Convicted killer and former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini will spend life in prison without the possibility of parole after being sentenced by a judge on Friday in connection with the ambush shooting that left his father-in-law dead and his mother-in-law severely injured.A jury convicted Serafini, 51, of murdering Gary Spohr and the attempted murder of Wendy Wood in July 2025, but he fought for months to get a new trial, claiming ineffective counsel. A Placer County judge on Feb. 20 of this year denied his request. Evidence presented during his trial showed that on June 5, 2021, he broke into his in-laws’ Lake Tahoe-area home, lying in wait for hours until the couple came back from boating with their grandsons and daughter Erin Spohr. Serafini then shot his in-laws both in the head.Gary Spohr died from the shooting. Wood survived and made a full recovery, but she had later killed herself. During sentencing proceedings on Friday, the judge read victim impact statements and the court heard from Adrienne Spohr, the daughter of Gary Spohr and Wendy Wood.| VIDEO BELOW | Adrienne Spohr speaks out at sentencing”He thought he had gotten away with murder,” she said. “He thought that he’d be cashing out my parents estate with his wife in the months afterwards. He was happy while my dad laid deceased and my mom laid bleeding out on her couch clinging to life.”She asked that Serafini be placed in solitary confinement because she was worried he would have someone kill her. “He is a monster that knows no moral boundaries and has zero reservations about taking lives to benefit himself,” Adrienne Spohr said. “Finally, I want the court to remember who my parents were, not just what happened to them. They were adventurous people who love their community.”Serafini also addressed the court, saying he was wasn’t a murderer, and decried the justice system. “Justice is fragile. I am just a man,” he said. “I am far from perfect, but I am no murderer. We live in a society that lacks compassion and empathy. A society that sadly thrives on hearing the misfortunes of others. I sit before you today, a broken man, humiliated, embarrassed, angry, and sad. But I am no murderer. I am a survivor, and I am no murderer.”He also said he “was exposed to cross-examination about my character, but never once was I questioned about my innocence in this court.”| VIDEO BELOW | Dan Serafini speaks out at sentencingJudge Garen Horst responded that what he heard from Serafini was “not reflection but deflection” with comments that were “all about you and not enough about the victims that died in this case.” Several trial jurors also attended the sentencing, with one saying it was a “moment of closure.” Prosecutors stated that the motivation for the murder was money, specifically the couple’s $23 million estate, and anger when the victims pushed back. Adrienne Spohr said, “My mom fought with everything she could to get out of the house that night, and she did not let Dan Serafini win.”Adrienne also mentioned that her mother survived to disinherit Serafini and her sister, Erin, who is now divorced. The two sisters are suing each other over the estate, a matter put on hold until the criminal case concluded. The defense has already announced plans to appeal.Reporter Michelle Bandur was at the Historic Auburn Courthouse for Serafini’s sentencing. Find all previous moments from Serafini’s murder trial and push for a new trial in the interactive graphic below.“The human toll of this case extends far beyond the courtroom,” Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said in a statement on Friday. “The defendant’s horrific crimes took the lives of a father, mother, loving grandparents, family members and friends. 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.”| VIDEO BELOW | Judge sentences SerafiniSerafini had claimed he had ineffective counsel when he was convicted, but a judge rejected his request for a new trial a week ago. | VIDEO BELOW | Victim’s voicemails, secret phone recordings presented during Serafini’s push for a new trialWhile the shooting happened in 2021, it would not be until October 2023 before law enforcement arrested both Serafini and Samantha Scott, who was having an affair with Serafini while he was still married to Erin Spohr. | VIDEO BELOW | Full interview with jurors from Serafini’s murder trialScott pleaded guilty to being an accessory to a felony. During Serafini’s trial, she testified that she gave Serafini a ride on the day of the shooting.She is out of jail on an ankle monitoring device and will be in court in March for her final sentence of time already served.Find highlights and summaries from each day during Serafini’s trial here.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
AUBURN, Calif. —
Convicted killer and former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini will spend life in prison without the possibility of parole after being sentenced by a judge on Friday in connection with the ambush shooting that left his father-in-law dead and his mother-in-law severely injured.
A jury convicted Serafini, 51, of murdering Gary Spohr and the attempted murder of Wendy Wood in July 2025, but he fought for months to get a new trial, claiming ineffective counsel. A Placer County judge on Feb. 20 of this year denied his request.
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Evidence presented during his trial showed that on June 5, 2021, he broke into his in-laws’ Lake Tahoe-area home, lying in wait for hours until the couple came back from boating with their grandsons and daughter Erin Spohr. Serafini then shot his in-laws both in the head.
Gary Spohr died from the shooting. Wood survived and made a full recovery, but she had later killed herself.
During sentencing proceedings on Friday, the judge read victim impact statements and the court heard from Adrienne Spohr, the daughter of Gary Spohr and Wendy Wood.
| VIDEO BELOW | Adrienne Spohr speaks out at sentencing
“He thought he had gotten away with murder,” she said. “He thought that he’d be cashing out my parents estate with his wife in the months afterwards. He was happy while my dad laid deceased and my mom laid bleeding out on her couch clinging to life.”
She asked that Serafini be placed in solitary confinement because she was worried he would have someone kill her.
“He is a monster that knows no moral boundaries and has zero reservations about taking lives to benefit himself,” Adrienne Spohr said. “Finally, I want the court to remember who my parents were, not just what happened to them. They were adventurous people who love their community.”
Serafini also addressed the court, saying he was wasn’t a murderer, and decried the justice system.
“Justice is fragile. I am just a man,” he said. “I am far from perfect, but I am no murderer. We live in a society that lacks compassion and empathy. A society that sadly thrives on hearing the misfortunes of others. I sit before you today, a broken man, humiliated, embarrassed, angry, and sad. But I am no murderer. I am a survivor, and I am no murderer.”
He also said he “was exposed to cross-examination about my character, but never once was I questioned about my innocence in this court.”
| VIDEO BELOW | Dan Serafini speaks out at sentencing
Judge Garen Horst responded that what he heard from Serafini was “not reflection but deflection” with comments that were “all about you and not enough about the victims that died in this case.”
Several trial jurors also attended the sentencing, with one saying it was a “moment of closure.”
Prosecutors stated that the motivation for the murder was money, specifically the couple’s $23 million estate, and anger when the victims pushed back.
Adrienne Spohr said, “My mom fought with everything she could to get out of the house that night, and she did not let Dan Serafini win.”
Adrienne also mentioned that her mother survived to disinherit Serafini and her sister, Erin, who is now divorced.
The two sisters are suing each other over the estate, a matter put on hold until the criminal case concluded. The defense has already announced plans to appeal.
Reporter Michelle Bandur was at the Historic Auburn Courthouse for Serafini’s sentencing. Find all previous moments from Serafini’s murder trial and push for a new trial in the interactive graphic below.
“The human toll of this case extends far beyond the courtroom,” Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said in a statement on Friday. “The defendant’s horrific crimes took the lives of a father, mother, loving grandparents, family members and friends. 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.”
| VIDEO BELOW | Judge sentences Serafini
Serafini had claimed he had ineffective counsel when he was convicted, but a judge rejected his request for a new trial a week ago.
| VIDEO BELOW | Victim’s voicemails, secret phone recordings presented during Serafini’s push for a new trial
While the shooting happened in 2021, it would not be until October 2023 before law enforcement arrested both Serafini and Samantha Scott, who was having an affair with Serafini while he was still married to Erin Spohr.
| VIDEO BELOW | Full interview with jurors from Serafini’s murder trial
Scott pleaded guilty to being an accessory to a felony. During Serafini’s trial, she testified that she gave Serafini a ride on the day of the shooting.
She is out of jail on an ankle monitoring device and will be in court in March for her final sentence of time already served.
Find highlights and summaries from each day during Serafini’s trial here.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel