Ex-pastor dies in Nevada jail after arrest tied to wife’s Zion National Park death

David Vander Meer, a 49-year-old former youth pastor, died in Nevada’s Clark County Detention Center after being arrested in connection with his wife Bernadette’s 2006 death at Zion National Park and while awaiting extradition to Utah. Investigators described Bernadette’s death as suspicious based on satellite imagery, and prosecutors allege Vander Meer had relationships with an underage churchgoer and stood to gain from the life-insurance payout, having been fired for hosting parties with underage attendees.