Ex-MLB pitcher Dan Serafini, previously accused of killing father-in-law faces preliminary hearing

Former MLB relief pitcher Dan Serafini and his friend, Samantha Scott, were charged with the murder of his father-in-law, Robert Spohr, at the victim's Lake Tahoe home in June 2021. The preliminary proceedings continued on Tuesday at Placer County Court, where several witnesses took the stand.

Apart from that, Serafini and Scott are also charged with attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood.

Tuesday's hearing also saw Serafini's wife, Erin Spohr, take the stand. While at it, at one point, the prosecution asked about her whereabouts on June 5, 2021, the day when her parents were murdered. However, she plead the fifth, in lieu of spousal privilege, not to testify against her husband.

Her attorney, Jai Gohel, suspected that at one time, even Spohr was seen as a suspect in the murder case, as reported by KCRA News. Gohel mentioned that Erin believes her husband is innocent in the case. Following the cross-examination, the judge asked Erin to be present the next morning at 8:45 AM.

The detective mentioned a green ammo can found in the home's garage. This was further supported by the criminalist who analyzed the bullets and gave his expert advice.

Dan Serafini's brother relates the person in video: Report by detective

During the courtroom's proceedings, a surveillance video shared on Facebook was also played in court. The detective in the case took the stand to reveal its findings.

The detective revealed that multiple people he interviewed during the course of his investigation identified the person in the video to be Dan Serafini. The Placer County detective also claimed that even Serafini's brother identified the person as having an "arrogant swagger," similar to his brother.

The detective also mentioned that Serafini's brother heard him talk about a money offer for the killings. For evidence purposes, the court has cellphone exchanges between Serafini and Scott.

Dan Serafini was drafted in the first round of the 1992 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins as the 26th overall choice. He played seven seasons in the league, going 15-16, recording 6.07 ERA and 127 strikeouts.