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How Daniel Serafini went from baseball to prison

Daniel Serafini was a pitcher drafted in the first round in 1992 by the Minnesota Twins.

He made his major league debut in 1996. He played 7 seasons in the majors, his last in 2007. He made over $14 million in his career.

In June 2021, his in-laws, Robert Gary Spohr and Wendy Louise Wood, were shot by an intruder. Spohr died, but Wood survived. A year later, she deleted herself.

Serafini was arrested for the crime in October 2023. His mistress, Samantha Scott, was also arrested, with police saying she was involved in the plot. Her cell phone records showed she was just over a mile from the crime scene at the time of the crime. She was also spotted spending the night at a nearby motel with Serafini.

She later pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact and testified against Serefini. She could receive up to three years when she is sentenced.

Serafini’s Trial

When Serafini went to trial in 2025, prosecutors claimed the motive was money, as much of what Serafini had made was lost to bad investments and a divorce.

The victims were worth approximately $23 million, and Serafini’s wife and her sister would likely have split the assets.

They said Serafini entered the couple’s Placer County, California, home while they were away and waited three hours for them to return, so he could attack.

The evidence against the 51-year-old was overwhelming, and he was convicted of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and first-degree burglary. The ex-MLB star was initially scheduled to be sentenced on August 18th, but the date was pushed back.

He was sentenced on February 27th, 2026, to life in prison without the possibility of parole.