A two-year-long investigation led police to arrest former Major League Baseball pitcher Danny Serafini in connection with the killing of his father-in-law and attempted murder of his mother-in-law.
A former Major League Baseball pitcher is at the center of a criminal case after getting arrested in connection with the murder of his wife’s father and the attempted murder of her mother.
Danny Serafini played for teams including the Minnesota Twins in the late ’90s as a pitcher after being drafted in the first round.
In 2021, Serafini’s father-in-law, Robert Spohr, was shot dead at his home in Lake Tahoe. Serafini’s mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, was also shot but survived with injuries.
After surviving the horrific event, Wood spent several months in rehab struggling to walk before she killed herself.
Police released surveillance video showing a hooded, masked man waiting at the in-laws' house for five hours before Spohr and Wood returned home.
A two-year-long investigation led police to allege that Serafini was the intruder caught on the footage. Investigators also charged a 33-year-old woman, who worked as Serafini’s nanny, in the case.
Police have not yet revealed the motive behind the shootings, but Serafini was known to have serious money troubles, having lost $14 million in bad investments.
Serafini was featured in the popular reality show "Bar Rescue," a show about turning around struggling bars and nightclubs. Also appearing on the show was Serafini's wife, Erin, who is the daughter of the shooting victims.
"This was a heinous calculated crime. My parents had been incredibly generous to Daniel and Erin throughout their marriage. Despite being pressed for my opinion, I cannot comment on my sister's level of involvement at this time," Serafini’s sister-in-law, Adrienne Spohr, said in a statement.
Serafini’s wife, Erin, has previously said, “I have no idea who did that to my parents. I wish I knew. I miss my parents tremendously." Danny Serafini is facing charges of murder and attempted murder and has not been arraigned.
