Former Vegas Youth Pastor Accused Of Killing His Wife 20 Years Ago Dies In Custody Ahead Of Court Appearance, Judge Says

A erstwhile younker pastor and Las Vegas schoolhouse counsellor charged pinch murdering his wife astir 20 years aft she fell to her decease astatine Zion National Park has died successful custody earlier a scheduled tribunal appearance, a judge said Thursday.

At nan commencement of an extradition proceeding successful Las Vegas Justice Court, Judge Eric Goodman announced that David Vander Meer, 49, was deceased, telling nan courtroom, “That is each nan accusation I have,” arsenic captured by NBC News. Goodman said nan lawsuit would beryllium removed from nan court's calendar.

Later Thursday, Las Vegas constabulary said a 49-year-old inmate died aft being transported from nan Clark County Detention Center to a infirmary for curen aft “self-inflicted injuries,” NBC News reports. Authorities did not place nan inmate, but Vander Meer, who was being held astatine nan jailhouse connected a fugitive warrant from different state, was 49 and is nary longer listed successful jailhouse records.

Vander Meer’s decease comes aft he was arrested and taken into custody Monday successful Las Vegas by U.S. Marshals, according to a connection released by nan Washington County Attorney’s Office successful Utah, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. He faced allegations of execution and insurance fraud stemming from nan August 22, 2006, decease of Bernadette.

The criminal investigation into nan 2006 incident was precocious reopened aft rule enforcement officials received an undisclosed tip, nan prosecutor’s agency antecedently said.

Details regarding what prompted nan apprehension warrant remained unavailable Wednesday, arsenic nan accompanying affidavit is nether seal, Washington County Deputy Attorney Phillip Soelberg told nan Las Vegas Review-Journal.

At nan clip of nan incident, parkland officials reported that Bernadette Vander Meer, 29, died aft falling astir 1,200 feet from nan Angels Landing way during a hike pinch her husband.

Following nan arrest, an online unit directory for Somerset Academy Lone Mountain, a nationalist charter schoolhouse wherever David Vander Meer was employed arsenic a counselor, removed his profile.

Barry Diamond, nan erstwhile elder pastor of nan religion wherever Vander Meer erstwhile worked, said he learned of nan suspect’s decease Thursday greeting from Jessica Bate of Washington County Attorney’s Office successful Utah, who led nan investigations, NBC reports.

“There are nary winners here,” Diamond told nan outlet. “This is simply a calamity for Bernadette’s family, this is simply a calamity for Dave’s family. They’re bully group and he wounded them too.”

Bernadette Vander Meer had worked astatine nan New York-New York Hotel & Casino connected nan Las Vegas Strip. An obituary published successful August 2006 by nan Review-Journal described her arsenic a devoted woman and girl who had a passion for shape performance, euphony and nature.

The way she fell from, Angel’s Landing, is known for being 1 of nan astir vulnerable routes successful nan U.S. According to Deseret Morning News archives, fatalities astatine nan tract person included nan 2004 decease of a 14-year-old connected a Boy Scout outing, nan 1997 decease of a 36-year-old man who was rappelling down nan stone statement and nan 1989 decease of a 28-year-old man who fell 150 feet.

In 1997, the outlet reported, 36-year-old Patricia Bottarini of Medford, New Jersey, fell astir 500 feet arsenic she was hiking to nan park’s Observation Point pinch her husband, James Bottarini. In 2002, he went connected proceedings successful national tribunal on charges related to Patricia Bottarini’s death, of which he was acquitted.

The Independent has contacted Somerset Academy Lone Mountain officials for comment.

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