Shivangi Sinha
When police began investigating the attack on Robert Spohr and Wendy Wood in June 2021, they started by closely examining family members. This eventually brought their attention to their son-in-law, Daniel Serafini, and his girlfriend, Samantha Scott. Just a few months after the incident, authorities searched her home but did not find any concrete evidence at the time. However, over the years, multiple pieces of the puzzle began to come together. NBC’s ‘Dateline: Deadly Swagger’ explores this complex case and highlights the many individuals who found themselves entangled in it.
Samantha Scott Reportedly Met Daniel Serafini as a Babysitter Before Their Relationship Began
Samantha Scott first met Daniel Serafini and his wife, Erin Spohr Serafini, when she was hired as a babysitter for their two sons. Over time, she grew close to Erin as a friend and often accompanied her to social events. According to trial testimony, she and Daniel began a romantic relationship during that time. Although Erin asserted that the couple had an open marriage, she later stated that she believed the connection between Samantha and Daniel was purely physical, adding that she was unaware that it had become romantic. According to testimony, on June 5, 2021, Samantha drove Daniel to his in-laws’ house in Lake Tahoe, California.
She claimed she did not know the reason for the trip, stating that she dropped him off near the house, waited in the area for several hours, and later picked him up. In her testimony, Samantha claimed that in November 2021, Daniel told her that he was the one who had shot Robert and Wendy inside their home. During this time, the police had already begun investigating the case and executed a search warrant at her house, though they did not find any evidence directly linking her to the crime. While Wendy was recovering in a hospital in Reno, Nevada, Samantha continued to visit her and interact with the family as Erin’s friend.
However, investigators were closely monitoring everyone involved. According to court documents, they discovered that Samantha’s phone had been in the vicinity of the house on the day of the incident. Police records indicate this coincided with a period when Daniel’s phone had been switched off, which raised further suspicion. On October 20, 2023, Samantha was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, in connection with the 2021 incident. According to evidence presented by prosecutors, she and Daniel exchanged numerous letters while in custody, in which they reportedly expressed their love for each other and a desire to reunite. Over time, her willingness to cooperate appeared to shift, even though she had initially shown reluctance.
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Samantha Scott is Out on Probation Today
In February 2025, Samantha pleaded guilty to a felony charge of being an accessory after the fact, in exchange for prosecutors dropping the more serious charges of murder and burglary. She also agreed to testify against Daniel Serafini at his trial in June 2025. During her testimony, she stated under oath that she had dropped him off at the house on June 5, 2021. She further claimed that he had confessed to her afterward, and that she had lied to law enforcement and her own lawyer for months in an effort to protect him.
Her testimony ultimately strengthened the prosecution’s case against him. In March 2026, Samantha was sentenced to two years of probation with no prison time. She has also been named as one of the defendants in the civil wrongful death lawsuit filed by Adrienne Spohr, although that case has not yet reached a resolution. Samantha is currently out on probation and is required to remain within the California and Nevada region, maintaining a low profile.
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