GUILTY CA - Robert Spohr, 70, fatally shot & Wendy Wood, 68, shot at home, Lake Tahoe, 5 June 2021 *arrest*

[dotr]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[Lexiintoronto]

Daughters traded accusations in lawsuits before break in parents’ Tahoe homicide, assault

One daughter alleged her sister and brother-in-law “targeted” her parents; MLB players wife alledged sister of ‘elder abuse.’

ca.news.yahoo.com

On the two-year anniversary of her father’s slaying and mother’s assault, Adrienne Spohr filed a lawsuit in Placer Superior Court alleging she knew who did it.

Two months later, Erin Spohr filed a lawsuit against Adrienne, alleging her younger sister manipulated their mother into disinheriting her from a $10 million estate and facilitating their mother’s suicide.

Thank you for posting that. It just gets messier!

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

So Adrienne filed the wrongful death lawsuit in June against Erin and her husband Dan, and then in August Erin filed a lawsuit against Adrienne accusing her of elder abuse including the mismanagement of her mother’s $10 million in assets. The issue she may have is the timing of her claims; did she make the same accusations when Wendy was alive?

From the early on the police said they had a suspect in mind which was likely Dan. Adrienne may also have suspected him. It’s reasonable that she’d try to shelter her mother from them both, imo.

Still images from the video you posted:

 

[dotr]

Not a song likely to be sung by the sisters in this family! imo.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[SophieRose]

Thank you for posting that. It just gets messier!


So Adrienne filed the wrongful death lawsuit in June against Erin and her husband Dan, and then in August Erin filed a lawsuit against Adrienne accusing her of elder abuse including the mismanagement of her mother’s $10 million in assets. The issue she may have is the timing of her claims; did she make the same accusations when Wendy was alive?

From the early on the police said they had a suspect in mind which was likely Dan. Adrienne may also have suspected him. It’s reasonable that she’d try to shelter her mother from them both, imo.

It was also thought the mother would be dead at the same time as the father. Now that she wasn't, the money would not come immediately as planned.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

It was also thought the mother would be dead at the same time as the father. Now that she wasn't, the money would not come immediately as planned.

The word ‘disinherit’ was used in the news clip, but they didn’t expand on it, did Wendy change her will?

Wendy apparently didn’t remember the shootings, so she couldn’t identify the killer. But it sounds as if she pulled away from Erin and Dan following the crime. Maybe deep inside she suspected (or knew) of Dan’s involvement?

I wonder if Dan and Erin did anything else to try to get money from Wendy or the estate following the shootings.

 

[Seattle1]

I wonder if Dan and Erin did anything else to try to get money from Wendy or the estate following the shootings.

^^rsbm

I don't think the plan factored in Wendy surviving the shooting! Fortunately, most estate plans follow the rule where the first spouse to die bequeaths their entire estate to the surviving spouse, and where the children essentially have to wait for the last parent to die before receiving any inheritance. It also appeared to me Adrienne has had the support of her uncle throughout this ordeal -- waiting out these arrests.
There's no statute of limitation for murder and I won't be surprised if police are not finished making arrests here. (It's been nine years since the hired murder of FSU Prof Dan Markel and authorities here seem to be arresting and prosecuting in stages). JMO

 

[Lexiintoronto]

^^rsbm

I don't think the plan factored in Wendy surviving the shooting! Fortunately, most estate plans follow the rule where the first spouse to die bequeaths their entire estate to the surviving spouse, and where the children essentially have to wait for the last parent to die before receiving any inheritance. It also appeared to me Adrienne has had the support of her uncle throughout this ordeal -- waiting out these arrests.
There's no statute of limitation for murder and I won't be surprised if police are not finished making arrests here. (It's been nine years since the hired murder of FSU Prof Dan Markel and authorities here seem to be arresting and prosecuting in stages). JMO

I understand, I’m just curious about what Dan did once he realized that the shootings didn’t result in him immediately financially benefiting from the crime.

If his house and his parents’ house were under threat of being foreclosed, and debt was increasing, time was ticking away. I’m curious if Adrienne and Dan tried to pressure Wendy or Adrienne for money, and if there were insurance policies involved.

The police almost immediately said they had a person of interest involved. Did they somehow warn Adrienne that it could be Dan? Wendy was being protected, but Adrienne was vulnerable as well.

 

[Seattle1]

I understand, I’m just curious about what Dan did once he realized that the shootings didn’t result in him immediately financially benefiting from the crime.

If his house and his parents’ house were under threat of being foreclosed, and debt was increasing, time was ticking away. I’m curious if Adrienne and Dan tried to pressure Wendy or Adrienne for money, and if there were insurance policies involved.

The police almost immediately said they had a person of interest involved. Did they somehow warn Adrienne that it could be Dan? Wendy was being protected, but Adrienne was vulnerable as well.

Good questions. It will be interesting how the details unfold at trial. According to Adrienne, the parents were very generous with Erin and the defendant long before their deaths. That could also be interpreted as always bailing them out.

I dunno -- I had a bad feeling the moment I heard the defendant took around $250K from his parents that required the use of their home as collateral.

 

[SophieRose]

Good questions. It will be interesting how the details unfold at trial. According to Adrienne, the parents were very generous with Erin and the defendant long before their deaths. That could also be interpreted as always bailing them out.

I dunno -- I had a bad feeling the moment I heard the defendant took around $250K from his parents that required the use of their home as collateral.

Were you able to find either of the sisters' lawsuits?

 

[Seattle1]

Were you able to find either of the sisters' lawsuits?

I did -- just this morning. Placer County, CA:

Case Summary​

S-CV-0050624 Spohr, Adrienne et al vs. Spohr, Erin R et al Civil-Roseville

Parties​

Plaintiff - Adrienne Spohr

Plaintiff - The Estate of Robert G. Spohr

Plaintiff - The Estate of Wendy Wood

Defendant - Erin Spohr

Defendant - Daniel Serafini

https://www.placer.courts.ca.gov/online-services/online-case-access

 

[Seattle1]

Were you able to find either of the sisters' lawsuits?

I didn't find Erin's suit -- not sure where it was filed. Nevada?

 

[Ssschu]

^^rsbm

I don't think the plan factored in Wendy surviving the shooting! Fortunately, most estate plans follow the rule where the first spouse to die bequeaths their entire estate to the surviving spouse, and where the children essentially have to wait for the last parent to die before receiving any inheritance. It also appeared to me Adrienne has had the support of her uncle throughout this ordeal -- waiting out these arrests.
There's no statute of limitation for murder and I won't be surprised if police are not finished making arrests here. (It's been nine years since the hired murder of FSU Prof Dan Markel and authorities here seem to be arresting and prosecuting in stages). JMO

All of this makes me really hope Wendy was under some pretty serious protection. It seems they were willing to go to any length to get that money. MOO

 

[Lexiintoronto]

I didn't find Erin's suit -- not sure where it was filed. Nevada?

Yes, the Second Judicial District Court in Washoe County, Nevada. I’ve tried a few times but I’m unable to get the court case lookup page to load.

Case Search

www.washoecounty.gov

 

[CaliSun]

It was also thought the mother would be dead at the same time as the father. Now that she wasn't, the money would not come immediately as planned.

What a horrific mess. I can’t imagine that Erin isn’t involved?! Also Dan Serafini’s mother “unexpectedly” passed away the year after the Bar Rescue show.

All of this makes me really hope Wendy was under some pretty serious protection. It seems they were willing to go to any length to get that money. MOO

I believe she was in an assisted living facility

 

[Seattle1]

First look at ex-MLB pitcher in California jail as docs reveal more about shooting of in-laws

Court documents have revealed more about the murder case against a former MLB pitcher in the 2021 shooting of his in-laws in California.

lawandcrime.com

10-31-23

Authorities said and court records show that Serafini is scheduled to be arraigned at 1 p.m. PST on Tuesday.

According to a criminal complaint, Serafini and Scott “did unlawfully, and with malice aforethought murder” Robert Gary Spohr, who was shot to death with a .22 at his home.

[..]

Serafini and Scott were further accused of the “willful, deliberate and premeditated” attempted murder of Wendy Wood, who was also shot by a .22 caliber firearm.

[..]

A fourth count alleged that Serafini committed felony cruelty to a child by abuse, neglect or endangering health — because two children, one of them 3 years old and the other 8 months old, went through “unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering” or were “placed in such a situation where his or her person or health was endangered.”

 

[Seattle1]

The fourth count re. Serafini committed felony cruelty to a child by abuse, neglect or endangering health, leaves me wondering if nanny (who was in on the plot), and the grandchildren, might have been riding with the grandparents when they arrived at their home where Serafini was waiting.

The betrayal -- unimaginable.

 

[Seattle1]

10/17/23 -- Criminal Complaint

https://htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/files/tahoe-area-murder-complaint-654029ff56f84.pdf

 

[Lexiintoronto]

First look at ex-MLB pitcher in California jail as docs reveal more about shooting of in-laws

Court documents have revealed more about the murder case against a former MLB pitcher in the 2021 shooting of his in-laws in California.

lawandcrime.com

10-31-23

Authorities said and court records show that Serafini is scheduled to be arraigned at 1 p.m. PST on Tuesday.

According to a criminal complaint, Serafini and Scott “did unlawfully, and with malice aforethought murder” Robert Gary Spohr, who was shot to death with a .22 at his home.

[..]

Serafini and Scott were further accused of the “willful, deliberate and premeditated” attempted murder of Wendy Wood, who was also shot by a .22 caliber firearm.

[..]

A fourth count alleged that Serafini committed felony cruelty to a child by abuse, neglect or endangering health — because two children, one of them 3 years old and the other 8 months old, went through “unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering” or were “placed in such a situation where his or her person or health was endangered.”

The ages of the children match the ages his own children would have been at the time. Did he and the nanny leave them alone at his home in order to commit the murders?

 

[dotr]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Jul 2, 2015
Dan Serafini played professional baseball for years before opening The Bullpen bar in 2013. He now finds himself with an unruly staff and $300,000 of debt.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Jul 2, 2015
Dan Serafini played professional baseball for years before opening The Bullpen bar in 2013. He now finds himself with an unruly staff and $300,000 of debt.

Even now I can’t recognize him as being the same person caught on cctv going to the home! But according to the complaint it must be him.