A former Major League Baseball pitcher was arrested Friday linked to an alleged murder and attempted murder of his in-laws in Lake Tahoe, California, in 2021, authorities said.
Danny Serafini, 49, and Samantha Scott, 33, were arrested Friday morning in connection with the slaying of Robert Gary Spohr, 70, and the attempted murder of Wendy Wood, 68, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
The victims are Serafini’s father and mother in-law, Sgt. David Smith, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, confirmed Friday night.
Smith declined to describe the nature of the relationship between Serafini and Scott. The sheriff’s office said, “The suspects were known to each other.”
Sheriff's detectives assisted in Serafini’s arrest in Winnemucca, Nevada, and in the arrest of Scott in Las Vegas, the sheriff’s office said.
Scott was arrested at Harry Reid International Airport, Smith said.
Serafini was listed Friday night as an inmate at the Humboldt County Detention Center. He was charged with being a fugitive from justice, a representative said.
Scott was listed as an inmate in the Clark County Detention Center on a warrant charging her as a fugitive from another state, jail records showed.
It was unclear whether either Serafini or Scott had attorneys.
On June 5, 2021, deputies were called to a residence in Homewood, a neighborhood in North Lake Tahoe, the sheriff’s office said.
Spohr was found dead from a single gunshot wound. His wife, Wood, had also been shot but was hospitalized and recovered, the sheriff’s office said. She died a year later.
Investigators secured security video from the home, which showed a hooded male wearing a face covering and a backpack walking to the residence several hours before the slaying, the sheriff’s office said.
Since then, the sheriff’s office said, evidence gathered by detectives has pointed to Serafini and Scott as suspects.
Sheriff Wayne Woo praised his detectives for their diligence in an investigation that lasted more than two years.
“Today, justice was served,” he said in the statement. “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.”
The sheriff’s office said it is awaiting the suspects' extradition.
Serafini was an MLB pitcher for seven seasons. He played with the Minnesota Twins, the Chicago Cubs, the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies, according to MLB.com.
