Former Major League Baseball pitcher Daniel Serafini has been convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder in the brutal 2021 shooting of his wife’s parents during a robbery at their home near Lake Tahoe.
The 51-year-old Serafini was found guilty by a Placer County jury on Monday of killing his father-in-law, Gary Spohr, and severely wounding his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood.
The shooting occurred during a violent break-in on June 5, 2021.
While Wood survived the initial attack, she later succumbed to her injuries.
She passed away a year after the shooting.
Serafini was also convicted of first-degree burglary in connection with the crime.
Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Miller led the prosecution.
Miller painted a chilling picture of Serafini’s animosity toward his wealthy in-laws.
The prosecutor revealed that Serafini had previously expressed a disturbing desire to have his wife’s parents killed.
Serafini said he was willing to pay $20,000 for the job.
The Sacramento Bee reported that this revelation was central to the prosecution’s case.
Serafini was a former left-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1992.
He had a career in Major League Baseball, playing for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Colorado Rockies.
However, his once-promising sports career has now been overshadowed by the gruesome murder of his in-laws.
The trial included evidence of an ongoing, heated dispute between Serafini and his in-laws over a $1.3 million loan intended to support his wife’s struggling horse ranch business.
The jury was shown angry emails and text messages between Serafini and the couple.
The exchanges highlighted the bitterness and resentment that had developed over time.
In a bid to defend his client, Serafini’s attorney, David Dratman, argued that there was no physical evidence linking his client to the crime scene.
Dratman pointed out that security footage captured a masked intruder entering the home who appeared younger and had a smaller build than the former pitcher.
He also emphasized that despite the rocky relationship between Serafini and his in-laws, they had been generous to him and his wife.
They were providing financial assistance and even treating them to luxurious vacations.
“Does that provide a motive for murder?” Dratman argued during his closing statements.
“That’s killing the golden goose.”
Despite Dratman’s defense, the jury found Serafini guilty.
He now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 18, 2025.
The hearing will mark the final chapter in a tragic case that has shocked both the sports world and the local community.
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