Former MLB Player Daniel Serafini Found Guilty of Murder and Attempted Murder of His In-Laws

Four years after a senseless shooting took the lives of their beloved parents, a family has finally obtained some closure, a few answers, and a guilty verdict.

Former MLB pitcher Daniel Serafini, 51 years old, has been convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder.

On July 14, 2025, a Placer County, California jury found him guilty of the Lake Tahoe-area shooting that left his 70-year-old father-in-law dead and his 68-year-old mother-in-law gravely wounded.

He was also found guilty of first-degree burglary. The jury also upheld special circumstance allegations, including lying-in-wait, felony murder, and firearm enhancements, according to a Placer County District Attorney release.

The retired baseball player was on trial for his role in the events of June 5, 2021. That day, Gary Spohr was found shot dead in his Homewood home. His wife Wendy Wood Spohr was critically injured with multiple gunshot wounds.

Within days of the shooting, law enforcement distributed a video featuring clips from nearby security cameras. They hoped someone might be able to identify a mysterious man in light jogging pants and a dark hoodie with a neck gaiter.

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office referred to the man as a person of interest. The videos show the man walking through trees near the Spohrs’ property and then entering an open garage and walking past a parked dark blue SUV.

A year after the shooting, Wendy took her own life, following prolonged physical and emotional struggles. It took police more than two years to identify the man in the video.

In October 2023, Daniel — who was married to one of the victims' daughters — was first arrested in Winnemucca, Nevada, in connection with the shootings.

Samantha Scott, a 33-year-old suspected accomplice believed to have worked as a nanny for the victims’ family, was also arrested at the time. Authorities caught up with her in Las Vegas. Daniel and Samantha were both extradited to California.

Nevada sheriffs at the time said that Daniel also faced charges for child abuse and endangerment, though offered no further information. The recent conviction was unrelated to these alleged charges, and it’s unclear if they will be pursued.

The six-week trial featured “dozens of witnesses and the presentation of physical evidence,” according to the Placer County DA.

After the verdict, Adrienne Spohr, daughter of the victims, said that “it's been four years since my mom and dad were shot, and it's been four years of just hell. And today, finally, justice was served.”

Daniel was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1992, the year he turned 18, and made his major league debut in 1996. He’d go on to play for many teams, including the Cubs, Padres and Rockies.

He was suspended in 2007 for 50 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He later played internationally, and represented Italy in the World Baseball Classic. In 2013, he opened a bar in Nevada.

This locale later appeared in a 2015 episode of “Bar Rescue.” The episode revealed the extent of his financial struggles, including losing a fortune exceeding $14,000,000 after a divorce and bad investments, and more than $300,000 in debt.

After the guilty verdict, the case now awaits sentencing, which is scheduled for August. In the meantime, the victims’ family have attained a measure of closure after years of grief and unanswered questions.