Kerri Ann Abatti was found dead at her family’s vacation home in Pinetop, Arizona, after investigators arrested her estranged husband, Michael Abatti, in California and later discussed the case at a news conference in Navajo County. Authorities said they are still not disclosing the suspected motive and that they declined to detail what occurred inside the house during the final days of Abatti’s life.
Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse said at the Monday news conference that investigators expect “different theories” to emerge, but he said the only consistent factor he could point to was that a divorce was in place. “Different theories will come up,” Clouse said, adding that “there’s a divorce in place and they weren’t able to come to a resolution,” though he said he could not say what the motive would be.
Michael Abatti, 63, was arrested last week in El Centro, California, in connection with the shooting death of Kerri Abatti, 59, at her vacation home in Pinetop. Investigators said Abatti traveled from California to Arizona on Nov. 20, carried out the killing, and returned to California early the next morning.
Investigators also said the couple’s prolonged divorce case came up in nearly all interviews with family and friends, according to the sheriff’s office discussions shared at the news conference. They did not say what happened at the Pinetop house in the last days of Kerri Abatti’s life.
An autopsy report released Monday found that Kerri Abatti’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. The report said she was found unconscious on the floor near her kitchen by her nephew, who told investigators he heard a loud sound before finding her.
The report said investigators searched the home and found a “circular defect” on a window, and it stated they determined that “a gunshot likely originated from the yard outside the home.” Investigators did not elaborate further in the AP account about who was in the yard or what surveillance or forensic evidence might connect the shooting location.
Owen Roth, one of Abatti’s attorneys, said his client surrendered to law enforcement, agreed to be extradited to Arizona, and remains innocent under the law. Roth said the case could affect Abatti’s health and privacy, stating, “Our client is in his mid-60s and has significant health issues, and we continue to worry about his well-being,” and he added, “We ask the public to respect his privacy and constitutional rights and reiterate that this case will be decided based on the evidence by a jury.”
Authorities searched Abatti’s Southern California home on Dec. 2 as part of the investigation into his wife’s death. The Associated Press reported that it left messages with the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office for further explanation, and it said the Coconino County medical examiner’s office directed questions about the autopsy report to a Navajo County official.
Kerri Abatti filed for divorce while proceedings were pending in California, according to the AP account. The report also described both spouses as having lived an affluent lifestyle during more than three decades of marriage and said they owned property in three states, vacationed internationally, and sent their children to private school.
The AP account said the divorce filings reflected disputes over finances, including temporary spousal support and requests for an increase and additional attorney’s fees. It also said Abatti blamed farming income disruptions on market shifts favoring Ukrainian crops, rising shipping costs and harsh weather, and it reported that he later agreed to raise support to $6,400 per month.