DA charges Calif. detective in killing of tenant

MODESTO, Calif. (AP) — Prosecutors say a Northern California sheriff’s detective accused in an off-duty killing of a tenant on a rental property had a history of abusing and harassing renters.

The Modesto Bee reports that Kari Abbey was charged with second-degree murder and a slew of other charges Monday, the same day she was fired from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department.

Abbey fatally shot Rita Elias during a rent dispute last September, claiming it was self-defense.

According to court documents, tenants told investigators that they often felt powerless to report abuse because Abbey knew so many people in law enforcement.

A home search also turned up a sophisticated marijuana-growing system, counterfeit cash and weapons.

Abbey’s lawyer denies the allegations and says the pot belonged to Abbey’s father, who uses it for medicinal purposes.