Home / Crime and Justice / Hiker's Death Ruled Accidental, Then Murder Charges Filed
Hiker's Death Ruled Accidental, Then Murder Charges Filed
22 Sep
Summary
- Bernadette Vander Meer died after falling 1,200 feet on Angels Landing.
- Her death was ruled an accident for nearly 20 years before arrest.
- Husband David Vander Meer was arrested in June 2026, then died.
On August 22, 2006, Bernadette Vander Meer died after falling 1,200 feet from Angels Landing in Utah's Zion National Park. Her husband, David Vander Meer, reported the incident as an accidental fall during their anniversary hike.
Initially, authorities declared the incident an accident, a conclusion that stood for almost 20 years. The case was dramatically reopened in June 2026, leading to David Vander Meer's arrest and charges of murder.
Following his arrest, David Vander Meer was found deceased in his jail cell on June 25, 2026, having sustained self-inflicted wounds. He had proclaimed his innocence in a suicide note.
Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.
