PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — A former Major League Baseball player faced a judge for the first time in connection with a 2021 shooting death.
Daniel Serafini is accused of shooting Robert Gary Spohr and Wendy Wood during a June 2021 burglary, according to court documents.
Spohr died, but Wood survived. However, family members told ABC10 she ultimately took her life earlier this year. The family says they hold the shooter responsible for her death.
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire says they are still a long way off from discussing the death penalty, but the counts against Serafini carry a heavy sentence.
“With the special circumstances, he faces potentially either death sentence or life in prison without possibility of parole sentence, but the charge of murder carries 25 to life,” said Gire.
Gire says they feel confident in the special circumstance charge of lying in wait, which Serafini also pleaded not guilty to.
“In general, lying in wait is when someone disguises their purpose or disguises their place to gain advantage over the victims. That’s charged here. I can't comment on the specific facts but that allegation is charged here,” said Gire.
Gire wouldn't comment on if the .22 caliber gun mentioned in the criminal complaint had been recovered. He did share the child endangerment charges stem from the belief a three-year-old child and an eight-month-old child were in the home at the time of the shooting. Gire would not share how the kids are related.
A status conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. Nov. 27. A Dec. 8 pretrial meeting could be delayed due to the significant amount of evidence in the case. The defense says they haven't received any discovery, and they did not wish to comment after Tuesday's hearing.
A nephew of the deceased Robert Gary Spohr was in court Tuesday with his family. They had no comment on the plea or charges but he was heard calling Tuesday bittersweet and his family discussing what a good job Placer County has done.
Placer County says Samantha Maria Scott, the second defendant, is expected to be extradited within the next week or two.
WATCH ALSO: Former MLB pitcher Daniel Serafini to appear in court after being accused of killing father-in-law
