SACRAMENTO, CA - Former Major League Baseball player Daniel Serafini has been found guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder in the 2021 shooting that killed his father-in-law and injured his mother-in-law.
The Placer County jury reached its verdict after two and a half days of deliberations, convicting Serafini in the death of 70-year-old Gary Spohr, ABC10 reported. He was also found guilty of attempting to kill Spohr's wife, Wendy Wood, who survived the shooting but later died by suicide.
The verdict was read aloud in court on Monday, July 14th. Adrienne Spohr, the couple's daughter and Serafini's sister-in-law was heard gasping and crying along with others in the courtroom as Serafini shook his head in disagreement.
Prosecutors said that Serafini murdered the father-in-law and attempted to kill the mother-in-law in a bid to get money from their $11 million trust fund, according to Law & Crime.
The attack was carried out in Tahoe City, a quiet unincorporated resort town on the western shore of Lake Tahoe, where Spohr and his wife lived at the time. First responders found the pair shot inside their home after receiving a call from Wood, who was "gravely wounded," according to prosecutors.
Jurors said surveillance footage was given special attention while making the decision. One juror, Gracee Butrick from Auburn, said they analyzed the video frame by frame and ultimately believed Serafini was the person depicted. "For us, it came down to if it wasn't Mr. Serafini, who else could it have been?" she said.
"And then for us, it was would it be better if we had him, the person we think it is, go away or letting him go and the chance of anything like this happening again," she added. The information and evidence that police gathered from the scene led them to identify Serafini and Samantha Scott, a friend of Serafini's wife, Erin Spohr, as the suspects.
Scott, who was once a nanny for the Serafini and Spohr family, pleaded guilty on February 6th to a charge of being an accessory to a felony in the shootings. Serafini was also found guilty of special circumstances, including lying in wait and using a firearm. That conviction could lead to a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
"It was a tough case for the defense, a very tough case," said Sacramento defense attorney Mark Reichel. He said that the mandatory minimum for first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement is 25 years to life, but could increase to 35 years depending on how the charges are applied.
Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney Rick Miller praised the jury's diligence. "This was a difficult case, and they took their time and they took it seriously and we're thankful for the work that they put in." Serafini will remain in custody without bail until his sentencing, which is scheduled for August 18th.
Serafini made a name for himself pitching for the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs in the 1990s, but after his professional career ended apparent financial woes began. During the trial, prosecutors said that it was money that ultimately motivated him to target his in-laws citing their $11 million trust and wife's connection to them.
The Placer County jury reached its verdict after two and a half days of deliberations, convicting Serafini in the death of 70-year-old Gary Spohr, ABC10 reported. He was also found guilty of attempting to kill Spohr's wife, Wendy Wood, who survived the shooting but later died by suicide.
The verdict was read aloud in court on Monday, July 14th. Adrienne Spohr, the couple's daughter and Serafini's sister-in-law was heard gasping and crying along with others in the courtroom as Serafini shook his head in disagreement.
Prosecutors said that Serafini murdered the father-in-law and attempted to kill the mother-in-law in a bid to get money from their $11 million trust fund, according to Law & Crime.
The attack was carried out in Tahoe City, a quiet unincorporated resort town on the western shore of Lake Tahoe, where Spohr and his wife lived at the time. First responders found the pair shot inside their home after receiving a call from Wood, who was "gravely wounded," according to prosecutors.
Jurors said surveillance footage was given special attention while making the decision. One juror, Gracee Butrick from Auburn, said they analyzed the video frame by frame and ultimately believed Serafini was the person depicted. "For us, it came down to if it wasn't Mr. Serafini, who else could it have been?" she said.
"And then for us, it was would it be better if we had him, the person we think it is, go away or letting him go and the chance of anything like this happening again," she added. The information and evidence that police gathered from the scene led them to identify Serafini and Samantha Scott, a friend of Serafini's wife, Erin Spohr, as the suspects.
Scott, who was once a nanny for the Serafini and Spohr family, pleaded guilty on February 6th to a charge of being an accessory to a felony in the shootings. Serafini was also found guilty of special circumstances, including lying in wait and using a firearm. That conviction could lead to a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
"It was a tough case for the defense, a very tough case," said Sacramento defense attorney Mark Reichel. He said that the mandatory minimum for first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement is 25 years to life, but could increase to 35 years depending on how the charges are applied.
Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney Rick Miller praised the jury's diligence. "This was a difficult case, and they took their time and they took it seriously and we're thankful for the work that they put in." Serafini will remain in custody without bail until his sentencing, which is scheduled for August 18th.
Serafini made a name for himself pitching for the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs in the 1990s, but after his professional career ended apparent financial woes began. During the trial, prosecutors said that it was money that ultimately motivated him to target his in-laws citing their $11 million trust and wife's connection to them.
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