California farming tycoon charged with wife’s murder amid divorce battle

A California farming tycoon was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder in the shooting death of his wife in an Arizona mountain community.

The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office named Michael Abatti, 63, as the suspect in the murder of his wife, 59-year-old Kerri Ann Abatti.

On Nov. 20, at approximately 9:20 p.m., Navajo County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived in Pinetop, Ariz., at the scene of an apparent homicide and found Kerri Ann Abatti dead from a gunshot wound, according to the sheriff’s office. Less than two weeks later, on Dec. 2, detectives executed search warrants on residences, properties, vehicles and camp trailers in El Centro, Calif., that were “associated with the Abbati family.”

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On Tuesday, detectives provided testimony to a Navajo County Grand Jury and obtained an indictment and arrest warrant from the Navajo County Superior Court. Michael was taken into custody that same day and was booked into the Imperial County Jail. The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office said Michael was booked on charges of violating Arizona Revised Statutes 13-1105 and first-degree murder. He is awaiting extradition to Arizona.

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“We extend our sincere condolences to Kerri’s family and to all those affected by this tragedy,” Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse said in a statement. He thanked those who worked on the case, as well as those who served on the Grand Jury, crediting them for “helping bring justice to the Abatti family.”

Michael and Kerri Abatti lived in El Centro before Kerri left in 2023 for Pinetop-Lakeside, her hometown, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Divorce filings seen by the LA Times reportedly showed that Kerri accused her husband of blocking her attempts to get the full picture of their income and real estate holdings while he made changes to their finances without consulting her or her attorney. She also claimed that she was struggling on the monthly spousal support that the court temporarily awarded her, according to the LA Times.

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Michael Abatti comes from a long line of farmers and owns one of the largest agricultural operations in the Imperial Valley, according to reports. Additionally, he reportedly served as a member of the Imperial Irrigation District from 2006 to 2010. He grew several crops, including onions, broccoli and cantaloupes, CBS News reported. The outlet added that Michael and Kerri Abatti were married in 1992 and had three children.

The Imperial County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.