In a shocking turn of events, former Major League Baseball pitcher Danny Serafini, 49, and Samantha Scott, 33, were apprehended on Friday in connection with a murder case dating back to 2021.
The duo is accused of the murder and attempted murder of Serafini's in-laws in Lake Tahoe, California, as confirmed by the Placer County Sheriffs Office.
The victims, Robert Gary Spohr, 70, and Wendy Wood, 68, were Serafinis father and mother-in-law, according to Sgt. David Smith, a spokesperson for the sheriffs office. The nature of the relationship between Serafini and Scott remains undisclosed, with the sheriffs office vaguely stating, The suspects were known to each other.
Serafini was arrested in Winnemucca, Nevada, with the assistance of sheriff's detectives, while Scott was apprehended at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. As of Friday night, Serafini was listed as an inmate at the Humboldt County Detention Center, charged with being a fugitive from justice. Scott, on the other hand, was listed as an inmate in the Clark County Detention Center on a warrant charging her as a fugitive from another state.
The incident that led to their arrest occurred on June 5, 2021, when deputies were summoned to a residence in Homewood, a neighborhood in North Lake Tahoe. Upon arrival, they discovered Spohr dead from a single gunshot wound. His wife, Wood, had also been shot but managed to survive the incident and was hospitalized. She, however, passed away a year later.
The sheriffs office revealed that security footage from the residence showed a hooded male wearing a face covering and a backpack approaching the residence hours before the murder. Over time, evidence gathered by detectives pointed to Serafini and Scott as the prime suspects.
Sheriff Wayne Woo lauded his detectives for their relentless pursuit of justice in an investigation that spanned over two years. Today, justice was served, he declared. 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 sheriffs office is currently awaiting the suspects' extradition.
Serafini, the former MLB pitcher, had a career spanning seven seasons, playing for the Minnesota Twins, the Chicago Cubs, the Cincinnati Reds, and the Colorado Rockies, as reported by MLB.com.
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