Latest news with #WendyWood
Japan Times
16-07-2025
- Japan Times
Former MLB and NPB pitcher Dan Serafini found guilty of murdering father-in-law
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.
New York Times
15-07-2025
- New York Times
Dan Serafini, Former Baseball Pitcher, Is Convicted of Murder
Dan Serafini, a former pitcher and first-round pick of the Minnesota Twins, was convicted on Monday in the 2021 execution-style shootings of his wealthy in-laws at their home at Lake Tahoe. On the third day of deliberations in the high-profile case, a jury in Placer County, Calif., convicted Mr. Serafini, 51, of first-degree murder in the killing of his father-in-law, Gary Spohr, 70, and attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, who survived being shot in the head. She died by suicide in 2023 at age 70, according to her family. Mr. Serafini, who has denied being involved in the shootings, was also found guilty of special circumstance allegations of lying in wait and first-degree burglary. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 18. During his six-week trial in Superior Court in Auburn, Calif., prosecutors described Mr. Serafini as having had an acrimonious relationship with his in-laws, who were worth millions, and said that he had once been overheard offering $20,000 to have them killed. The prosecutors presented testimony from Samantha Scott, the family's former nanny, with whom they said that Mr. Serafini was having an affair and who helped commit the crime. Ms. Scott, who was initially charged with murder and attempted murder, pleaded guilty in February to being an accessory to a felony and is awaiting sentencing. Jurors also viewed security camera footage from June 5, 2021, the day of the shootings. The recordings showed a masked and hooded man, who prosecutors said was Mr. Serafini, waiting for his in-laws, who were out boating, to return to their home. Both of the victims were shot in the head at close range, execution style, the authorities said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
Former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini is convicted of murder in the 2021 shootings of his wife's parents
AUBURN, Calif. (AP) — Retired MLB pitcher Daniel Serafini has been convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder in the shootings of his wife's parents during a burglary at their home four years ago near Lake Tahoe in California. A Placer County jury on Monday found the 51-year-old guilty of killing his father-in-law, Gary Spohr, and severely wounding his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, on June 5, 2021, at their home on the lake's west shore. Wood received extensive rehabilitation but died a year after the shooting. Serafini also was convicted of first-degree burglary. Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Miller, who prosecuted the case, told jurors that Serafini hated his wife's wealthy parents and was heard saying he was willing to pay $20,000 to have them killed, the Sacramento Bee reported. A left-hander, Serafini was drafted in 1992 by the Minnesota Twins. He also played for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies. The jury was shown transcripts of angry emails and text messages between Serafini and his in-laws in which they were involved in a heated, ongoing dispute over a $1.3 million loan to help fund his wife's fledgling horse ranch business, the Bee reported. Defense attorney David Dratman argued that there was no physical evidence linking Serafini to the crime scene, noting that security camera footage showed a masked intruder entering the couple's home who appeared to be younger with a smaller body frame than the former baseball player. Dratman told the jury that although his client had a rocky relationship with his in-laws, the couple was generous with Serafini and his wife, loaning them money and treating them to lavish vacations. 'Does that provide a motive for murder? That's killing the golden goose,' Dratman said in his closing argument. Dratman declined to comment about the verdict. Serafini faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole when he is sentenced Aug. 18.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
Ex-MLB Player Danny Serafini Found Guilty In Father-In-Law Murder Case
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Danny Serafini was convicted Monday of the first-degree murder of his father-in-law and attempted murder of his mother-in-law. The Placer County District Attorney's office confirmed in a news release on Facebook that Serafini, 51, was found guilty in the fatal 2021 shooting of Robert Gary Spohr, 70, in the community of Homewood near Lake Tahoe, California. Serafini was also convicted of shooting Spohr's 68-year-old wife, Wendy Wood, twice in the head. She survived, but died by suicide about a year later. 'The jury also found the defendant guilty of first-degree burglary and found the special circumstance allegations of lying-in-wait and felony murder, as well as related firearm allegations, to be true,' the news release read. The verdicts follow a six-week trial that included 'testimony from dozens of witnesses and the presentation of physical evidence, including digital, cell phone, and other forensic evidence,' according to the release. Serafini is due to be sentenced Aug. 18. A San Francisco Bay Area native, Serafini played for the Minnesota Twins and the Chicago Cubs, among other major league teams, from 1996 to 2007, when he was suspended following a failed performance-enhancing drug test. Following his exit from the MLB, he owned and operated The Bullpen Bar in Sparks, Nevada, with his wife, Erin Spohr. The bar ― which was featured in an episode of the reality series 'Bar Rescue' in 2015 ― has since been shuttered. After a two-year investigation, authorities arrested Serafini along with Samantha Scott, his children's former nanny, for the attacks on Spohr and Wood in 2023. Scott, who was in a romantic relationship with Serafini at the time of the attacks, pleaded guilty to being an accessory in February. According to Sacramento-based news station ABC 10, prosecutors found that Serafini had been in a financial dispute with his in-laws for years. Much of the tension stemmed from a $1.3 million ranch renovation project. Serafini reportedly wrote emails and text messages that read, 'I will be coming after you' and 'I'm going to kill them one day,' among other threats. At her husband's trial, Erin Spohr testified that she did not believe Serafini had murdered her father or shot her mother, according to ESPN. She also said she and her husband had an open marriage and that she was aware of his romantic relationship with Scott. Watch a report from NBC affiliate KCRA 3 on Danny Serafini's trial below. Former MLB Pitcher Accused Of Murder, Attempted Murder In 2021 Shooting Of In-Laws Police Bodycam Footage Captures Mary Lou Retton's Flustered DUI Arrest Manhunt Continues For Nashville Police Chief's Son Suspected In Shooting Of 2 Tennessee Officers
Fox News
15-07-2025
- Fox News
Ex-MLB pitcher Dan Serafini found guilty of murdering father-in-law
Dan Serafini, a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the big leagues from 1996 to 2007, was found guilty of murdering his father-in-law and attempting to kill his mother-in-law in 2021, California officials announced on Monday. A Placer County jury also found Serafini, 51, guilty of first-degree burglary in addition to the first-degree murder and attempted murder of Gary Spohr and Wendy Wood, officials said. The incident occurred on June 5, 2021, as first responders arrived at a home in Tahoe City and found Spohr dead from a single gunshot wound and Wood wounded. Wood recovered from the injuries but died by suicide a year later. Video surveillance from the home showed a man wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, face covering and a backpack approaching the house hours before the murder occurred, according to FOX 2 San Francisco. Another video showed the same man walking up the driveway of the home. Evidence from the two-year investigation pointed to Serafini and his romantic partner, Samantha Scott. Prosecutors said they believed the murder occurred over a $1.3 million renovation project, according to Field Level Media. One text message provided as evidence, "I am going to kill them one day." Serafini is set for sentencing on Aug. 18 in Placer County. The Minnesota Twins selected Serafini in the first round of the 1992 MLB Draft. He made his debut for them in 1996 and pitched three seasons before joining the Chicago Cubs in 1999. He also played for the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
