Former MLB participant convicted of homicide in California house invasion

[ad_1] A former Main League Baseball pitcher has been discovered responsible of murdering his father-in-law in what prosecutors known as a financially motivated assault.

Daniel Serafini, 51, was convicted Monday of first-degree homicide within the 2021 capturing demise of Robert Gary Spohr, 70. The jury additionally discovered him responsible of tried homicide of Spohr's spouse, Wendy Wooden, and first-degree housebreaking.

In accordance with proof introduced at trial, Serafini entered the Spohrs' house on June 5, 2021, the place safety footage captured a hooded determine arriving three hours earlier than anybody known as 911.

<img alt="Brian Bahr/Allsport via Getty Images, FILE - PHOTO: In this March 1, 1999, file photo, pitcher Dan Serafini of the Minnesota Twins poses for the camera on Photo Day during Spring Training at the Hammond Stadium at Lee County Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Fla." loading="lazy" width="960" height="1448" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/_5G9tKOYqrVrTNuB5scytQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDg7Y2Y9d2VicA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/us.abcnews.go.com/8bd5873aa79cc2a40842801d2df0fa11"/> Brian Bahr/Allsport through Getty Photos, FILE - PHOTO: On this March 1, 1999, file picture, pitcher Dan Serafini of the Minnesota Twins poses for the digicam on Picture Day throughout Spring Coaching on the Hammond Stadium at Lee County Sports activities Advanced in Fort Myers, Fla.

Prosecutors stated Serafini secretly waited inside the home with a .22 caliber gun for 3 hours earlier than attacking. Two younger kids, ages 3 years and eight months, have been within the house in the course of the capturing.

Wooden survived the preliminary assault however later died by suicide in 2023, along with her household saying the capturing's trauma led to her demise.

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The case centered on a $1.3 million dispute over a ranch renovation challenge. Textual content messages revealed Serafini had written "I am gonna kill them someday" in a message mentioning $21,000, in response to ABC Information' Sacramento affiliate KXTV. The victims had given $90,000 to Serafini's spouse the day of the shootings.

<img alt="Humboldt County Sheriff's Office - PHOTO: In this booking photo released by the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, Danny Serafini is shown." loading="lazy" width="960" height="402" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/0PKZGsYwo6Jhx2Dg1hl6cg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTQwMjtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/us.abcnews.go.com/101335107d4feee9f1fcc17fd1fe23a2"/> Humboldt County Sheriff's Workplace - PHOTO: On this reserving picture launched by the Humboldt County Sheriff's Workplace, Danny Serafini is proven.

Serafini's baseball profession included enjoying for six totally different groups after being drafted within the first spherical by the Minnesota Twins in 1992. His profession resulted in 2007. That very same yr, he was suspended for 50 video games for utilizing performance-enhancing medication.

A second defendant, Samantha Scott, 33, who was described as each an in depth good friend of Serafini's spouse and his lover, pleaded responsible to being an adjunct in February 2025.

"This was a heinous and calculated crime," Adrienne Spohr, one of many sufferer's daughters, instructed KXTV, noting that her mother and father had been "extremely beneficiant" to Serafini and his spouse.