Narrator: ADRIAN SOLOMON THOUGHT
PROFESSIONAL GAMBLER ERNIE SCHERER
WAS A RISK WORTH TAKING.
I HAD NEVER WANTED TO HAVE A LONG-DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP,
BUT THIS SEEMED TO WORK FOR BOTH OF US.
HE ASSURED HER THAT HE WAS REALLY TRUE TO HER.
I LIKED HIM.
Narrator: BUT SOMETHING DARK LURKED BEHIND ERNIE'S POKER FACE.
THERE WAS SOME THINGS THAT WERE A LITTLE BIT OFF.
Narrator: ADRIAN WOULD SOON REALIZE
ERNIE'S ENTIRE LIFE WAS BUILT ON A HOUSE OF CARDS.
Dudek: THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST BRUTAL CASES
I HAD SEEN IN MY ENTIRE 33-YEAR CAREER.
Narrator: WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM.
FOR ADRIAN SOLOMON, LIFE WAS ONE BIG ADVENTURE.
Adrian: I WENT TO WORK ON WALL STREET
AND THEN DECIDED I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT,
SO I APPLIED FOR A JOB AT A RESORT.
LIVED ALL OVER THE WORLD.
TAUGHT PEOPLE HOW TO FLY ON THE TRAPEZE.
SO, ESSENTIALLY, I RAN AWAY AND JOINED THE CIRCUS.
Narrator: BY AGE 34,
ADRIAN HAD BEEN GLOBETROTTING FOR YEARS.
BUT WHEN SHE LEFT THE RESORT INDUSTRY
FOR AN EVENT-PLANNING CAREER,
THERE WAS ONE PLACE SHE HAD YET TO VISIT...
LAS VEGAS.
SO IN APRIL 2006,
ADRIAN JUMPED AT THE CHANCE TO HEAD TO SIN CITY
FOR A WEEK-LONG WORK CONVENTION.
Adrian: WHEN I FIRST GOT THERE,
I WAS JUST WALKING AROUND A LITTLE BIT,
TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR THE PLACE,
AND I ENDED UP OVER AT THE CRAPS TABLE.
Narrator: ADRIAN WAS FASCINATED BY THE RIVETING NUMBERS GAME...
SO MUCH SO THAT SHE BARELY NOTICED
THE STRANGER STANDING NEXT TO HER.
BUT HE CERTAINLY NOTICED HER.
Adrian: HE COULD SEE I LOOKED A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.
AND SO HE ASKED IF I WANTED HIM TO EXPLAIN THE GAME TO ME.
Narrator: AS THE TWO BEGAN TO CHAT,
ADRIAN REALIZED SHE HAD MET THE ULTIMATE VEGAS PERSONA...
A PROFESSIONAL POKER PLAYER NAMED ERNIE SCHERER.
Adrian: WHEN HE ASKED IF I WANTED TO GO OUT TO DINNER THAT NIGHT,
I WAS A LITTLE BIT HESITANT AT FIRST
BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHO THIS PERSON WAS.
Narrator: BUT ADRIAN DECIDED TO ROLL THE DICE.
THAT NIGHT, SHE JOINED ERNIE FOR DINNER.
IT WAS ONE OF THOSE VERY GOOD, RELAXED FIRST DATES.
WE TALKED ABOUT HOW CLOSE WE BOTH WERE WITH OUR FAMILIES.
I LEARNED THAT HE HAD GROWN UP IN A MORMON HOUSEHOLD,
AND I WAS ASKING HIM LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
Narrator: ERNIE TOLD ADRIAN THAT DESPITE HIS MORMON UPBRINGING,
PLAYING POKER WAS HIS PASSION.
HE LIVED IN CALIFORNIA
BUT SPENT MUCH OF HIS TIME IN VEGAS FOR TOURNAMENTS.
Adrian: AT THE END OF THE NIGHT, WE SAID GOOD NIGHT
AND MADE PLANS TO SEE EACH OTHER THE NEXT DAY.
Narrator: WHILE IN VEGAS,
ADRIAN AND ERNIE HAD SEVERAL MORE CASUAL DATES.
WHEN THEY SAID GOODBYE,
ADRIAN WASN'T SURE IF THEIR TIME TOGETHER
WOULD AMOUNT TO ANYTHING MORE THAN A FLING,
BUT THREE WEEKS LATER, THE TWO MET UP IN CALIFORNIA,
THEN FLORIDA.
AND SOON, THEY WERE CRISSCROSSING THE COUNTRY
TO SEE EACH OTHER.
Lynne: ERNIE OBVIOUSLY CARED ABOUT ADRIAN
'CAUSE IT WAS A LONG-DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP,
BUT HE ASSURED HER THAT HE WAS REALLY TRUE TO HER.
Adrian: AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF DATING,
WE HAD A CONVERSATION ONE DAY AND DECIDED
THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP WOULD BE AN EXCLUSIVE ONE.
SO I THOUGHT, "OKAY, IF SHE LIKES HIM, I LIKED HIM."
Narrator: THINGS SEEMED TO BE GOING SO WELL
FOR THE NEW COUPLE.
BUT THERE WAS ONE THING ABOUT ERNIE
THAT TROUBLED ADRIAN.
Adrian: HE NEVER LET ME SEE HIS HOME.
HIS REASONING WAS THAT I LIVED IN THIS REALLY NICE CONDO
AND HIS APARTMENT WAS JUST HORRIBLE
AND HE WAS NOT PROUD OF IT.
SHE WAS CONCERNED
THAT ERNIE WOULD NEVER TAKE HER TO HIS APARTMENT,
AND SHE TALKED TO HIM ENDLESSLY ABOUT IT,
AND HE CAME UP WITH ONE EXCUSE OR THE OTHER.
Adrian: A LOT OF MY FRIENDS SAID, "IT'S THE MALE EGO.
"HE CANNOT STAND THE FACT
THAT YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE NICER THAN HE DOES."
Narrator: ADRIAN DECIDED TO GIVE ERNIE TIME TO COME AROUND,
BUT TWO YEARS INTO THEIR RELATIONSHIP,
SHE STILL HADN'T SEEN ERNIE'S APARTMENT.
TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE,
IT SEEMED SHE HAD BEEN SHUNNED BY HIS PARENTS.
IT WAS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP.
Narrator: BUT ALL OF THIS WOULD SOON BE OVERSHADOWED
BY FRIGHTENING AND TRAGIC EVENTS.
IT ALL STARTED IN APRIL 2008 WHILE ADRIAN WAS
ON A BUSINESS TRIP IN SAN FRANCISCO.
Adrian: I WAS IN MY HOTEL ROOM, DOING SOME WORK
AND RECEIVED AN E-MAIL FROM A WOMAN
THAT ERNIE AND I HAD KNOWN.
AND THE E-MAIL SAID
THAT SHE WAS SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT HIS PARENTS,
AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THIS E-MAIL WAS IN REFERENCE TO.
Narrator: CONCERNED, ADRIAN DID
AN INTERNET SEARCH FOR ERNIE'S PARENTS,
AND THE STORY SHE SAW WAS JAW-DROPPING.
Adrian: I COULDN'T REALLY BELIEVE WHAT I WAS ACTUALLY READING.
WE WERE SHOCKED AND WANTED TO REACH OUT TO ERNIE
'CAUSE WE FELT SO BAD FOR HIM.
Narrator: IN THE FALL OF 2006,
TWO YEARS BEFORE GETTING DREADFUL NEWS
ABOUT ERNIE SCHERER'S PARENTS,
ADRIAN SOLOMON WAS TAKING A GAMBLE ON HER NEW MAN.
WE LIVED ON OPPOSITE COASTS, AND THAT WORKED VERY WELL.
BOTH OF US HAD CAREERS... WE WERE ON THE ROAD A LOT.
Deirdre: THEY COULD TRAVEL TOGETHER
AND DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS TOGETHER
THAT SOMEONE THAT HAD A 9-TO-5, VERY STRUCTURED JOB COULDN'T DO.
Narrator: DESPITE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM,
ADRIAN AND ERNIE WERE FLOURISHING.
AND ONE DAY, WHILE ON A TRIP TO VEGAS,
ERNIE MADE IT CLEAR
HE WAS THINKING ABOUT THEIR FUTURE TOGETHER.
Adrian: WE WERE WALKING THROUGH SOME OF THE STORES
AND SAW A BEAUTIFUL RING,
AND WE BOTH COMPLETELY FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS RING.
AND HE SAID, "LET'S TRY IT ON."
Narrator: THEY HAD ONLY BEEN DATING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS,
AND ADRIAN KNEW AN ENGAGEMENT WAS A TAD PREMATURE.
BUT IT STILL FELT LIKE A NATURAL STEP.
Adrian: THE FACT THAT WE BOTH WANTED TO LOOK AT IT
WAS REALLY EXCITING.
SO IT DEFINITELY FELT
LIKE WE WERE MOVING TOWARDS THIS BEING
THAT TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP WHERE WE WOULD EVENTUALLY GET MARRIED.
Lynne: HE TALKED TO ME ABOUT WANTING TO MARRY HER
AND WANTING TO TALK TO MY HUSBAND
AND GET HIS PERMISSION.
AND HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT CHILDREN.
HE WANTED TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO CHILDREN.
BUT FOR ADRIAN, THERE WAS ONE BIG PROBLEM.
Adrian: HE KNEW MY ENTIRE EXTENDED FAMILY...
YOU KNOW, COUSINS AND EVERYBODY...
AND I DIDN'T KNOW HIS FAMILY.
Lynne: SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT SHE WASN'T ABLE TO MEET THEM.
SHE TALKED TO ERNIE AT LENGTH ABOUT IT,
Narrator: BUT EVERY TIME ADRIAN ASKED TO MEET ERNIE'S PARENTS,
HE REFUSED AND BLAMED HIS MOTHER.
HE SAID HIS MOTHER WAS NOT COMFORTABLE
WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP.
SHE DID NOT LIKE THE FACT THAT I AM NOT MORMON,
THAT I WAS OLDER THAN HIM.
SHE SEEMED TO HAVE A LOT OF NEGATIVE THOUGHTS ABOUT ME,
AND THIS WAS VERY HARD FOR ME.
Narrator: BUT IN THE FALL OF 2007, ADRIAN'S LUCK WOULD CHANGE.
ONE DAY, SHE AND ERNIE HAPPENED TO BE IN LAS VEGAS
AT THE SAME TIME AS ERNIE'S FATHER.
Adrian: SO, ERNIE SAID,
"OKAY, YOU'RE FINALLY GONNA GET TO MEET MY FATHER."
SO I WAS EXCITED AND A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.
Narrator: MAKING A GOOD IMPRESSION MEANT THE WORLD TO ADRIAN,
BUT THAT EVENING, THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED.
SO, WE GET DOWN TO THE LOBBY, AND HE GOES TO INTRODUCE US
AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, "THIS IS MY FATHER,
AND THIS IS..." TURNS TO INTRODUCE ME.
AND HIS FATHER SAID, "I KNOW WHO SHE IS,"
AND TURNED HIS BACK TO ME.
AND I'M STANDING THERE WITH MY HAND OUT,
READY TO SHAKE HIS HAND.
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER BEEN AS INSULTED IN MY LIFE.
Narrator: ADRIAN WAS CRUSHED.
BUT ERNIE'S REACTION TOOK THE CAKE.
HE SAID, "OH, SO, YOU FINALLY MET MY FATHER."
AND I SAID, "NO, I DIDN'T MEET YOUR FATHER.
I JUST GOT COMPLETELY SNUBBED BY YOUR FATHER."
HE'S LIKE, "OH, REALLY?"
Narrator: ERNIE SEEMED COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS TO THE SITUATION,
ALMOST PRETENDING IT HADN'T EVEN HAPPENED.
Adrian: HE SOMEHOW DID NOT SEE
THAT HIS FATHER TREATED ME LIKE THAT.
Narrator: THE INCIDENT HUNG LIKE A CLOUD OVER THE COUPLE'S RELATIONSHIP.
AND OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS,
ADRIAN REALIZED THERE WERE TOO MANY THINGS ABOUT ERNIE
THAT JUST DIDN'T SIT WELL.
HE HAD THIS MENTALITY THAT HE WAS ALWAYS RIGHT
AND HE WAS SMARTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE.
HIS EGO WAS HUGE, AND HE WAS QUICK TO ANGER.
IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHING
THAT WASN'T QUITE RIGHT, THERE.
AND THAT MADE ME A LITTLE NERVOUS.
Narrator: ADRIAN ALSO BEGAN TO NOTICE TROUBLING SIGNS
THAT ERNIE'S GAMBLING HABITS WERE ESCALATING.
I DID GET A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT HIS SPORTS BETTING
BECAUSE THE AMOUNTS GOT BIGGER.
AND HE SEEMED TO GET MORE AND MORE VESTED IN IT.
HE COULD NOT WATCH A SPORTING EVENT
WITHOUT HAVING A BET ON IT.
HE ALSO WAS NOT DOING VERY WELL AT THE POKER TABLES.
MY SISTER STARTED TO TELL ME
THAT ERNIE WAS LOSING A LOT OF MONEY
AND HE WAS IN SOME FINANCIAL TROUBLE.
Narrator: THE CAUTIOUS PROFESSIONAL ADRIAN THOUGHT SHE KNEW
WAS TURNING INTO SOMEONE ELSE.
Adrian: OUR PERSONALITIES WERE NOT RIGHT
TO BE IN A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP.
I REALIZED THAT THIS RELATIONSHIP
WASN'T GOING TO BE FOREVER.
Narrator: IN FEBRUARY 2008, ADRIAN AND ERNIE BROKE UP.
Adrian: WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT STAYING FRIENDS.
WE BOTH HAD SOME HARD FEELINGS.
Narrator: BUT LESS THAN A MONTH LATER,
A TRAGEDY WOULD BRING ADRIAN AND ERNIE BACK TOGETHER.
THE VICTIMS HAD BEEN INSIDE FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF BLOOD.
THERE WAS SUCH A TANGLED WEB OF LIES
IN ERNIE'S LIFE.
Narrator: IN THE SPRING OF 2008,
THREE WEEKS AFTER BREAKING UP WITH ERNIE SCHERER,
ADRIAN SOLOMON WAS IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR WORK.
SHE HAD BEEN DOING JUST FINE
UNTIL SHE RECEIVED A TROUBLING E-MAIL
FROM AN ACQUAINTANCE.
Adrian: AND THE E-MAIL SAID THAT SHE WAS SO SORRY
TO HEAR ABOUT ERNIE'S PARENTS,
AND IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SHE CAN DO FOR US?
AND I THOUGHT, "WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS?"
SO I DECIDED TO LOOK UP HIS PARENTS ONLINE.
Narrator: AND WHAT ADRIAN SAW WAS FRIGHTENING.
I LEARNED THAT THEY HAD BEEN MURDERED.
AND THE BODIES HAD JUST BEEN FOUND,
AND I WAS COMPLETELY SHOCKED.
Narrator: ERNIE'S PARENTS HAD BEEN BEATEN TO DEATH
IN THEIR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HOME.
Adrian: TO THINK THAT SOMEBODY HAD DONE THIS
IN A VERY BRUTAL FASHION... IT WAS REALLY SCARY.
Narrator: ADRIAN'S SHOCK QUICKLY TURNED TO CONCERN FOR ERNIE.
HE HAD BEEN MY BEST FRIEND FOR TWO YEARS, AND I THOUGHT
IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE THERE FOR HIM.
SO I SHOT HIM A TEXT AND JUST SAID,
"I HEARD. I'M SO SORRY.
LET ME KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO".
AND HE CALLED ME BACK PRETTY SOON AFTER THAT.
Narrator: ERNIE WAS DISTRAUGHT,
AND ADRIAN DID WHAT SHE COULD TO CONSOLE HIM.
WHEN ADRIAN RETURNED HOME TO NORTH CAROLINA
LATER THAT WEEK,
IT WAS WITH A HEAVY HEART.
MEANWHILE, BACK IN CALIFORNIA,
POLICE WERE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO DETERMINE
WHO COULD HAVE COMMITTED SUCH A BRUTAL DOUBLE MURDER.
Dudek: WHEN WE FIRST GOT THERE, IT APPEARED
THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN A BURGLARY.
THERE WAS STUFF THROWN ABOUT.
THERE WAS JEWELRY THAT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN LOOKED THROUGH.
Narrator: BUT AS INVESTIGATORS LOOKED CLOSER,
THEY REALIZED THAT NOTHING SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN STOLEN.
Dudek: WE KIND OF FIGURED
IT WAS JUST STAGED TO LOOK LIKE A BURGLARY.
Narrator: DETECTIVES NOW WONDERED,
WAS THE KILLER SOMEONE WHO KNEW THE VICTIMS?
THIS CASE HERE WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST BRUTAL CASES
I HAD SEEN IN MY CAREER.
BOTH THE VICTIMS WERE IN THEIR PAJAMAS.
BOTH OF THEM JUST FOUGHT FOR THEIR LIVES
UNTIL THE BITTER END.
AND IT WAS JUST HORRIBLE.
Narrator: THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS SUSPECTS,
BUT THAT WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE.
ON EASTER SUNDAY 2008,
ADRIAN WAS AT HOME IN NORTH CAROLINA
WHEN SHE GOT A FRANTIC CALL FROM ERNIE.
HE TOLD ME THAT THE COPS HAD STARTED
FOCUSING THEIR INVESTIGATION ON HIM.
THEY HAD GOTTEN A WARRANT AND SEARCHED HIS HOUSE.
THEY HAD TAKEN HIS COMPUTER.
HE REALLY FELT LIKE THEY WERE HARASSING HIM.
Narrator: ERNIE CLAIMED POLICE WERE SIMPLY USING HIM AS A SCAPEGOAT
BECAUSE THEY LACKED OTHER SUSPECTS.
HE SAID HE NEEDED TO GET OUT OF TOWN
AND ASKED IF HE COULD JOIN ADRIAN
ON AN UPCOMING BUSINESS TRIP TO DALLAS.
I TOLD HIM IT WAS GOING TO MAKE HIM LOOK GUILTY.
Narrator: BUT ERNIE WAS INSISTENT.
Adrian: SO I TOLD HIM THAT WAS FINE.
HE WAS GOING TO BE GETTING HIS OWN HOTEL ROOM,
BUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GO OUT
AND HAVE DINNER WITH HIM IN DALLAS.
Narrator: ADRIAN FELT SORRY FOR ERNIE'S MISFORTUNE.
BUT THAT WOULDN'T LAST LONG.
A FEW DAYS LATER,
SHE RECEIVED ONE OF THE MOST SHOCKING PHONE CALLS
OF HER LIFE.
Adrian: SO, I WAS IN A TAXI, HEADING TO MY HOTEL IN DALLAS,
AND MY PHONE RANG.
AND IT WAS A RESTRICTED NUMBER,
SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ERNIE, BUT IT WASN'T.
IT WAS A DETECTIVE ON THE INVESTIGATION.
HE SAID, "I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BROKEN UP.
BUT HOW LONG DID THIS AFFAIR GO ON?"
AND I WAS TAKEN ABACK.
I SAID, "THAT'S A VERY HARSH WORD
"FOR YOU TO BE USING
'CAUSE WE WERE IN AN EXCLUSIVE RELATIONSHIP FOR TWO YEARS."
Narrator: AND THAT'S WHEN THE DETECTIVE DROPPED A BOMBSHELL.
HE SAID, "OH, SO YOU DON'T KNOW
THAT HE'S MARRIED AND HAS A CHILD."
AND I WAS COMPLETELY SHOCKED.
I THOUGHT HE WAS TELLING ME THESE THINGS
TO TRY TO GET ME ANGRY.
I THOUGHT HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE ME MAD AT ERNIE
SO THAT I WOULD SAY THINGS ABOUT HIM.
Narrator: BUT SOON AFTER HANGING UP,
ADRIAN'S DOUBTS TURNED INTO A HORRIFYING CERTAINTY.
Adrian: IT PROBABLY TOOK MY BRAIN ABOUT 10 SECONDS
TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE FIGHTS AND EVERY ISSUE THAT WE EVER HAD
AND REALIZE, "WOW. HE'S MARRIED AND HAS A CHILD.
"THIS IS WHY HIS PARENTS WOULDN'T TALK TO ME.
"IT'S NOT BECAUSE I'M NOT A MORMON.
"IT'S BECAUSE HE'S MARRIED.
AND THIS IS WHY I WASN'T ABLE TO SEE HIS HOUSE."
Narrator: IT SEEMED BLUFFING WAS NOT JUST ERNIE'S PROFESSION,
IT WAS ALSO HIS WAY OF LIFE.
Adrian: ALL OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS LEARNING
WERE JUST MIND-BOGGLING.
Narrator: ADRIAN COULDN'T HELP BUT WONDER...
IF ERNIE HAD LIED TO HER EVERY DAY FOR TWO YEARS,
WHAT ELSE WAS HE CAPABLE OF?
HE WAS MEETING ME IN DALLAS.
HE WAS GOING TO BE THERE IN A SHORT TIME,
AND HE MIGHT HAVE KILLED HIS PARENTS.
I WAS TERRIFIED.
Narrator: THE AFTERNOON OF APRIL 1, 2008,
ADRIAN SOLOMON ARRIVED AT HER DALLAS HOTEL.
SHE WAS IN TOWN FOR WORK.
BUT SUDDENLY, THIS WAS NO ORDINARY BUSINESS TRIP.
HER EX-BOYFRIEND ERNIE SCHERER WAS ALSO IN TOWN
AND HEADING HER WAY.
Adrian: IT WAS JUST CRAZY TO THINK
THAT SOMEONE THAT I HAD DATED FOR TWO YEARS
IS NOW UNDER SERIOUS SUSPICION OF MURDERING HIS PARENTS,
AND I WAS TERRIFIED.
SO WHEN I GOT TO THE HOTEL,
I ASKED THE PERSON AT THE FRONT DESK
TO UNREGISTER MY NAME.
Narrator: AND AS ERNIE ARRIVED,
ADRIAN ASKED COWORKERS TO KEEP A WATCHFUL EYE ON HER
WHILE SHE MET HIM IN THE HOTEL LOBBY.
Adrian: HE WALKED IN, TRIED TO GIVE ME A HUG.
AND I BACKED UP.
AND WE STARTED TALKING.
I SAID, "WELL, I KNOW YOU'RE MARRIED."
AND HE SAID, "WELL, IT'S IN NAME ONLY.
"WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY IN ANY KIND OF RELATIONSHIP.
WE JUST HAVE NOT GOTTEN DIVORCED."
Narrator: ERNIE ADMITTED HE HADN'T BEEN HONEST WITH ADRIAN
ABOUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE.
BUT HE INSISTED HE WASN'T CAPABLE OF MURDER.
Adrian: HE SAID, "I DID SOME HORRIBLE THINGS.
"I KNOW. I'M SO SORRY FOR THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW I COULD NEVER MURDER MY PARENTS."
Narrator: ADRIAN FOUND HERSELF BELIEVING ERNIE.
HE WAS GUILTY OF BEING A REALLY MEAN, HORRIBLE PERSON
AND AN ADULTERER, BUT NOT A MURDERER.
YOU KNOW, THOSE TWO THINGS WERE ON A DIFFERENT SCALE.
Narrator: STILL, ERNIE HAD BETRAYED ADRIAN'S TRUST.
AND WHILE SHE WASN'T SURE HE WAS GUILTY,
SHE KNEW SHE NEVER WANTED TO SEE HIM AGAIN.
MEANWHILE, BACK IN CALIFORNIA,
INVESTIGATORS HAD NO SUCH DOUBTS.
THEY WERE CERTAIN ERNIE SCHERER WAS THEIR MAN.
Dudek: WITHIN FIVE MONTHS,
WE KNEW THAT HE HAD KILLED HIS MOM AND DAD.
WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 35 ITEMS OF CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.
Narrator: AMONG THAT EVIDENCE,
DISTURBING DETAILS OF ERNIE'S FINANCIAL DOWNSLIDE.
WE LOOKED AT HIS GAMBLING, AND HE HAD SOME SERIOUS DEBTS
THAT HE HAD TO PAY OFF IN REGARDS TO THE GAMBLING...
IN EXCESS OF $100,000.
Narrator: ACCORDING TO DETECTIVES,
ERNIE WAS ALSO BEHIND ON MORTGAGE PAYMENTS.
AND HE OWED HIS FATHER A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY...
MONEY ERNIE WAS DUE TO PAY BACK.
Dudek: THE DAD WAS ACTUALLY KILLED
A WEEK BEFORE ONE OF THE PAYMENTS
WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MADE.
Narrator: TO TOP IT ALL OFF, ERNIE STOOD TO INHERIT
AT LEAST $1 MILLION FROM HIS PARENTS.
BUT THE KEY PIECE OF EVIDENCE CAME FROM A SECURITY CAMERA
MOUNTED AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE SCHERERS' GATED COMMUNITY.
Dudek: ONE OF MY DETECTIVES WAS GOING THROUGH
HOURS AND HOURS OF THESE TAPES.
AND SHE CAME ACROSS A RED, CONVERTIBLE CAMARO
THAT WENT INTO THE PROPERTY ON MARCH 7th AROUND 8:30
AND LEFT THE PROPERTY AROUND 12:30 A.M.
Narrator: RIGHT AROUND THE TIME
DETECTIVES BELIEVED THE MURDERS HAD HAPPENED.
THE CAMERAS WEREN'T ABLE
TO CAPTURE A LICENSE PLATE NUMBER,
BUT THE CAR WAS A FAMILIAR ONE.
IT WAS THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL DRIVEN BY ERNIE SCHERER.
TO ME, THAT WAS AN "OH, MY GOD" MOMENT.
Narrator: THE EVIDENCE WAS CIRCUMSTANTIAL,
BUT TO DETECTIVES, IT ALL ADDED UP.
HOW MANY COINCIDENCES CAN YOU HAVE
WHEN IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE ANYMORE?
Narrator: DETECTIVES WERE CERTAIN THE MOTIVE WAS FINANCIAL GAIN.
ON FEBRUARY 25, 2009,
ERNIE SCHERER WAS ARRESTED IN LAS VEGAS.
HE WAS CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
ON MARCH 28, 2011, AFTER A TWO-MONTH TRIAL,
A JURY CONVICTED ERNIE SCHERER
OF TWO COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
HE WAS SENTENCED TO TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS
OF LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE.
IN THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED ERNIE'S CONVICTION,
ADRIAN STEELED HERSELF TO MOVE ON.
Adrian: IT WAS A HARD ROAD.
I THINK THE HARDEST PART FOR ME WAS TRUSTING AGAIN.
BUT I THINK I'M HAPPIER NOW THAN I'VE EVER BEEN.
Lynne: ADRIAN IS DOING TERRIFIC.
SHE'S STRONG AND HAS HER HEAD ON STRAIGHT.
THAT'S BEEN HEALING FOR HER.
Narrator: THROUGH IT ALL,
ADRIAN MANAGED TO KEEP HER THIRST FOR ADVENTURE INTACT.
AND TODAY, SHE'S EMBARKED ON A NEW KIND OF JOURNEY.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO START MY OWN COMPANY,
WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.
DOING EVENT PLANNING, AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.
Narrator: BUT AS FOR TAKING ANOTHER GAMBLE ON LOVE,
FOR ADRIAN, THE ODDS ARE 50/50.
Adrian: IF I MEET SOMEONE AND I GET IN A RELATIONSHIP,
THAT'S GREAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW,
I'M JUST CONCENTRATING ON ENJOYING LIFE.