The bullet that killed Kerri Ann Abatti in her home near Pinetop-Lakeside in November 2025 came through a window, according to an autopsy report.
While searching the home, Navajo County investigators found a circular hole in one of the windows near where Abatti’s body was found, leading them to determine that the gunshot came from the outside yard, the report said.
The Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office in Flagstaff completed the autopsy, which was provided to The Arizona Republic on Aug. 27.
Authorities have accused 64-year-old Michael Abatti, a prominent Southern California farming mogul, of killing his estranged wife. Detectives arrested him in El Centro, California, in December 2025 and extradited him to the Navajo County jail in Holbrook,
where he faces one count of first-degree murder.
In Navajo County Superior Court, Abatti pleaded not guilty.
A Jan. 26 hearing weighed whether Abatti should remain behind bars until the case is resolved. He faced a steep bond of $5.5 million while surviving victims, including some family members, sought for him to be held indefinitely without bond.
As of Aug. 27, Abatti has remained in jail, according to the Navajo County Sheriff's Office.
The homicide case remains ongoing, with its next hearing, a case management conference, scheduled for Sept. 10.
This is a developing story. Check back on azcentral.com for more details.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Bullet in Pinetop woman's killing came from outside home, autopsy says
