Former MLB pitcher Daniel Serafini was found guilty in the murder of his father-in-law at his Homewood home more than four years ago.
Former Reds pitcher Daniel Serafini was found guilty in the murder of his father-in-law and the attempted murder of his mother-in-law at their home in Lake Tahoe more than four years ago.
A former Major League Baseball pitcher, Serafini played for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies between 1996 and 2007.
Here's what we know:
What was Dan Serafini convicted of?
A jury in Placer County convicted Serafini on July 14 − after a six-week trial − of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and burglary after the couple was shot in June 2021 at Homewood, California, a small community on Lake Tahoe's west shore.
Serafini, 51, was accused of waiting for three hours inside the home of his father-in-law, Robert Spohr, and mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, before ambushing and shooting them. Spohr was killed. Wood survived the attack but died by suicide in 2023.
Did Dan Serafini have any accomplices in the murder?
Authorities arrested Serafini, along with Samantha Scott, Serafini's nanny turned lover, in connection with the attack in late 2023.
KCRA-TV in Sacramento reported that Scott pleaded guilty in February to being an accessory after the fact and was released from custody. She admitted she drove Serafini to his in-laws' home in Tahoe the day of the shooting. Scott is still awaiting sentencing.
Who did Dan Serafini play for?
Serafini spent seven seasons in the majors after being drafted No. 26 overall by the Twins in the 1992 MLB Draft. He reached the majors in 1996 and spent time with the Twins, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, and San Diego Padres.
Serafini last pitched in the majors in 2007. He retired with a 6.04 ERA over 263 2/3 innings.
What were Dan Serafini's ties to Northern Nevada?
After retiring, Serafini opened a bar on Vista Boulevard in Sparks called "The Bullpen." He was featured in a 2015 episode of the reality TV show "Bar Rescue." During the course of the show, the bar was rebranded with the name "Oak Tavern," but it later closed.
What happens now?
Serafini is due to be sentenced Aug. 18. Prosecutors have said they will not seek the death penalty. KCRA-TV reported he could be sentenced to life in prison.
-- With USA Today reporting
This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: Dan Serafini, former Reds pitcher found guilty of Lake Tahoe murder
Category: Baseball
