Former MLB pitcher Daniel Serafini sentenced to life in prison without parole for shooting his in-laws
Source: Associated Press
Former MLB pitcher sentenced to life in prison without parole for shooting his in-laws
By JESSICA HILL
Updated 9:00 PM EST, February 27, 2026
Auburn, Calif. (AP) — Former MLB pitcher Daniel Serafini was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the 2021 shooting of his wife’s parents during a burglary at their home by Lake Tahoe, authorities said.
Serafini, 51, 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. Spohr was killed and Wood survived, though she died a year after the shooting.
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Serafini was drafted in 1992 by the Minnesota Twins. In a career spanning 11 years, the left-hander played for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies.
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. Prosecutors showed jurors transcripts of angry emails and text messages between Serafini and his in-laws.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/mlb-pitcher-dan-serafini-b20fc3ab30d435f1d2866d1208f21269