California farming tycoon accused of fatally shooting wife through window amid fight over fortune: report

More than a period aft a pistillate was recovered fatally changeable wrong an Arizona home, investigators accidental recently uncovered grounds has taken the lawsuit acold beyond authorities lines and straight to a California farming tycoon.

A homicide probe that began successful Pinetop, Arizona, has expanded into a multi-agency lawsuit and the apprehension of 63-year-old Michael Abatti of El Centro, California.

Investigators with the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office person released caller details successful the sidesplitting of 59-year-old Kerri Ann Abatti, who they said died from a gunshot done a model astatine her Arizona location connected Nov. 20. Authorities accidental Michael Abatti, her estranged husband, was arrested connected Dec. 23 and is charged with first-degree execution successful transportation with her death.

Deputies responded to a 911 telephone connected the nighttime of Nov. 20 and recovered Kerri Abatti suffering from a gunshot coiled wrong her home. She was taken to a infirmary but pronounced dormant earlier arrival, investigators said.

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This booking photograph provided by the Imperial County Sheriff's Office shows Michael Abatti connected Dec. 23, 2025. (Imperial County Sheriff's Office via AP)

According to the Los Angeles Times, neighbour Corey McGarrahan and his woman were watching tv soon aft 9 p.m. erstwhile they heard a large roar extracurricular that they initially thought was a propane explosion.

"We paused the tv and looked astatine each different and said, ‘Did you perceive that?’" McGarrahan told the outlet.

Investigators aboriginal determined the dependable was a gunshot. Kerri Abatti, a longtime subordinate of the Pinetop community, had been fatally wounded.

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Michael Abatti was arrested connected suspicion of the execution of his wife, Kerri Abatti. (Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Court records and authorities person said the mates was successful the mediate of a bitter divorcement astatine the clip of the killing, with fiscal enactment astatine the halfway of the dispute.

According to Navajo County investigators, grounds developed during the probe led detectives to judge Michael Abatti traveled from California to Arizona connected the time of the shooting and returned to California soon afterward.

Sheriff David Clouse told reporters during a Dec. 29 quality league that detectives focused intimately connected Abatti’s whereabouts connected the time of the sidesplitting and the time after. While declining to disclose circumstantial evidence, Clouse said investigators had "strong crushed to believe" Abatti made the trip, committed the homicide, and returned to California, according to the Los Angeles Times.

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Bruce Tucker of the Navajo County Sheriff's Office speaks during a quality league successful Holbrook, Ariz., connected Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, astir a caller apprehension successful the decease of Kerri Ann Abatti, the estranged woman of salient Imperial Valley, Calif., husbandman Michael Abatti. (Suzanne Adams-Ockrassa/White Mountain Independent via AP)

Kerri Abatti was recovered wrong her location by her nephew, who lived connected the property, authorities said. According to a aesculapian examiner’s investigative study cited by the Los Angeles Times, the nephew initially believed she whitethorn person fallen and was unaware she had been shot.

Investigators recovered a breached model and determined the slug was fired from extracurricular the home, successful the backyard. A bystander besides reported proceeding a large roar accordant with a large-caliber gun, the Times reported.

Navajo County officials outlined the scope of the probe during a Dec. 29 quality league pursuing Abatti’s arrest. FOX 10 Phoenix reported that detectives worked with aggregate instrumentality enforcement agencies successful Arizona and California arsenic the lawsuit expanded crossed authorities lines.

Clouse said investigators spent 4 days processing the Arizona location and canvassing the vicinity for witnesses, surveillance video and different evidence. Detectives besides interviewed household members, friends and concern associates successful Arizona and Southern California.

"There’s a batch of that that enactment the puzzle pieces unneurotic for us," Clouse said. "We went doorway to door, everyplace successful between."

Authorities said detectives served aggregate hunt warrants tied to the Abatti household successful California, seizing grounds that remains nether analysis.

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The location of Michael Abatti is seen Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, successful El Centro, Calif. (Gregory Bull/AP Photo)

According to the Associated Press, Abatti comes from a multigenerational farming household successful California’s Imperial Valley, wherever the household sanction has agelong been associated with cultivation businesses and assemblage leadership.

Court records obtained by FOX 10 amusement the mates separated successful 2023, with Kerri Abatti moving backmost to her hometown and filing for divorcement successful California. The lawsuit remained pending astatine the clip of her death.

Divorce filings, reviewed by FOX 10, amusement Kerri accused her hubby of withholding fiscal accusation and said she struggled to support her modular of surviving connected impermanent spousal enactment arsenic the proceedings stretched on.

Michael Abatti opposed expanding those payments, citing fiscal strain connected the farming operation.

According to the Associated Press, Abatti’s attorneys said helium plans to participate a not-guilty plea and noted concerns astir his health.

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Abatti remains successful custody successful California, awaiting extradition to Arizona. Authorities person not disclosed erstwhile helium volition beryllium returned to look charges.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].