Agonizing wait for answers on death of dog walkers from Modesto nears an end | Opinion
It’s been three months since a former Modesto couple working for E.&J. Gallo Winery were killed in San Luis Obispo by an errant driver while walking their dog in a mysterious accident evoking deep sorrow and something like suspicion.
By now, shouldn’t we have more answers than questions about the tragic Nov. 22 deaths of Matthew Chachere and Jennifer Besser?
Shouldn’t we have a clearer picture of how police responding to a report of a dead dog apparently missed seeing the nearby bodies of its owners, only finding them “under dense brush” upon returning the next day?
Might Besser, 36, and Chachere, 39, have lived if they had gotten medical help sooner? Is it possible that they suffered while waiting?
How did officers track down the 24-year-old driver, who also slammed into a street sign and bridge? Why did they conclude that his judgment wasn’t impaired by a substance? Why, 13 weeks later, has he not been charged with a crime?
Questions like these, and others, can haunt those who knew and loved Besser and Chachere — their families, friends and potentially dozens or even hundreds of coworkers at a company like Gallo, the world’s largest wine producer.
They went to work and shopped and bought gas and lived among us, at least before moving to the coast last summer. Dozens, if not hundreds, knew Chachere from his days of coaching football at Davis and Ceres high schools. Others feel a familiarity after learning about their lives in sad newspaper reports of their puzzling deaths. Our hearts break for their loves ones as they, and we, wait for answers.
I’m tired of waiting, I told myself. So I asked.
The courteous email response from San Luis Obispo police did not satisfy most of my questions, but I’ll share what I did learn.
The two most important things to know: The official probe finally could be wrapping up, and it sounds like police think the driver should face charges.
In his email, Capt. Brian Amoroso said the investigation is “nearing completion.” It’s taken so long, he said, because:
- “Complex accident reconstruction” can’t be rushed.
- Some of that depends on findings from the California Highway Patrol, whose Major Accident Investigation Team extracted technical data from the vehicle.
- Other clues waited on coroner reports from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department.
“This case is extremely important to us, which is why we are being diligent in our investigation and ensuring that we are conducting the most thorough investigation possible to achieve justice for the victims and their respective families,” Amoroso wrote. “A thorough investigation of this magnitude takes significant time, and the quality of this work is paramount to a successful prosecution.”
Prosecution pending
When police go public with their findings, they also will share “the charges being requested for filing on the suspect,” Amoroso added. That’s consistent with the usual process of police recommending charges and the district attorney’s office deciding whether to prosecute.
Still impatient, I talked with Officer Tom Olsen, the CHP spokesman for our Modesto area, in general terms (not specific to this case) about lengthy investigations.
“We understand that family members are anxious,” he said. “I tell them, `When you’re holding that report someday, you will understand why it took so long.’” The painstaking effort and attention to detail will be evident, he said.
“It’s frustrating because it takes longer than you anticipate. But we’re not going to rush it because if we do, we might miss something, and that would be a disservice to the families of the victims.”
That makes some sense. Missing two bodies when you’re recovering a dead dog is bad enough.
This story was originally published February 22, 2023 at 1:23 PM.
