Michael Abatti, a 63-year-old farming tycoon, has been arrested in Imperial Valley, California, for the murder of his estranged wife, 59-year-old Kerri Ann Abatti. The former beauty queen, who was Miss Navajo County, was found dead on November 20th in their $1.6 million home in Pinetop, Arizona. The arrest occurred around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, just over a month after the murder. Abatti was booked into the Imperial County Jail on a charge of first-degree murder and is awaiting extradition to Arizona.
The couple, married for 31 years, was reportedly engaged in a contentious divorce battle over Abatti's considerable farming fortune at the time of the murder. Divorce filings revealed that Kerri Ann Abatti had accused her husband of hiding financial information and manipulating their assets without her knowledge or legal counsel. She claimed to be living on a meager monthly spousal support of a few thousand dollars, temporarily awarded by the court. Following their separation in 2023, Kerri Ann had moved back to her hometown in California. She was recognized for her achievements in high school, including being prom queen and student body president, and was crowned Miss Navajo County in 1984. Abatti's extensive agricultural operations are located in the Imperial Valley.