California Farmer Arrested on Suspicion of Murder in Wife’s Death in Arizona

California Farmer Arrested on Suspicion of Murder in Wife’s Death in Arizona
Water sits in a canal alongside irrigated fields near El Centro, Calif., on Dec. 12, 2025, Gregory Bull/AP Photo
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A prominent California farmer was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder in the shooting death of his estranged wife in a remote mountain community in Arizona, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office said.

Michael Abatti, 63, was arrested in El Centro and booked into jail on a first-degree murder charge. He is awaiting extradition to Arizona.