Nearly two decades after Bernadette “Bernie” Vander Meer died in what was initially ruled a hiking accident, a close friend is revealing the heartbreaking final conversation they shared—one that now carries new significance after investigators accused Bernadette’s husband of killing her.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Kathy Page recalled having lunch with Bernadette just weeks before her death in 2006, saying her longtime friend admitted she believed her husband was having an affair but never imagined those suspicions would precede her death.
A Friendship That Lasted for Years
Page first met Bernadette when she was a youth leader at a Las Vegas church and Bernadette was a young teenager.
Despite their age difference, the two formed a close friendship that continued into adulthood after Bernadette married David Vander Meer.
Page described Bernadette as exceptionally kind, compassionate, and someone who naturally made others feel valued.
She said they remained close over the years, regularly meeting to catch up despite busy lives.
Final Lunch Took a Serious Turn
About one month before Bernadette’s death, the friends met for lunch.
Page said the conversation began as a normal reunion, discussing work and everyday life, before Bernadette quietly revealed concerns about her marriage.
According to Page, Bernadette believed David might be involved in an affair.
Looking back after everything investigators later uncovered, Page now believes Bernadette sensed something was deeply wrong but had no idea the danger she was facing.
Death Initially Ruled an Accident
On Aug. 22, 2006, Bernadette and David traveled to Angels Landing in Zion National Park to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary.
David told investigators his wife accidentally fell approximately 1,200 feet after he briefly turned away.
With no eyewitnesses other than her husband, authorities ruled the death an accident, and the case remained closed for nearly twenty years.
Investigation Reopened Two Decades Later
The case dramatically changed in June 2026.
Utah investigators announced David Vander Meer had been arrested and charged with Bernadette’s murder after new evidence emerged during a reopened investigation.
According to prosecutors, investigators uncovered information suggesting David had been involved in a long-term extramarital relationship before Bernadette’s death.
Court documents allege he had previously told the other woman that their relationship could only continue if his wife “was not alive.”
Investigators also alleged David significantly increased Bernadette’s life insurance coverage shortly before her death and later collected more than half a million dollars in benefits.
Case Ends Before Trial
Only days after his arrest, David Vander Meer died by suicide while being held in custody before he could stand trial.
His death ended the criminal prosecution before the evidence could be presented before a jury.
Friend Says Bernadette Never Lost Her Kindness
Although the legal case has now come to an abrupt end, Page says what she remembers most is not the investigation but Bernadette herself.
She described her friend as one of the kindest people she had ever known, someone who never spoke harshly about others and consistently put other people’s needs before her own.
For Page, learning what investigators now believe happened has brought both sadness and a measure of validation after years of wondering whether Bernadette’s death was truly an accident.
Nearly twenty years after losing her friend, she hopes people will remember Bernadette not for the mystery surrounding her death, but for the compassion, generosity, and joy she brought to everyone around her.
