California Farming Magnate Charged In Estranged Wife's Death: Report

EL CENTRO, CA — A California farming magnate has been charged in connection with fatal shooting of his estranged wife in Pinetop, AZ, KTLA reported.

Michael Abatti, 63, of El Centro, was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder, and he was extradited from Imperial County to Navajo County on Tuesday where he entered a not-guilty plea in Navajo County Superior Court, the Navajo County Attorney's office said in a Facebook post.

California authorities arrested Abatti on Dec. 23, and was held in Imperial County Jail until his extradition, according to the post.

Patch has reached out to the office.

His defense attorney, Owen Roth, accused law enforcement, not the county attorney’s office, of undermining Abatti's presumption of innocence, arguing that sensitive details of the case have been released in news releases, at a press conference, and in an autopsy report, 12 News reported.

He emphasized Abatti, who surrendered, waived extradition, and has no prior criminal history, has deep ties to the El Centro community as a legacy farmer, civic leader, and philanthropist, according to the outlet.

Abatti’s has liver failure, which requires frequent treatment at UC San Diego, and he is on a transplant list, according to Roth, the outlet reported.

Prosecutors allege that on Nov. 20, Abatti shot Kerri Ann Abatti, a 59-year-old mom of three, at the couple’s second home in Pinetop. Law Enforcement responding to a 911 call reporting the shooting, found Kerri Ann with a gunshot wound, and she was taken to Summit Regional Medical Center in Show Low, where she was pronounced dead, the county attorney's office said.

Kerri Ann Abatti, who is originally from Pinetop, was living separately from her husband during the couple’s ongoing divorce proceeding, which began in October 2023, according to KTLA.

She described irreconcilable differences in her petition to dissolve the 31-year marriage, and lived an affluent lifestyle, the outlet reported, citing court documents.

The investigation is being led by the Navajo County Sheriff's Office, in cooperation with law enforcement agencies in Arizona and California, according to the Navajo County Attorney's office

Abatti is being held on a $5.5 million bond in the Navajo County Jail, pending his next court appearance on March 17.