More than 20 years after Bernadette Vander Meer died in a fall from Angels Landing in Zion National Park, new details continue to emerge following the arrest of her husband, David Vander Meer, on a murder charge.

David Vander Meer was taken into custody in June 2026 and accused of murdering his wife and committing insurance fraud in connection with her 2005 death, which had long been believed to be an accident.

Among those reflecting on the case is Kathy Page, a former youth leader at Bernadette’s church who had known her since she was a young teenager.

Page told PEOPLE that about a month before Bernadette’s death, the two had spoken privately, and Bernadette confided that she believed her husband was having an affair.

Days later, when more than 600 people gathered to remember Bernadette at her memorial service, Page said she was surprised to see the woman believed to have been involved in the alleged affair seated near David.

Although she cannot remember exactly how she learned the woman’s idenтιтy, Page said she recognized her immediately.

Seeing the woman at the service raised questions in her mind, especially because she felt David did not appear as devastated as many others who attended.

“I didn’t see the anguish,” Page told PEOPLE. “We were sobbing. I didn’t see that with him.”

Even so, she said she resisted jumping to conclusions, believing it was important to give him the benefit of the doubt at the time.

Page briefly spoke with David before leaving the memorial and only saw him once more several years later at church.

The next time she heard his name was after U.S. Marshals arrested him in Las Vegas on June 22, 2026.

“It was justice for Bernie,” she said.

The case, however, came to an abrupt end only days later.

After being booked into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of murder and insurance fraud, David was found with self-inflicted injuries on June 24. He died the following day.

Reflecting on his death, Page said she believed it brought as much closure as possible for those who had loved Bernadette.

“He’s not around to hurt anybody else anymore. End of story. It can be all put to rest. It’s as close to closure as you can get,” she said.

Despite everything that had happened, Page said she believed Bernadette would have chosen forgiveness.

“I think Bernadette would’ve forgiven him because that’s the kind of person she was.”

Source: People