AUBURN, Calif. — Former MLB pitcher Daniel Serafini was sentenced on Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2021 shooting of his wife’s parents during a botched burglary at their Lake Tahoe home, authorities reported.
Serafini, 51, was found guilty in July 2025 of first-degree murder for the death of his father-in-law, Gary Spohr; attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood; and first-degree burglary. Spohr was killed, while Wood survived, passing away a year later.
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire stated on Friday that Spohr and Wood were devoted grandparents, and Serafini’s actions have profoundly affected their family and friends.
“The ramifications of this incident have gone well beyond the immediate victims, significantly impacting family members and the community at large, and underscoring the enduring damage inflicted by intentional violence,” Gire remarked.
Serafini’s lawyer did not respond to requests for a statement.
During the sentencing, Serafini spoke to the court, insisting on his innocence, as reported by MyNews4. He mentioned that he was out with his wife the night the shooting occurred, labeling himself a “broken, imperfect man who makes mistakes.”
Serafini was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1992. Over an 11-year career, the left-handed pitcher played for teams including the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Colorado Rockies.
Prosecutors alleged that Serafini harbored animosity toward his wife’s affluent parents, claiming he was even heard saying he would pay $20,000 for them to be killed, according to the Sacramento Bee. They presented jurors with angry emails and text messages exchanged between Serafini and his in-laws.
Throughout the six-week trial, Serafini’s attorney, David Dratman, argued that no physical evidence linked his client to the crime. Dratman asserted that, while Serafini had a tumultuous relationship with his in-laws, he lacked a motive to commit murder.
Following his conviction, Serafini filed several motions for a new trial, all of which were denied.
He will serve his sentence at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, as stated by the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.
