David Vander Meer, a pastor charged with murdering his wife Bernadette by pushing her off a cliff at Zion National Park 20 years ago, attended her memorial service with his mistress sitting close by, according to a former youth leader who spoke to PEOPLE.
Memorial Service Revelation
Over 600 people gathered for Bernadette Vander Meer's memorial six days after she fell 1,200 feet to her death from Angels Landing. Among them was Kathy Page, a former youth leader at Bernadette's church who had known her since she was 13 or 14. Unbeknownst to David, Page had met with Bernadette a month before her death and told her she suspected David was having an affair.
Page was shocked to see the woman Bernadette believed David was having an affair with sitting near him at the memorial. "I can't remember the connection, the bridge from her saying that [David was having an affair] to me learning the person's name and how did I know that was her sitting next to him — not next to him like shoulder to shoulder, but on the same bench or right behind him or something. But I knew who it was," Page said.
Suspicions Arise
This sighting made Page suspicious about Bernadette's death. "I'm married to a cop and I always suspect that the spouse first. That's what they always do. And then when I saw that girl there, then I was like, I don't want to say something that I am going to regret the rest of [my] life," Page said. She added, "Maybe he needs somebody to say something nice. Maybe he's hurting."
Page noted that David did not seem very distraught at the memorial. "I didn't see the anguish. I was in anguish at this funeral. We were sobbing. I didn't see that with him," Page said. "And then your mind tries to justify and fill in the blanks. I try to give benefit of the doubt if I can, but I still didn't like it."
Arrest and Death of David Vander Meer
Page briefly spoke to David before leaving the memorial and saw him once more at church a few years later. The next time she saw him was in the news when the U.S. Marshal in Las Vegas took David into custody on June 22, 2026. "It was justice for Bernie," Page said. David was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of murder and insurance fraud in Bernadette's death.
However, two days later, on June 24, David was discovered with self-inflicted wounds. He died the following day, June 25, 2026. Page, who has also experienced loss, found it difficult to hear about David's death. "He's not around to hurt anybody else anymore. End of story. It can be all put to rest. I mean, it's as close to a closure as you can get," Page said. She added, "I think Bernadette would've forgiven him because that's the kind of person she was."
