Was Michael Abatti framed for murder?

Michael Abatti was arrested a Masonic #33 days after his wife's murder. Kerri Ann was killed at a #999 address on a #13 date.

A prominent Imperial Valley farmer charged with killing his estranged wife was extradited to Arizona on Tuesday, where bail has been set at $5.5 million.

Michael Abatti, 63, was arrested on Dec. 23 for allegedly killing Kerri Ann Abatti, 59. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder on Wednesday in Navajo County Superior Court.

Kerri Abatti, 59, was shot in her home in the Arizona town of Pinetop-Lakeside at around 9 p.m. on Nov. 20, authorities say. An autopsy report shows she was shot once in the head. The shot came from outside her house and went through a window.

Her nephew found her after hearing a loud bang, and called 911, according to autopsy reports. She died while being taken to a hospital in Show Low, which is roughly 10 miles from Pinetop-Lakeside.

Kerri Abatti grew up in Pinetop-Lakeside; it is where her parents, siblings and extended family reside.

At a press conference on Monday, Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse told reporters his detectives “had strong reason to believe that Mr. Abatti had traveled from El Centro, Calif., on Nov. 20 to Pinetop, Ariz., committed the homicide and traveled back to California.”

A pre-trial conference and release hearing is scheduled for March 17 in Navajo County.

Michael Abatti’s family has been in the Imperial Valley for more than 100 years and helped build the All-American Canal, which brings Colorado River water to the region.

Abatti Farms has thousands of acres of crops, including melons, broccoli, sugar beets and alfalfa, which Michael said in 2017 legal filing re: crop sales thar were worth more than $10 million a year.

Michael also owns an energy company, which won a $35 million battery contract from the Imperial Irrigation District.

The Abattis donated tens of thousands of dollars to San Diego State University, which offers a scholarship named for the couple at its Imperial Valley campus.

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