<![CDATA[Youth Group Cult : My Experience of David Vander Meer]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/youth-group-cult On June 22nd, 2026, former youth pastor David Vander Meer was arrested in Las Vegas for the death of his first wife, Bernadette, which had happened almost 20 years earlier. Two days later, David took his own life while awaiting extradition to Utah, since Bernadette's death had happened in Zion National Park back in 2006. David was my youth pastor, my friend, and for a short time, my roommate. I was also a key part of his arrest. This podcast is a telling of my experiences with David and my involvement in the case against him. I hope it helps shed a light on the problems that come with assuming safety and trust simply because of a job title.

]]> RSS.com 2026.817.133114 Sat, 05 Sep 2026 13:01:18 GMT en 7507c3d5-0031-5657-82a7-1d0ac8fb3f28 https://media.rss.com/youth-group-cult/podcast_cover_20260726_221933_4fb089bec7ea3eb4bf1f40c4b68adcb5.png Youth Group Cult : My Experience of David Vander Meer https://rss.com/podcasts/youth-group-cult yes Marcus Davis 2026 Marcus Davis Marcus Davis false episodic 99c2fbc0-8e01-11f1-b669-95d93af2cd43 podcast Denver, Denver, Colorado, 80203, USA false <![CDATA[Episode 6 : The Case and Conclusion]]> In this final episode of Youth Group Cult I'll talk about filing a report that reopens the case into Bernadette's accidental death case. I'll also walk through what it was like to experience David's arrest and death. This is the conclusion of the series. Thanks for listening.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/youth-group-cult/3122738 54940b6c-b34d-42c5-9c04-d165f40dc865 2302 full 1 1 6 6 Sat, 05 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT false false Denver, Denver, Colorado, 80203, USA Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, 89101, USA <![CDATA[Episode 5 : My Last Moments with David]]> In this episode I share about my last interactions with David. How I participated in his second wedding and how he participated in mine. I'll also talk about learning details and information that shaped my last conversation with David where I told him that I didn't trust him and was not interested in continuing my friendship with him.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/youth-group-cult/3104688 7c48e9bf-ea44-46ff-8fb0-47190b1c6993 1282 full 1 1 5 5 Sat, 29 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT false false Denver, Denver, Colorado, 80203, USA Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, 89101, USA <![CDATA[Episode 4 : The House on Eldora Street]]> In this episode I share about what it was like living with David at the Vander Meer family home on Eldora Street in Las Vegas. From the lies and deceit to the wildly inappropriate behavior David instigated, living at the house on Eldora Street was anything but normal. This was where the cracks in our friendship began to form.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/youth-group-cult/3088245 f7fcfbde-f2a0-4668-adbc-83ff2a6db17e 1805 full 1 1 4 4 Sat, 22 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT false false Denver, Denver, Colorado, 80203, USA Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, 89101, USA <![CDATA[Episode 3 : Bernadette and Her Death]]> In this episode I talk about my friendship with Bernadette, my last interactions with her, and learning about her death. A coffee conversation I had with her 20 years ago revealed suspicions that would be validated years later. I'll also share about my involvement in her funeral and a portion of the song I wrote and sang at it.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/youth-group-cult/3069854 47815b83-d57c-4b2a-92aa-1a1c11a333d9 1852 full 1 1 3 3 Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:45:00 GMT false false Denver, Denver, Colorado, 80203, USA Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, 89101, USA <![CDATA[Episode 2 : Normalizing Cult-like Behavior in the Church]]> In this episode hear about how David normalized cult-like behaviors in the church. David desired a cult-like devotion to himself and was the instigator of inappropriate behaviors for youth group students. These are accounts of interactions I had with David while I was a student in his youth group.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/youth-group-cult/3054914 2a89f8f1-07c7-42fc-b912-3bacab504070 1568 full 1 1 2 2 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 13:56:52 GMT false false Denver, Denver, Colorado, 80203, USA Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, 89101, USA <![CDATA[Episode 1 : Introduction]]> Episode 1 : Introduction

Introducing Youth Group Cult : My Experience of David Vander Meer. In this debut episode, learn about the who, what, and why behind this show. I'll also speak about the moment I met David and what will be covered in this podcast. Episodes will be released weekly and each have their specific focus. Thanks for listening.

You can find the Youth Group Cult podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube. Reach out to youthgroupcult@gmail.com for questions or comments.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/youth-group-cult/3038699 fef6d338-7d20-40d1-8f81-2115993f9ea7 1000 full 1 1 1 1 Sat, 01 Aug 2026 13:22:13 GMT false false Denver, Denver, Colorado, 80203, USA Zion National Park, USA