Former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini was convicted of first-degree murder of his father-in-law and the attempted murder of his mother-in-law, over a $1.3 million financial dispute.
Serafini, 51, was convicted of shooting 70-year-old Robert Gary Spohr and of the attempted murder of Spohr’s wife, Wendy Wood, in 2021. In addition, Serafini was convicted of first-degree burglary.
The MLB vet is accused of entering his in-laws ‘ home in Homewood, California, on June 5, 2021, and waiting for the couple to return to the house while armed with a .22 caliber rifle.
Two children, aged three and eight months, were in the home at the time of the shooting.
Wendy Wood survived the shooting but eventually committed suicide in 2023 due to the trauma caused by Serafini’s attack, her family states.
According to court documents, the problems began with an argument over a $1.3 million investment Spohr and Wood were supposed to make on a ranch renovation project.
The prosecutor’s investigation revealed threatening text messages from Serafini to his in-laws regarding money.
“I’m gonna kill them one day,” the former pitcher wrote in a text message. He also wrote, “I will be coming after you” and “Take me to court.”
Incredibly, the couple gave Serafini $90,000 on the day he ambushed them.
“It’s been four years since my mom and dad were shot, and it’s been four years of just hell,” said Adrienne Spohr, daughter of Robert and Wendy, on Monday. “Today, finally, justice was served.”
“At this point, our focus is on the sentencing and making sure that Dan Serafini never sees the outside of a jail ever again.”
Samantha Scott, 33, a close friend of Serafini’s wife and his lover, pleaded guilty to an accessory charge in February.
Serafini went 15-16 with a 6.04 ERA in his MLB career, which began in 1996, four years after the Twins drafted him in the 26th round of the 1992 MLB Draft, and ended in 2007.
The former MLB pitcher is being held without bail until his sentencing on August 18.
