Former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini was sentenced to life in prison for the 2021 murder of his father-in-law, Gary Spohr, and the attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, in their Lake Tahoe home. Serafini ambushed the couple with a .22-caliber gun after hiding in their closet for hours, motivated by a $1.3 million loan dispute and a desire to inherit their $23 million fortune through his wife. Wood survived the shooting but later died by suicide in 2022, with her family attributing her death to the trauma from the attack. Serafini was convicted of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and first-degree burglary, receiving two life sentences plus 25 years to life for burglary.

Throughout the trial and sentencing, Serafini denied the charges, claiming he was wronged by the justice system and insisting he was not a murderer. His estranged wife requested leniency on his behalf, while the victims’ daughter condemned him as a remorseless “monster.” Serafini, once a professional athlete with a troubled post-baseball life marked by financial losses and a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, was arrested alongside his mistress and family nanny, Samantha Scott, who later pleaded guilty to an accessory charge.