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Poker Player Accused of Murder

January 6, 2011

The trial begins this week of poker player Ernest Scherer III, who is accused of murder. Scherer allegedly murdered his own parents back in March of 2008 in their home in California. The accused reportedly owed substantial amounts in gambling debts, so the motive for murder was his $1.5 million inheritance. Scherer III was eventually arrested in Las Vegas in February 2009, almost a year after the murders of 60-year-old Ernest Scherer Jr., a real estate investor, and 57-year-old Charlene Abendroth, a college professor took place.

While a gag order put in place by Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Horner for the county where the murders took place has been put on the case, it is known that a witness for the prosecution is an identified woman claiming she was the victim of domestic violence acts by Scherer III in July 2008. The prosecution claims they will contest the testimony in order to prove he never showed violence.

Both father and son were poker players, but Scherer III and his wife were at least $40K in credit and loan debt and had been unable to pay their property tax and home mortgage before the murders.

Now he is accused of two counts of murder and faces two special circumstance allegations: murder for financial gain and multiple murder and murder for financial gain. The trial is now finally underway as of Tuesday after weeks of pre-trial discovery and motions, as well as jury selection.

Written by Bea · Filed Under Poker News 

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