Viswa Vanapalli
Investigation Discovery’s ‘A Killer Trick or Treater’ focuses on the brutal murder of 31-year-old Doreen Erbert. The young mother was hacked to death at her family home on Halloween night in 1984 by her ex-husband, Mike Dennis. While Doreen was being attacked, her daughter, Deanna, was at the residence, and her husband, Charles, had gone to a store. In the end, Charles and Deanna’s lives were forever changed after the incident. So, if you’re wondering where they might be now, here’s what we know!
Who Are Deanna and Charles Erbert?
After Doreen divorced Mike, she married Charles Erbert in 1979. Soon after, she moved in with him, and they had a daughter, Deanna, in November 1979. The family also included Doreen’s son she had with Mike, named Paul. While Doreen retained primary custody, Mike had him on weekends. At the time, Charles was a carpet store owner. He fondly remembered Doreen, saying, “When she smiled and laughed, you couldn’t help not loving her. She was always giving.”
When the incident occurred, Deanna was only 4-years-old. She later testified in court in 1988, four years after the murder. On the stand, Deanna remembered while on the stand, “My mommy said, ‘Get out of my house,’ and he said, ‘I’m going to kill you.’ My mommy told me to hide behind the couch, so I did.” But the young girl didn’t remember everything that occurred on that evening. While she couldn’t see what was happening, she could hear the voices of both Doreen and the killer.
When Charles returned from the store, he saw the bloody crime scene and noticed that Deanna was still alive and unharmed, hiding behind the couch. He took his daughter into the kitchen and then tried to stem Doreen’s bleeding. When the authorities arrived, they noticed blood on Charles’ clothes and arrested him, leaving him behind a patrol car handcuffed while he kicked at its windows. In the end, evidence led to Mike Dennis, who was then sentenced to death for killing Doreen and her unborn child.
Where Are Deanna and Charles Erbert?
In an interview in 2016, Deanna Erbert — who now goes by the last name Scott — spoke regarding Mike and the impact the tragedy had on her. “I can forgive, but I can’t forget, and I do think that he should get the death penalty. I had to grow up without a mom — and a brother,” she said. Likewise, Charles talked of how Doreen was finally pregnant after miscarrying twice before.
Charles further added, “I want him to know we survived. And we’re making it. He hasn’t conquered us.” He was also in support of Proposition 66, which would keep the death penalty intact and increase the speed of the appeals process. Recent reports indicate that Deanna and Charles live in Red Bluff, California.
Read More: How Did Doreen Erbert Die?
