Former MLB pitcher convicted of killing his father-in-law and trying to fatally shoot his mother-in-law

NORTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (TCN) — A 51-year-old former professional baseball player was recently convicted of killing his father-in-law and trying to fatally shoot his mother-in-law several years ago.

According to the Placer County District Attorney’s Office, a jury found Daniel Serafini guilty on July 14 of first-degree murder and attempted murder of his in-laws, Gary Spohr and Wendy Wood. He was also convicted of first-degree burglary and special circumstance allegations of lying-in-wait and felony murder, as well as related firearm allegations. The defendant is set to be sentenced on Aug. 18.

On June 5, 2021, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home and discovered Spohr deceased with a single gunshot wound. His wife, Wood, reportedly sustained gunshot wounds as well and was transported to a hospital, where she recovered. According to ABC News, Wood took her own life in 2023.

Prosecutors reportedly argued that Serafini waited inside the home with a firearm for around three hours before attacking the victims. There were allegedly two young children, ages 3 years old and 8 months old, in the residence at the time.

Serafini was reportedly involved with a dispute over a ranch renovation project, and he had mentioned in a text message, “I’m gonna kill them one day.” Spohr and Wood allegedly gave Serafini’s wife $90,000 on the day of the shooting.

Investigators obtained surveillance footage that showed a hooded male wearing a face covering and a backpack shortly before the fatal shooting. Authorities identified Serafini as a suspect and arrested him in Winnemucca and another individual, Samantha Scott, in Las Vegas. Scott was allegedly the defendant’s wife’s friend and his lover. She purportedly pleaded guilty in February to being an accessory.

According to ABC News, Serafini played baseball professionally for six teams and was first drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1992. He was reportedly suspended for 50 games for using performance-enhancing drugs in 2007, the same year his career ended.

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