AUBURN, Calif. — Former Major League Baseball pitcher Daniel Serafini, who spent one season with the Cincinnati Reds, has been convicted of murder in a 2021 shooting that killed his father-in-law and injured his mother-in-law.
A jury on Monday found the 51-year-old guilty of the first-degree murder of Robert Gary Spohr, attempted murder of Wendy Wood and first-degree burglary, ABC News reported. He remains in custody without bail until his sentencing next month.
Prosecutors said first responders were called to a Tahoe City, California, home on June 5, 2021, for a reported shooting. When they arrived, they found Spohr dead and Wood "gravely injured." While Wood survived the shooting, she died by suicide in 2023.
During an investigation, detectives determined Serafini secretly entered the home and waited for hours before attacking the two. Prosecutors presented evidence showing the shooting was over a financial dispute regarding a $1.3 million ranch renovation project. In one text mentioning $21,000, Serafini wrote, "I'm gonna kill them one day."
A second person, 33-year-old Samantha Scott, was also arrested. Described in court as Serafini's lover and a close friend of his wife, Scott pleaded guilty to an accessory charge in February.
Serafini was a first-round pick in the 1992 MLB draft. He spent two seasons with the Minnesota Twins before making stops in Chicago, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Colorado. With the Reds, Serafini went 1-3 before moving to the bullpen, finishing the season with a 5.40 ERA in 10 games played.
