Suvechha Sarkar
Charlene “Cherie” Abendroth and Ernest Francis Scherer Jr., lovingly known as Ernie, were a happily married couple residing in Pleasanton, California, in March 2008. Unfortunately, their beautiful lives came to a sudden halt when they were found dead in their home. It was soon followed by an intensive investigation as the authorities began looking into possible suspects. The episode titled ‘Gambling With Death’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Married With Secrets’ delves deeper into the investigation that revealed the killer to be someone close to them. It also features interviews with their daughter and the detective who worked on the case.
Ernest and Charlene Scherer Dedicated Their Lives to Their Children
Ernest Francis Scherer Sr. and Margaret Jane Palm were overjoyed when they welcomed Ernest Francis Scherer Jr. on December 25, 1947, into the world. He was affectionately known as Ernie and grew up in a loving household in Detroit, Michigan. After completing his education, Ernie began his professional journey as a Real Estate Investor. He was an exceptional poker player and was reportedly involved with the California Republican Party. Ernie also served as a trustee for the San Ramon Valley Unified School District from 1988 to 1990. He had always been known for his passion for speaking out on education issues. In adulthood, Ernie crossed paths with Charlene “Cherie” Abendroth.
Charlene arrived as a ray of sunshine in the lives of her parents, Charles R. Abendroth and Idona Josephine Abendroth, on August 4, 1950. Growing up, she received immense support from her parents and her siblings, Dee Roy and Arvid Bruice Cannaday. Charlene’s loved ones often described her as someone with a big personality. After graduating from high school, she earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Accounting at Brigham Young University. Charlene began her career as an Accounting Lecturer at California State University, East Bay, in September 1976. In the meantime, Charlene and Ernie grew closer and ultimately tied the knot in 1976.
Over the next few years, the couple welcomed their daughter, Catherine, and son, Ernest III. By 2000, Charlene also became an Assistant to the Department Chair. Reports state that she and Ernie devoted their time to raising their children in San Ramon, California. The family often traveled together, especially because Charlene loved the outdoors. The pair encouraged their kids to excel in their lives, while Ernie even coached the sports teams for both Ernest III and Catherine. Charlene and Ernie eventually became interested in birds, leading them to attend bird festivals and buy bird books. Keeping their faith in their hearts, the couple had settled into their residence at Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton, California.
Ernest and Charlene’s Remains Were Found Around a Week After Their Death
On March 14, 2008, Catherine had plans with her parents, but despite calling Ernie and Charlene for a week, Catherine was unable to reach them. According to reports, she became concerned and called the security at Castlewood Country Club to check up on her parents. During that check, the security personnel reportedly noticed Ernie lying inside his home and called 911. When authorities arrived, they found Ernest and Charlene dead inside the residence. They reportedly noted that the pair had multiple stab wounds, and it appeared that they had been badly attacked, considering the bruises. The detectives reportedly found the house in disarray, leading them to initially suspect a robbery.
Court records state that officials found no signs of forced entry. They further noticed that the jewelry in the house as well as about $9,000 in Ernie’s pants remained untouched. It reportedly indicated that the scene might have been staged. Furthermore, they discovered blood spatter on the walls, besides bloody footprints of a size-12 shoe in the house. The autopsy uncovered that Charlene and the 60-year-old were killed about a week before their remains were found. It also revealed that both of them sustained multiple blunt-force injuries and stab wounds. While Ernie had injuries to his head, arms, and upper body, the 57-year-old had more extensive injuries to her head, neck, and wrists. Their cause of death was determined to be multiple stab wounds and blunt-force injuries.
Circumstantial Evidence Led Officials to Suspect Ernest Scherer III
Initially, officials learned that Ernie had allegedly fought with school board members for years, but they were eventually ruled out as suspects after the authorities spoke with them. Records suggest that investigators later discovered that Ernie and Charlene had last left a message for Catherine on March 7, 2008, around 7 pm, narrowing down the timeline of their death. When questioned, Catherine told officials she was at home on the evening of March 7, and her alibi was verified using store CCTV footage, according to reports. Court records suggest that when Ernest III was questioned, he claimed that he returned from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Southern California and allegedly went to bed by 10 pm on March 7.
According to official records, Ernest III stated that on March 8, he played a game with his grandfather, a claim verified after questioning the latter. Detectives reportedly discovered that Ernest III was also a poker player. As per police records, they learned that despite being married to a woman named Robyn, he was in a relationship with another woman, Adrian Solomon. Reports indicate that when Adrian was questioned, she claimed that she had no idea Ernest III was married and that they had reportedly broken up in February 2008. Additional records suggest that after speaking with Robyn, investigators discovered that Ernest III had taken a loan of approximately $616,000 from Ernie to buy a house and was struggling to repay it. Moreover, he had around $300,000 in other outstanding debts, as per reports.
Court records indicate that further investigation uncovered that Ernest III allegedly had relationships with multiple women. According to investigative reports, Ernest III’s receipts from March 7 showed he had stopped at an outlet mall in Primm, Nevada, after which his cellphone went inactive. Shortly after, authorities found a bloody warranty card for a Nike baseball bat at the crime scene. Official records state that the card led the authorities to discover that Ernest III had bought a baseball bat, black gloves, and size-12 sneakers. Reports suggest that CCTV footage from Ernie and Charlene’s neighborhood captured a red car, similar to Ernest III’s, around the time of the murder. He was arrested on February 23, 2009, in Las Vegas and charged with two counts of murder and special circumstance charges: multiple murder and murder for financial gain, along with two use-of-a-deadly weapon (a sharp instrument) enhancements.
Ernest Scherer III is Incarcerated at a State Prison Facility Today
The jury trial of Ernest III began in January 2011. The prosecution claimed that he killed Ernie and Charlene because he was in debt and was reportedly set to gain a large inheritance of around $1.5 million as he and Catherine were the sole beneficiaries of their parents’ assets. They also presented multiple pieces of evidence before the court. On the other hand, the defense contended that there was no direct forensic evidence to tie Ernest III to the crime. Additionally, they emphasized that the prosecution’s evidence was highly circumstantial. On March 28, 2011, the jury convicted him of two counts of murder, alongside the special circumstance charges and weapon-related charge.
Ernest III ultimately received two consecutive terms of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on May 20, 2011. He also received two 1-year enhancements for the use of a deadly weapon. Following that, Ernest III appealed his judgment on the grounds of jury selection errors, improper introduction of evidence about his extramarital affairs, and prosecutorial misconduct. On August 28, 2013, the court upheld his convictions and sentencing. However, the court reportedly made one minor modification to the sentence by striking a $10,000 fine for parole revocation. As of writing, Ernest III is serving his sentence at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, California.
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