Font ResizePLEASANTON — Alameda County Sheriff's Office investigators have named Ernie Scherer III as a "person of interest" in the death of his parents, who were fatally beaten inside their Castlewood Country Club home in March.
Scherer, whose red 2001 Chevrolet Camaro convertible was seized by detectives, and whose Southern California home has been searched by investigators, cannot be ruled out as a suspect, said Sgt. Scott Dudek, the lead investigator on the case.
Detectives have spent months trying to figure out who would have wanted to kill Ernie Scherer Jr., 60, and his wife Charlene Abendroth, 57. Investigators have ruled out any suspects related to Ernie Scherer's political connections, and all other family members, Dudek said. But detectives have not been able to rule out the couple's 29-year-old son.
"From the very beginning we look at family members and rule them out and unfortunately for Ernest Scherer III, he cannot be ruled out," Dudek said. The younger Scherer is a professional poker player — having learned the game from his father, who dabbled on the circuit.
This week, Dudek put out a plea to a gambling Web site — gamling911.com — asking anyone who is owed money by the younger Scherer to call them, but he said there is not yet a clear cut motive in the case.
Sheriff's investigators searched the Brea, Orange County, home of the younger Scherer at least three times
Scherer's wife and child have moved out of the house, Dudek said. Scherer is not in the area, but Dudek said he has been in contact with him.
Early on in the case, detectives searched for a red, 2001 Chevrolet Camaro convertible. A car matching that description was seen in the Castlewood Country Club area around March 7, about the time detectives believe the couple died.
The couple's severely beaten bodies were discovered March 14, when a country club worker was asked to check on them after their worried daughter in Utah could not reach the pair by phone.
The cause of death has not yet been released. Dudek said he would not discuss forensic information.
Scherer, a real estate investor, was a former member of the San Ramon Valley School District board of trustees. Abendroth was an accounting lecturer at Cal State East Bay and active in the Mormon church.
Detectives have traveled and served search warrants related to the case in Northern and Southern California, Utah and Las Vegas.
Dudek called the case complicated because Ernie Scherer Jr. was involved in many political and business dealings. Scherer had a long and tumultuous relationship with the San Ramon Valley School District. He remained involved in that district's affairs after his recall from the board in 1990, and even after his move to Pleasanton in 2006.
Scherer was also active in Republican politics. He posthumously won a seat on the Alameda County Republican Central Committee in the June 3 primary.
Those who used to play cards with Scherer III in Utah, where he lived before moving to Southern California in 2005, described the couple's son as polite and smart with a few ticks.
"He's a little eccentric," said his friend Dave Baus, who used to play cards with Scherer III when he lived in Utah. "He wants to win. He's very competitive."
Scherer has been a professional poker player for several years and has earned more than $300,000 in tournaments.
Baus said his friend enjoyed the lifestyle of a professional gambler and was good at the game.
"Of all the guys I know he's probably the smartest and most analytical," Baus said.
Baus said Scherer admired his father — whom Baus had met — but never talked about his mother.
Scherer has traveled to support his gambling career, said George "Bernie" Devlin, who also used to play cards with him in Utah. Devlin said he would run into Scherer in Las Vegas, the Los Angeles area and the Bay Area. Devlin said he heard through different card players that Scherer had lost a lot of money. Although he was good at poker, Scherer was fond of blackjack and craps, games at which he would lose a lot of money, Devlin said.
"I always had a strange feeling about him," said Devlin, who said he no longer socializes with Scherer. "I never felt comfortable around him," adding that "He's highly intelligent."
Former neighbors at a Torrance, Los Angeles County, apartment complex said Scherer would often leave his wife and son alone for long periods of time. One neighbor said she never saw Scherer around the entire time he and his family lived there.
Another neighbor, who lived across from their old apartment, said he was very controlling when he was home. His wife never left the apartment unless he was with her, she said, adding that he never spoke to the neighbors.
"I don't know how those two got together," said the woman, who asked that her name not be used. "She was so outgoing. He was weird and just rude."
Staff writer Meera Pal contributed to this story. Reach Sophia Kazmi at skazmi@bayareanewsgroup.com or 925-847-2122.
