Alameda, California
Press Reports on
Brutal Poker Player
Murder
Following Sgt. Scott
Dudek's plea to
Gambling911.com
readers for
information related
to Ernie Scherer III
gambling debts, the
Alameda, California
local media has been
following the case
intently.
Dudek told
Gambling911 last
week that Scherer
III is a "person of
interest" in the
double homicide of
his father, Ernie
Scherer and mother,
Charlene Abendroth.
Both the father and
son were avid poker
players. The
younger Scherer is
said to owe
substantial gambling
debts, which could
serve as a motive in
the murder.
The elder Scherer
and his wife were
believed to have
amassed a
significant fortune
in real estate over
the years.
"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 told the
Mercury News.
The younger Scherer
is a professional
poker player —
having learned the
game from his
father, who dabbled
on the circuit.
Dudek told the local
CBS affiliate - KPIX
TV - the case
is being publicized
on the Web site
gambling911.com
because he's seeking
the help of gamblers
in solving the case.
Specifically, Dudek
wants anyone owed
money by Scherer III
to come forward.
The Scherer/Abendroth
murder is one of two
in the world of
online gambling
which has garnered
extensive publicity
over the past week.
In another shocking
development, the
wife of slain
Internet gambling
executive and real
estate mogul, Adam
Anhang, has been
charged with his
murder. A U.S.
grand jury this week
charged Aurea
Vazquez Rijos with
offering a man US$3
million to kill real
estate developer
Adam Anhang, a
Winnipeg native who
moved to Puerto Rico
a year before the
2005 attack. The FBI
said it is hunting
for Vazquez.
"We felt that she
was involved from
the beginning," said
the victim's father,
Abe Anhang. "This
confirms it. We hope
they will arrest her
and bring her to
justice."
Prosecutor Rosa
Emilia Rodriguez
said last week that
FBI investigators
determined the man
convicted of the
crime in October,
Jonathan Roman
Rivera, was innocent
— and they arrested
another man, Alex
Pabon Colon, on
charges of killing
Anhang.
Rodriguez said the
two men could easily
have been mistaken
for one another.
"Throughout this
investigation we
have been concerned
that a miscarriage
of justice occurred
through the wrongful
conviction of
Jonathan Roman,"
Rodriguez said.
Rivera - who was
profiled by Dateline
NBC - was released
from prison last
week.
Aurea Vazquez Rijos
is currently living
in Italy and is
pregnant with twins.
----
Christopher
Costigan,
Gambling911.com
Publisher
CCostigan@CostiganMedia.com
Originally Published
June 15, 2008 10:47
pm EST
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