Sentencing of Former MLB Pitcher for Murder

On Friday, former major league pitcher Dan Serafini received a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the fatal shooting of his wife’s parents during a robbery in 2021 at their Lake Tahoe home.

Serafini, aged 52, was found guilty in July of first-degree murder for the death of his stepfather, Gary Spore, and attempted murder of his stepmother, Wendy Wood. While Ms. Spohr was killed, Ms. Wood survived the attack but passed away a year later.

A native of San Francisco, Serafini was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1992. Over his 11-year career, this left-handed pitcher also played for the Cubs, Padres, Pirates, Reds, and Rockies.

Placer County District Attorney Morgan Geer remarked that Spore and Wood were beloved figures to their family and friends, noting the far-reaching impact of Serafini’s actions. “The consequences of this attack go beyond the victims, deeply affecting family and community, highlighting the enduring harm of such violence,” said Geer.

In a hearing in Auburn, Serafini maintained his innocence, claiming that he was partying with his wife at the time of the incident. He described himself as “an imperfect man who is broken and makes mistakes.”

During sentencing, Judge Galen Horst read a victim impact statement from the victims’ daughter, Adrienne Spohr, who expressed her disbelief: “I thought he got away with murder. He was happy while my father died and my mother lay bleeding on the couch, clinging to life.”

Samantha Scott, a second defendant tied to the case, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting in February 2025. Scott is reportedly a close friend of Serafini’s wife and was arrested alongside Serafini in separate cities in October 2023.

Serafini will serve his sentence in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, as stated by the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.