By Khalida Sarwari
Santa Clara County sheriff’s detectives are continuing to investigate the mysterious death of 54-year-old Vernon Gera in unincorporated Saratoga.
Sgt. Kurtis Stenderup, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office, said detectives are awaiting the results of a toxicology report from the Santa Clara County medical examiner’s office, which should be released in the next few weeks and could reveal more about the cause and manner of Gera’s death. As of now, investigators still have reason to believe his death was suspicious and are treating the case as a homicide, he said.
Gera was found dead by his roommate on the afternoon of Dec. 18 at their home in the 19000 block of Sky Oaks Way. Detectives are not releasing where in the house or in what condition Gera was found, but it appeared that Gera had just died, Stenderup said. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the home.
“There were signs of what appeared to be foul play, at least in our minds,” he said. “When deputies got there, they quickly determined it was a crime scene and called crime scene investigators.”
According to Stenderup, Gera and his roommate, an adult male, were the only ones living at the home. He would not disclose how the two knew each other or the nature of the evidence collected at the scene.
He did note that no arrests have been made nor any persons of interest identified in the case thus far.
“It’s still very much an ongoing investigation,” he said. “Detectives are interviewing people. If anyone has information about this person or where [he was] prior to being found dead, give us a call.”
Anyone with information related to this death is asked to contact sheriff’s office homicide detectives at 408.808.4431.
Link: Sheriff’s detectives continue investigation into death of Gera
