Former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini, now serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2021 murder of his father-in-law, says jurors convicted him because they disliked his personal "lifestyle", not because of real evidence.
In his first interview since his conviction, Serafini spoke to NBC's Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison from Wasco State Prison in a special titled "Deadly Swagger," which aired on Apr. 17, 2026. The 52-year-old former pitcher insisted the justice system failed him and that the case against him was entirely circumstantial.
Blaming the Jury
Serafini was direct about what he believes caused his guilty verdict: jurors who disliked him personally rather than judging the evidence. "They just didn't like me. They didn't like my lifestyle," he said, according to People. He also claimed the jury held his courtroom demeanor against him, saying his lawyers had instructed him to show no reaction during proceedings.
During the trial, prosecutors revealed a pattern of behavior that included multiple extramarital affairs, habitual drug use, drug dealing, and insurance fraud. His relationship with the couple's former babysitter, Samantha Scott, who later testified against him, also featured prominently in court.
The Crime and Conviction
Serafini was convicted in July 2025 of first-degree murder of his father-in-law, Robert Gary Spohr, 70, and attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, 68, in Placer County, California, MyNews4 reported.
Prosecutors said he hid inside the couple's Lake Tahoe home with a gun and shot them when they returned from a boating trip on Jun. 5, 2021. Spohr was killed; Wood survived but died by suicide two years later.
Prosecutors argued Serafini targeted his in-laws to benefit from their $23 million estate through his estranged wife's inheritance. They also presented evidence that he had allegedly offered up to $20,000 to have them killed.
Life Sentence
On Feb. 27, 2026, Judge Garen J. Horst sentenced Serafini to two consecutive life terms without parole, plus 25 years to life for first-degree burglary. The judge described him as a "liar" and a "manipulator." His motions for a new trial, citing jury misconduct and ineffective counsel, were both denied, as per the Sacramento Bee.
Before his arrest, Serafini was the Minnesota Twins' first-round draft pick in 1992 and played for six MLB teams over his career.
