Hulu’s new docuseries Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini recounts the wife and mother’s perplexing disappearance in 2016. Sherri Papini claimed she was kidnapped and the nation was riveted by her case. Money was raised to help bring her home. But it was all a lie.
For reasons not even Sherri’s husband, Keith, knows, she fabricated her “kidnapping.” For years, she had her friends, family, and the public fooled. Authorities worked hard to find the perpetrators, taking years to discover the truth. If you don’t know her story, here is every detail about the hoax and the aftermath.
Sherri Is Gone…And Back Again
On November 2nd, 2016, Redding, California wife and mother Sherri Papini vanished during a jog. Keith Papini arrived home after work to find her and their children missing. After using Find My Phone, he found her cell phone and headphones in their mailbox. He called friends and family, but no one had heard from Sherri. He immediately called the police.
The public and authorities lept into action. Over 100 volunteers searched Redding for Sherri, and $50,000 was raised through GoFundMe to contribute to the search. Her story was making national headlines. Twenty-two days after her disappearance, Sherri reappeared on the side of the road in Yolo County, 150 miles away from Redding.
A motorist called 911, and Sherri was taken to the hospital. She was visibly bruised, had a broken nose, and was malnourished. Later, it was discovered she only weighed 87 pounds. But nevertheless, she was alive. Her family and the public were overjoyed. Keith was horrified at her condition, but for just one moment, he thought: “Is my wife lying?”
The Investigation
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Sherri Papini told the police a harrowing story. Two Hispanic women kidnapped her at knifepoint and held her against her will in a room. She said they tortured her, starved her, branded her, cut her hair, and forced her to use the bathroom in a bucket. After a year of investigation, the police didn’t have any leads. Three years after that, they were no closer to finding Sherri’s kidnappers.
There was a break in the case in October 2017 when police found male and female DNA on Sherri’s clothes. The DNA wasn’t in the database, and it didn’t match anyone in her life. There was no progress until 2020 when the authorities were encouraged to look into her past when they discovered she had been in an online relationship with a man in Michigan for months.
They expanded the DNA comparison to include Sherri’s ex-boyfriend, James Reyes. It matched, and Sherri’s story fell apart.
The Aftermath
Police interrogated her, and she admitted to lying about everything. Sherri was arrested on March 3rd, 2020. In 2022, she pleaded guilty to making false statements. Her story had been vague at times, and now they knew why. Sherri was sentenced to 18 months in prison and to pay $300,000 in restitution. She was released in 2023. James Reyes never faced any charges.
Keith Papini filed for divorce a month after she was arrested, although he had stood beside her for six years. He says his ex-wife is a liar and manipulator, and his trust in her was completely shattered. Now, he is focusing on raising their two children.
Recently, new and terrifying knowledge has come to light. Keith reports that his daughter Violet told him Sherri used to make them breathe in rubbing alcohol to make them sick so she could take them to the doctor.
Today, Sherri Papini has supervised visits with her children. Keith says she has never apologized for the hoax and the pain she put him through.
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