Imprisoned Poker Pro Ernie Scherer III Beats UFC On Fox 4 With 48 Hours Mystery Repeat

The re-airing of a “48 Hours Mystery” episode on the Ernie Scherer III bludgeoning of his parents in 2008 managed to beat “UFC On Fox 4” in the Saturday night ratings.  

Neither “48 Hours Mystery” (3.36 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3) or “UFC On Fox 4” (2.14 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) came close to beating NBC’s Saturday evening tape-delayed Olympic coverage (26.09 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.8, #1).

Scherer III was sentenced for brutally murdering his parents in their Alameda, California home in 2008 in order to obtain an inheritance.  The younger Scherer was said to have owed significant gambling debts.

Prior to his arrest, Gambling911.com was called upon to assist the Alameda Sheriff’s Office in drawing attention to the case nationwide in hopes that witnesses might come forward.  At least one witness who briefly dated the poker player told "48 Hours Mystery" she only learned about his parents murders after Googling Scherer's name. 

Scherer was sentenced last year to a life sentence.

As was the case with previous airings of the Scherer III story, Gambling911.com experienced a heavy surge in traffic. 

- Ace King, Gambling911.com