Former major league pitcher Dan Serafini has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2021 shooting of his wife’s parents at their home in Lake Tahoe, according to the Associated Press. Serafini was found guilty of first-degree murder of his father-in-law, Gary Spohr, and attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood.
Wood survived a gunshot wound to the head but needed extensive rehabilitation. She died by suicide a year later, her daughter, Adrienne Spohr, told KCRA. Serafini is married to Erin Spohr, who testified during the trial.
“Dan Serafini executed my dad and left my mom to die,” Adrienne Spohr told reporters following Serafini’s sentencing, according to the Sacramento Bee. “My mom fought with everything she could and did not let Dan Serafini win. Dan Serafini is finally being held accountable and will spend the rest of his life behind bars.”
Prosecutors said Serafini hated his wife’s parents and offered $20,000 to whoever would carry out the killings. He broke into their home and waited for them to return before carrying out the shootings. Serafini described himself as a “broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes” during his sentencing, according to My News NBC 4.
“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,” District Attorney Morgan Gire said Friday.
Serafini, 51, was convicted in July 2025. Several motions for a new trial were denied.
A first-round pick in 1992, Serafini appeared in seven seasons with the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Colorado Rockies from 1996-2007. He also pitched in Japan, Mexico, and Taiwan, and for Italy in the 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classics.