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A prominent California farmer has been charged with the murder of his estranged wife, allegedly using a “high-powered rifle” after telling his family he was going “hunting,” per newly disclosed court documents.
Michael Abatti stands accused of first-degree murder in the death of Kerri Ann Abatti, who was discovered shot dead at the couple’s secondary residence in Pinetop, Arizona, on November 20, as reported by the Navajo County Attorney’s Office.
Abatti, who has entered a plea of not guilty, was apprehended and detained in December. However, fresh insights into the case have surfaced after The Los Angeles Times succeeded in getting the court to unseal affidavits related to the investigation.
During the time of Kerri Ann’s demise, the couple was embroiled in a contentious divorce struggle over a $200 million trust, which, according to the affidavits accessed by The Times, would have been entirely transferred to Michael had Kerri died.
The Abatti family is among the region’s largest landowners, with Michael operating a thriving agricultural business in Imperial Valley.
The family is one of the largest landowners in the area and Michael operates a successful farm in Imperial Valley.
The family’s future came into question, however, on Nov. 20 when the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office said they were called to a Pinetop home after receiving a report of a shooting. They arrived to find Kerri suffering from a gunshot wound. Although the 59-year-old was rushed to a local hospital, she died from her injuries.
Her nephew, who also lived at the property, told investigators that he had been in his bedroom when he heard a loud noise and found the mother of three in the dining room “bleeding from the face,” according to the affidavit.
Evidence Suggests Michael Abatti Traveled to Arizona, Authorities Say
After conducting a reconstruction of the crime scene, investigators concluded, per the affidavits, that the fatal shot had come from outside the home—possibly as far as 30 yards away—from a “higher-powered rifle.”
The night Kerri was killed, authorities said that her family tried to reach Michael but was allegedly told by his family that he was “hunting in the desert.”
Using license plate reader technology, investigators found evidence to suggest a Ford truck owned by Michael left the hunting grounds in El Centro, Calif. around 1:30 p.m. on the day Kerri was killed, authorities said. The same vehicle was later spotted in Globe, Arizona around 6:30 p.m. and a second time around 11:41 p.m., according to the court records.
The truck was seen again near the hunting grounds at 4:40 a.m., investigators said.
Three days after his wife died, the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office was called to Michael’s home after he allegedly tried to kill himself.
He told emergency responders that the act had been “because of an incident involving his wife,” and ongoing depression, per the affidavit.
Authorities noted in the court records that during a search of his home, investigators seized more than three dozen firearms including two dozen rifles.
“On December 2, 2025, detectives served multiple search warrants on residences, properties, vehicles, and camp trailers associated with the Abatti family in El Centro, California,” the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office wrote in its statement on the arrest. “As the investigation continued, a significant amount of evidence was seized, some of which is still being analyzed, leading the detectives to identify Michael Abatti (63) of El Centro, California, as the suspect in the murder of Kerri Ann Abatti.”
Where is Michael Abatti Now?
Michael was indicted by a grand jury on the first-degree murder charge in December and taken into custody in California a short time later, before being extradited to Arizona on Dec. 31, prosecutors said. He’s currently being held at the Navajo County jail, according to records reviewed by.
Oxygen reached out to Michael’s attorneys Owen Roth and Danni Iredale, but did not receive an immediate response.
The attorneys had argued against the release of the affidavits in court and later said in a statement to The Los Angeles Times that they believed the decision to unseal the records “unduly risks” Michael’s right to a fair trial.
“Search warrants are untested, one-sided presentations meant to establish probable cause,” they said, adding that Michael is “innocent unless and until proven otherwise.”