Evil Poker Players Part 3: Murderous Ernie Scherer Jr Killed Both His Parents
Indeed it is easy to see why the likes of an Ernie Scherer Jr. would be categorized as an “evil poker player”. For one, he killed both his parents in cold blood. That’s bound to land you on the Evil Poker Player list.
Reason Number 1: He Beat and Stabbed His Mom and Dad to Death
Ernest Scherer III, from Oakland, California, was convicted of two counts of first degree murder, committing multiple murders for financial gain and possession of a deadly weapon three years after the March 2008 massacre.
Ernest Scherer Jr., 60, and Charlene Abendroth, 57, were found beaten and stabbed to death with their throats slit in the country club home they shared. Ernie Jr. made the crime scene appear to be a home invasion. The victims decomposing bodies were not discovered until a week after the heinous crime.
Court testimony later revealed that Scherer Jr killed his parents because he faced financial pressure from his gambling debts in Las Vegas and from the purchase of his $880,000 home in Brea.
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Reason Number 2: Cold Blooded Killer Attended the WSOP Immediately After the Murders
The crime, despite is despicable nature, remained a local occurrence in a tiny Alameda County California community. Few, if anyone, outside this region were aware of what had transpired.
That’s when Det. Sgt. Dudek of the Alameda County Sheriff's Office reached out to Gambling911.com in an effort to draw national awareness to the matter, believing Scherer Jr had traveled to Las Vegas in order to attend the World Series of Poker.
“The more people made aware of Scherer as a potential suspect at the time, the more likelihood of others with possible information coming forward,” suggested Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher.
Reason Number 3: He was a Cheater
As if being a murderer were not enough, Scherer would regularly cheat on his wife. He even used the dating service Match.com.
But like most psychotics, Scherer Jr. would ultimately turn to CraigsList.
Oh the lucky lady who responded to that ad!!!
“It all began with an argument and a bet. As usual, a male friend of mine and I were discussing sex...anal sex to be specific. I had made the proposal that if a man wanted to not only ram me in the ass for an hour but also wanted me to enjoy it, that perhaps he should know how it feels first. My friend, of course, thought the idea was completely absurd and declared that only bi or gay guy would ever agree to do so. Simply because I'm naturally disagreeable, I blurted out, ‘I know I can find plenty of straight guys who would be willing to try. I bet they might even like it.’
“So began my mission. I really didn't believe I'd find any guys at all, but I'm not one to lose. I turned to Craigslist and made my very first post, ‘Cute, coy, and adventurous girl to fuck straight guy with a strap-on.’ To my completely surprise, within minutes I had over 50 responses.”
Ultimately the female would end up “dating” Ernie.
“A few weeks ago, I wondered if Ernie had ever become the successful poker player he said he would be. When the very first webpage that appeared in the search was Americas Most Wanted, my jaw dropped. Ernie was currently on trial for the pre-meditated double murder of his parents.”
Another female “acquaintance” talked of how she barely remembered Ernie, while admitting he was a little hard to forget.
“I never thought Ernie was a great catch. He virtually only wore Hawaiian shirts, thought much more highly of himself than he should, and had a slightly awkward side to him that he had clearly learned to try and hide around women. However, to a young college girl he offered the intrigue of his career as a so-called professional poker player, guaranteed at least a semi-interesting date that wouldn't involve just the typical boring dinner, and he was a gentleman.
“After dinner we headed up to the suite. It was nice enough, but typical casino - mirrors on the walls, full hot tub next to the bed. Ernie had apparently decided we were getting in the hot tub....nude. Without even saying anything to me he began undressing revealing his choice undergarment, tighty-whities. This was already almost too much for me, but what came next left me biting my tongue to contain my laughter. Ernie turned around to pick his clothes off the floor revealing nothing less than a two inch brown running streak on the back of those tighty-whities. The unexpected and unbelievable site of this caused me to excuse myself back to the casino lobby. I was bursting with laughter and had to call a friend to tell them what I had just witnessed. We tried to come up with an escape plan, but the drive back home late at night with my stuff being held hostage up in the room didn't suggest many options.
“Thirty-minutes later I found my way back up to the room. Ernie was waiting for me with a stupid grin on his face. We got in the hot tub. X-men was on the TV. He slid his arm behind me, turned my chin his direction, and said, ‘I think I love you.’ Such a fantastic line was, of course, followed by my equally fantastic response of, ‘Wow, this is a great moooovie’.”
Reason Number 4: Those Eyes
They just cry out “I need to be exorcised”.
Reason Number 5: Thought He Could Bluff Anyone
Remorseful?
Hardly.
Scherer Jr. was so arrogant he thought he could take his poker skills into the court room and bluff anyone.
It’s rare for a defendant in a murder trial to take the stand, especially when the cards are stacked against them. But that’s exactly what Ernie decided to do.
“I personally couldn't believe that he testified,” Dudek relayed. “But he just felt that he could bluff anybody. He thought, 'Once they finally see me, the real Ernie Scherer, they are just going to fall in love with me and, in fact, believe me.' He was just evil.”
Truer words could not have been spoken.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
