Former MLB pitcher Daniel Serafini sentenced to life in prison without parole in Tahoe murder
Former Major League Baseball pitcher daniel serafini was sentenced Friday in Placer County to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2021 shooting that killed his father-in-law and gravely wounded his mother-in-law at their Lake Tahoe-area home. The sentencing came 193 days after a jury found him guilty in July of multiple counts tied to the attack.
Daniel Serafini in court
The judge in Placer County handed down life without parole after a jury earlier found Serafini guilty of first-degree murder, lying in wait and first-degree burglary in the killing of 70-year-old Robert Gary Spohr, and convicted him of attempted murder in the shooting of 68-year-old Wendy Wood. Prosecutors said Serafini broke into the Homewood residence in June 2021 and waited for the couple to return from a boating outing before opening fire.
Evidence, jury findings and convictions
The jury concluded that Serafini’s actions "were deliberate and premeditated, " and the trial ran six weeks. Jurors heard about heated disputes over financial obligations and communications leading up to the murder, the Placer County District Attorney’s Office said. Prosecutors also accused Serafini of targeting his in-laws to access a multimillion-dollar inheritance.
Victim impact and family statements
Victim impact statements described the crime as fueled by "pure hate, " saying it rocked the community and ruined a family. Adrienne Spohr, Serafini’s sister-in-law, told the court: "He is a monster that knows no moral boundaries and has zero reservations about taking lives to benefit himself. " She said Serafini and her sister Erin had taken millions of dollars from her parents over the years, including over a million dollars for a horse estate and smaller installments for nanny services and to pay off credit cards, and that Serafini and her sister continued to ask their mother for money after the attempted murder.
Spohr said "Dan showed no remorse" and alleged he "cashed in a $200, 000 check made to him from his victim’s account just weeks after holding a gun to her head and pulling the trigger. " She said her sister and Serafini fought her efforts to post a reward announcement for her father’s murderer — "And now we know why, " she said. At sentencing, Spohr asked that Serafini receive the maximum punishment, including a period of solitary confinement, and said: "Dan Serafini should never see the outside of a prison again. "
Defendant remarks and judge's response
During the Friday hearing, Serafini addressed the court and maintained his innocence. He said he was out partying with his wife the night of the shooting and described himself as a "broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes. " He did not express responsibility for the killings and continued to claim innocence, calling the trial a "popularity contest" and offering condolences to the "victims of this heinous crime. "
The judge rejected Serafini’s prior claims that he was denied due process, saying he had due process "before, during and after the trial" and received "vigorous advocacy throughout the whole process. " The court emphasized there was no violation of Serafini’s rights and that the conviction was based on the evidence presented to the jury. Addressing Serafini’s request for a new trial and his argument that he received poor legal advice not to testify, the judge said Serafini came across as a "shot caller" and "key holder, " and that the decision not to testify did not amount to ineffective assistance of counsel.
The court also told Serafini his time in prison should be used for reflection and personal growth, encouraging him to become a better person and continue helping others while incarcerated. But the judge criticized Serafini’s remarks at sentencing, saying, "What I heard today was not reflection, it was deflection, " and noting there was no remorse expressed for the victims, only a focus on himself. The judge called the case a tragedy for everyone involved and for the broader community.
Arrest, admissions and baseball background
Serafini and his lover, Samantha Scott, were arrested two years after the June 2021 incident. Scott later testified that she gave Serafini a ride the day of the shooting, believing it was a drug deal before Serafini later admitted that he had shot his in-laws. Prosecutors say these events preceded the arrest and testimony that figured into the case.
A former MLB first-round draft pick, Serafini spent seven years in the big leagues with the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies. His busiest season was in 1998, going 7-4 with a 6. 48 ERA for the Twins. He also pitched professionally in Japan, Taiwan and Mexico.
Other notes in the files
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Serafini will spend the remainder of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.
