A California farming magnate pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murdering his estranged wife amid a nasty two-year divorce battle.
Michael Abatti, 63, stands accused of killing his wife of 31 years, 59-year-old Kerri Ann Abatti, on Nov. 20 at the couple’s second home in Pinetop, Ariz.
He was arrested Dec. 23 in California and extradited to Arizona, making his first court appearance on Wednesday.
Cops said Abatti drove more than six hours from his primary residence in El Centro, Calif., to Pinetop, about 130 miles northeast of Phoenix, before fatally shooting his wife through a kitchen window.
The duo separated in 2023, with Kerri Ann Abatti moving full-time to the Pinetop residence. But after 31 years of marriage and three children, they were going through a long, drawn out and hard-fought divorce, according to authorities.
Michael Abatti’s family has roots in California’s Imperial Valley dating back decades, and the couple lived a lavish lifestyle with multiple properties and international vacations, Kerri Ann Abatti said in divorce filings. She had asked for $30,000 per month spousal support, and the court awarded $6,400 on a temporary basis, according to Los Angeles local news station KTLA.
Michael Abatti has denied any involvement in his wife’s death. At the first court hearing, his lawyers criticized authorities for releasing information about the case to the media, according to Phoenix NBC affiliate KPNX. Abatti was held on $5.5 million bail, which he is expected to post.
