Former Pirates Player Receives Stiff Sentence For Killing Relative

PITTSBURGH, PA — A former Pirates player has received a lifetime sentence for the fatal shooting of his father-in-law and attempted killing of his mother-in-law.

Daniel Serafini, 51, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Friday in connection with his July 2025 conviction of the first-degree murder of his father-in-law, Gary Spohr and the attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood. She survived but died a year after the shooting.

Prosecutors said Serafini broke into the couple's residence in June 2021 and waited for the couple to return from a boating outing before opening fire.

According to MyNews4, Serafini addressed the court at the sentencing hearing and and maintained his innocence. He said he was out partying with his wife the night of the shooting and described himself as a “broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes.” He did not express responsibility for the killings.

Serafini pitched for the Pirates in 2000, compiling a 2-5 record as a starting pitcher. During his 11-year Major League Baseball career, he also played for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies.