WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah, June 23, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — The Washington County Attorney’s Office has filed a murder charge against a Las Vegas man, David Howard Vander Meer, in connection with the 2006 death of his wife, Bernadette.
Bernadette Vander Meer was 29 on Aug. 22 of that year when she died in a fall from Angels Landing at Zion National Park. She fell an estimated 1,500 feet.
Charges were filed this week against David Howard Vander Meer, who turns 46 Wednesday (June 23) after tips came to the Washington County Attorney’s Office.
Vander Meer faces charges of:
- Murder (domestic violence), a first-degree felony
- Insurance fraud in an amount greater than $5,000, a second-degree felony
According to the affidavit in the case, the Vander Meers went to Zion National Park to celebrate their anniversary the day before in the incident.
David was a youth pastor at a church, and Bernadette worked at a hotel in Las Vegas at the time. They reportedly hiked Angels Landing before sunrise, to take photos.
Vander Meer told investigators he set up the camera as Bernadette stood near the edge. He said he went to move their backpacks out of the shot, and when he turned back, she was gone. He said he heard her scream, but did not hear her trip before the fall.
David told investigators that he and Bernadette recently raised their life insurance policies from $150,000 each to $600,000.
Vander Meer is in was in custody at the Clark County Detention Center as of Tuesday afternoon, according to online court records, which list him as a fugitive from another state. He has a hearing scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Thursday.
Gephardt Daily will have more information as the case develops.
