Daniel Serafini Sentenced to Life Without Parole After Lake Tahoe Killings; Family, Courtroom React
Content warning: this story contains references to suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide and needs support now, call or text 988. Former major league pitcher daniel serafini was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after convictions for killing his father-in-law and attempting to murder his mother-in-law in a Lake Tahoe-area ambush.
Daniel Serafini: Sentence, courtroom scene and legal posture
A California judge handed down a life-without-parole sentence after a jury conviction for first-degree murder and attempted murder. The sentencing followed a judge's denial of Serafini's request for a new trial one week earlier; that request had been rejected last month. Serafini appeared in person at the Historic Auburn Courthouse wearing an orange jail jumpsuit while family members, friends, community members and jurors who convicted him filled the gallery.
Serafini continued to assert his innocence at the hearing and his attorney said they plan to appeal. Under California law, an appeal can be filed within 60 days of sentencing.
Details of the Lake Tahoe attack and investigation
Prosecutors say the attack took place on June 5, 2021, when Serafini broke into his in-laws' Lake Tahoe-area home and waited inside for hours until Robert Gary Spohr and Wendy Wood returned from a boating trip with their grandsons and their daughter Erin Spohr, who is Serafini's wife. Investigators described Spohr's killing as execution-style.
On the day of the attack, prosecutors said Serafini entered the home wearing a black hoodie and a white mask, armed with a hidden. 22 caliber gun. After the ambush, Robert Gary Spohr died from a single shot to the head; Wendy Wood survived the immediate attack but was shot twice in the head and left with life-changing injuries. One account states Wood later died by suicide a year after the shooting; another statement in the record identifies her as taking her own life in 2023.
Serafini was arrested in late 2023 following an investigation that lasted more than two years. Prosecutors alleged that prior to committing the attack Serafini had told friends he would offer $20, 000 to whomever killed his in-laws before deciding to act himself.
Victim impact and family reaction
Family members and friends delivered multiple victim impact statements before the sentence was handed down. Adrienne Spohr, a daughter of the couple, said the sentence brings a measure of justice and welcomed the punishment; she said Serafini "executed" her father and left her mother to die, and that he will now spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Adrienne described how her 69-year-old mother escaped the murder scene and fought to survive that night, and said her mother changed her will to remove Erin Spohr and Dan Serafini. Adrienne also told the court she has suffered PTSD, anxiety and depression since the shooting, had to leave her job, and sought a concealed carry permit out of fear. She said she was shocked to learn how much her parents had given to Serafini over the years and asked the court reme— unclear in the provided context.
Friends who testified recalled fishing trips and a 50-year marriage, describing a lasting void and a crime that showed no remorse. One friend read a statement while looking directly at Serafini; Serafini turned toward that friend at several points.
Accomplice, testimony and rejected new-trial bid
Authorities also arrested 33-year-old Samantha Scott, described in court records as Serafini's nanny-turned-lover. Prosecutors said Scott drove Serafini to his in-laws' home the day of the shooting. Scott pleaded guilty to being an accessory and testified against Serafini as part of a deal.
Serafini's bid for a new trial was rejected last month. At sentencing he maintained there was no DNA, photos or video linking him to the crime and characterized the verdict as driven by dislike, while offering condolences to victims.
Background: baseball career, finances and public profile
Serafini was a first-round draft pick for the Minnesota Twins and appeared in 102 major league games from 1996–2007 for six different teams, compiling a 6. 04 career ERA. He also played professionally in Japan, Mexico and China and represented Team Italy in the 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classic.
In retirement, he was said to have lost a $14 million personal fortune through "a series of bad investments and a bitter divorce settlement, " a claim that was featured in a 2015 segment of the show Bar Rescue.
Updated on February 27, 2026 at 11: 01 PM PST. Details in this account reflect material presented at trial, statements made in court and public records; where the record was incomplete or truncated, that uncertainty is noted as unclear in the provided context.
