Who is Danny Serafini’s wife? All about Erin Serafini in wake of former baseball player's arrest over in-law's murder

Danny Serafini, a former professional baseball player, was arrested alongside Samantha Scott in connection to the murder of his wife Erin Serafini’s parents. Erin’s parents, Robert Gary Spohr, 70, and his wife, Wendy, were shot inside a Lake Tahoe-area home in Nevada on June 5 2021.

Deputies who responded to the home after receiving a 911 call from the residence found Robert Spohr dead from a single gunshot. His wife Wendy, who sustained two gunshot wounds to her head and underwent extensive surgery and rehabilitation, reportedly took her own life in a nursing home a couple of months after being shot.

Shortly after, investigators recovered video surveillance near the victim’s home showing a man wearing a grey hoodie, white neck gaiter and backpack walking toward Spohr and Wood’s residence hours before the shooting.

At the time, Erin Serafini’s older sister, Adrienne Spohr, maintained that her parents were victims of a targeted attack but investigators were unable to nail down a suspect in the case. In a statement to The San Francisco Chronicle in July 2023, Erin Serapini, formerly known as Erin Spohr, said she did not know who killed her parents.

“I have no idea who did that to my parents. I wish I knew. I miss my parents tremendously, and I wish they could see my kids (sons, ages 2 and 5) grow up.”

Two years after the incident, authorities said that based on the evidence and information collected during the investigation, they identified Danny Serafini and Samantha Scott as the suspects. Authorities said that Serafini and Scott, who were arrested for the murder of Robert and the attempted murder of his wife Wendy on Friday, October 20, were acquainted with each other.

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Danny Serafini and Erin Serafini married in 2011 in Hawaii

While the motive for the killing is unclear, Danny Serafini and his wife Erin Serafini, who were featured on a 2015 episode of Paramount Network’s reality show “Bar Rescue,” had told producers following the end of his major league career he had lost $14 million in “bad investments and a bitter divorce settlement.”

The San Francisco Chronicle had reported that early in the investigation, investigators suspected Danny Serafina may have shot his wife’s parents for money to pay off debts for his bar business.

In 2011, Danny Serafini and Erin Spohr tied the knot in Hawaii in a small ceremony surrounded by family and friends. Erin Serafini is an accomplished rider and trainer in Reno, Nevada, who has been featured in the 2015 Equestrian Culture magazine.

Erin Serafini currently operates a riding farm thirty minutes outside the city, where she trains horses. Erin, who has two children with her husband, is yet to comment on his arrest in connection to her parents' murder.

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What we know about Danny Serafini

Danny Serafini, who attended Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo prior to his baseball career, is a former Major League Baseball player drafted in 1992 by the Minnesota Twins. He also played for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies, according to the Sacramento Bee.

In 2007, Serafini was reportedly suspended for 50 games after failing a performance-enhancing drug test. Shortly after his arrest, in a statement, Sheriff Wayne Woo said:

“Today, justice was served,” said Sheriff Wayne Woo in a 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.”

Scott and Serafini, who were arrested in South Las Vegas and Winnemucca, respectively, will be extradited to Placer County, the Sheriff’s Office said.