Former MLB pitcher Daniel Serafini was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for a 2021 shooting of his wife’s parents during a burglary at their home near Lake Tahoe, Placer County authorities said.
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said in a statement that Serafini was convicted in July 2025 of first-degree murder of his father-in-law, Gary Spohr, attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, and first-degree burglary. Gire said Spohr was killed and Wood survived the shooting, though she died a year later.
Prosecutors said Serafini hated his wife’s wealthy parents and was heard saying he was willing to pay $20,000 to have them killed, according to the Sacramento Bee. During the trial, prosecutors presented jurors with transcripts of angry emails and text messages between Serafini and his in-laws, the report said.
At the sentencing hearing, Serafini addressed the court and maintained his innocence, according to MyNews4. He said he was out partying with his wife the night of the shooting and described himself as a “broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes.”
Gire said the attack’s impact extended beyond the immediate victims. In her statement, she said, “The impact of this attack has extended far beyond the immediate victims, deeply affecting family members and the broader community, and highlighting the lasting harm caused by deliberate violence,” adding that Spohr and Wood were loving grandparents.
Serafini’s attorney, David Dratman, argued during the six-week trial that there was no physical evidence linking his client to the crime scene, and told the jury that although Serafini had a rocky relationship with his in-laws, he did not have motive to kill them. After his conviction, Serafini filed multiple motions for a new trial, but prosecutors said they were denied.
The Placer County District Attorney’s Office said Serafini will serve his sentence with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Serafini’s attorney did not return requests for comment.