Michael Abatti, El Centro, Imperial Valley, California farming tycoon arrested in shooting murder of estranged wife, Kerri Ann Abatti at her Pinetop, Arizona home.
A California farming mogul is accused of murdering his estranged wife, following the discovery of the woman’s body in Pinetop, Arizona in late November. The slaying comes months after the Imperial Valley tycoon was ordered to increase monthly spousal payments.
Michael Abatti, 63, of El Centro, California, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the shooting murder of Kerri Ann Abatti, 59, according to the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies say Kerri was shot and killed at her Pinetop home, near Bruin Way and Branding Iron Loop on the night of Nov. 20 according to a NCSO Facebook release.
Arrest of Imperial Valley farming mogul comes after evidence at scene linking him to estranged wife’s shooting death
Detectives believe Michael Abatti traveled to Pinetop, Arizona, where he shot and killed Kerri Ann Abatti, before immediately returning to California, according to NCSO.
As the investigation into the slaying of estranged wife continued, the NCSO stated significant amount of evidence linking the estranged husband to the Pinetop slaying, the Imperial Valley Press reported.
On Tuesday, December 23, a Navajo County grand jury indicted Michael, with an arrest warrant soon issued. He was taken into custody in El Centro around 3:30 p.m. He was booked into a California jail on a first-degree murder charge. He is awaiting extradition back to Arizona.
‘We extend our sincere condolences to Kerri’s family and to all those affected by this tragedy. The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office is grateful for the cooperation of the other police agencies that worked countless hours alongside our Detectives,’ Navajo County Sheriff David M. Clouse said in a written statement. ‘The Sheriff’s Office would also like to recognize the men and women who served on the Grand Jury who heard the evidence and concluded that an indictment was appropriate in this case, helping to bring justice to the Abatti family.’
Imperial Valley farming dynasty
According to their website, the Abatti family has been in the agriculture industry for over 100 years.
Michael and Kerri had been married for 31 years prior to the couple’s relationship disintegrating. The pair split in August 2023, with Kerri leaving their primary home in El Centro, California, to reconnect with her roots in Arizona’s Pinetop-Lakeside community.
Kerri’s family had lived in the closely-woven community for generations, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Michael is one of Imperial Valley’s most successful farmers with 20,000 acres under cultivation, with crops bringing in over $10 million a year.
Court mandated increased monthly spousal support payments
Michael was accused of being miserly with his wife despite having a $12.5 million ranch in Wyoming. Kerri claimed that she had little knowledge of his finances.
In the documents, Kerri detailed how her husband managed their large farming and real estate business, Abatti Farms, while she brought up their three children.
In January, a judge ruled in Kerri’s favor after previously contesting her monthly spousal support payment of $5,000 which was revised to $6,400 a month.
