it is completely redacted.
What Happened to Bernadette?
When Vander Meer and Bernadette went to the park back in 2006, he told investigators he was moving his backpack when she fell.
“David set the packs down, and when he turned around, Bernadette was gone. David heard her scream as she fell. David stated he did not see her trip or hear anything before she fell,” the affidavit states, according to KSL. “At the time, due to 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.”
It was also revealed that the couple had recently increased their life insurance policies from $150,000 each to about $550,000 each.
Affair Turns into Marriage
Authorities learned Vander Meer, who was a pastor in 2006, was having an affair with a teen in his youth group ministry. He married her in 2010.
The two eventually divorced in 2014 when she suspected Vander Meer was cheating on her.
“[She] recalls David telling her, the only way they could be together is if Bernadette was not alive,” the affidavit stated, according to KSL. The woman was just 14 when she began her relationship with Vander Meer.
The woman said she ended her relationship with Vander Meer in 2006. But about two or three months after Bernadette’s death they were back together.
“It was Bernadette who suspected it,” Laura told KSNV. “She was saying, ‘That girl calls him all the time. I’ve confronted him about all the time he spends with her.’”
Investigators learned Vander Meer had a pattern of inappropriate behavior with children in his youth group ministry. KSL reported he had begun cheating on his wife years before her death.
Vander Meer was fired from the church in 2008. KSL reported he was providing alcohol to minors.
Barry Diamond, the former senior pastor of the church where Vander Meer once worked, said he learned from the lead investigator on the case that Vander Meer had hanged himself.
“There are no winners here,” Diamond told NBC News. “This is a tragedy for Bernadette’s family; this is a tragedy for Dave’s family. They’re good people and they’re hurting, too.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness or suicidal thoughts, call or text 988.