Former MLB and NPB pitcher Dan Serafini found guilty of murdering father-in-law

Japan Times

6 days ago

Dan Serafini, a former MLB pitcher who also played four seasons in NPB, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2021 shooting that claimed the life of his father-in-law and left his mother-in-law injured.
The victims in the June 5, 2021, attack were Robert Gary Spohr, 70, who was found dead in a home in North Lake Tahoe, California, from a single gunshot. Also shot was his wife, Wendy Wood, then 68. She recovered from the injures but died by suicide one year later. The family cited the trauma of the attack as the reason for her death.
Prosecutors said the fatal incident involved a $1.3 million ranch renovation project and presented text message evidence of the escalation of the disagreement and premeditation prior to the shooting. One text message sent prior to the attack read, "I'm going to kill them one day."
Serafini and 33-year-old Samantha Scott were charged as co-defendants last year. In February, Scott pleaded guilty to an accessory charge and during the trial was introduced as a close friend of one of the Spohrs' daughters, Erin. Erin was married to Serafini and testified that they had an open marriage and was aware Scott was romantically involved with her husband.
Erin Spohr testified that she did not believe Serafini murdered her father or shot her mother.
Video surveillance from the home and surrounding area showed a man wearing a hood, face covering and a backpack walking to the Spohrs' home before the homicide. Evidence presented at the trial alleged Serafini was in the home nearly three hours before the attack.
Information gathered during a two-year investigation led them to Serafini and Scott.
Serafini is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 18 in Placer County, California.
The Minnesota Twins selected Serafini, a native of the San Francisco area, with the No. 26 overall pick in the 1992 MLB Draft. He made his debut in 1996 and went on to appear in 104 games (33 starts) with the Twins, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies. In his MLB career, he had a 15-16 record with a 6.04 ERA and one save. He threw 263⅔ innings and struck out 127 batters.
Serafini spent four seasons in Japan, two each with the Chiba Lotte Marines and the Orix Buffaloes.
In 2005, he had an 11-4 record with a 2.91 ERA under manager Bobby Valentine as part of a Marines team that won the Japan Series.