Former Minnesota Twins pitcher Danny Serafini has been arrested in connection with an alleged 2021 murder of his former in-laws in California.
According to the Placer County Sherrif’s Office, the 49-year-old Serafini was arrested in Nevada after a lengthy two-year investigation into the homicide of Robert Gary Spohr and the attempted murder of his wife, Wendy Wood.
The alleged homicide took place on June 5, 2021, on the California side of Lake Tahoe, with Spohr dying from a single gunshot wound. Wood survived after being shot in the head but committed suicide 10 months later due to the physical and emotional damage from the incident.
Serafini was previously married to Erin Spohr, who is the daughter of the victims. Investigators also believed that there had been planning involved in the murder as they found the killer waited inside the home for Spohr and Wood to return home.
“Today, justice was served,” The sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. “The apprehension of those responsible for the tragic events that unfolded in Homewood, North Lake Tahoe in 2021 stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication of our detectives, law enforcement partners, and the persistence of our pursuit of truth. Understand that my team’s commitment to unraveling the most complex of cases prevails, and those who inflict harm upon our community will be held accountable every time.”
A 33-year-old woman was arrested along with Serafini, but authorities have not commented on their connection.
Serafini was selected by the Twins in the first round (26th overall pick) in the 1992 MLB Amateur Draft and made his debut in 1996. Serafini spent three years with the Twins going 9-6 with a 5.88 ERA in 105.2 innings before joining the Chicago Cubs in 1999.
Serafini went on to pitch with the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies during his career and pitched for Italy in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. In seven seasons, Serafini went 15-16 with a 6.04 ERA.
