by Former Major League Baseball pitcher Daniel Serafini has been convicted of first-degree murder in the 2021 killing of his father-in-law, Robert Gary Spohr. A California jury also found Serafini guilty of attempted murder and first-degree burglary in a crime prosecutors described as financially motivated and calculated.
The shooting took place at the victims’ home in Lake Tahoe on June 5, 2021. Evidence revealed Serafini had entered the home hours before the attack and waited with a firearm. The case highlighted a financial dispute involving more than $1 million, which prosecutors say fueled the deadly confrontation.
Key Details:
- Convictions:
- First-degree murder of Robert Gary Spohr, 70.
- Attempted murder of Spohr’s wife, Wendy Wood.
- First-degree burglary.
- Incident Timeline:
- Crime occurred on June 5, 2021, at the couple’s home in Lake Tahoe.
- Security footage captured a hooded figure arriving 3 hours before the attack.
- Serafini waited inside the house with a .22 caliber gun before opening fire.
- Two children, aged 3 years and 8 months, were in the home during the shooting.
- Victims:
- Robert Gary Spohr died at the scene.
- Wendy Wood survived the attack but died by suicide in 2023.
- Her family attributes her death to the emotional trauma from the shooting.
- Motive:
- Investigators cited a $1.3 million dispute over a ranch renovation project.
- Spohr and Wood had given $90,000 to Serafini’s wife on the day of the attack.
- Texts from Serafini included threatening messages such as “I’m gonna kill them one day.”
- Involvement of Others:
- Samantha Scott, 33, a friend of Serafini’s wife and his lover, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to being an accessory.
- Serafini’s Background:
- Drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Twins in 1992.
- Played for six MLB teams before retiring in 2007.
- Suspended for 50 games in 2007 for using performance-enhancing drugs.
What Happens Next:
- Serafini remains in custody without bail.
- Sentencing is scheduled for August 18.
- He faces the possibility of life in prison.
