Hulu’s new docuseries Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini recounts the story of a wife and mother’s perplexing disappearance in 2016. Sherri claimed she was kidnapped, and the nation was riveted by her case. Money was raised to help bring her home. In the end, it was all a lie.
For reasons not even her husband Keith knows, she fabricated the entire event. For years, Sherri’s friends, family, and the public were fooled by her story. Authorities worked hard to find the perpetrators, taking years to discover the truth. If you don’t know her story, read on about this hoax and the aftermath.
Sherri’s Disappearance and Return
On November 2nd, 2016, in Redding, California, wife and mother Sherri Papini vanished during a jog. Keith Papini arrived home after work to find his wife and their children missing. After using the Find My Phone app, he located her cell phone and headphones, which had blonde hairs entangled in them. He found them several miles from their home on the Mountain Goat Hiking Trail. Keith called friends and family, but when no one had seen or heard from her, he immediately contacted the police.
The public and authorities leaped into action. Over 100 volunteers searched Redding and $50,000 was raised through GoFundMe to contribute to the search. The story made national headlines. Twenty-two days after her disappearance, Sherri reappeared on the side of the road in Yolo County, 146 miles away from her Redding home.
Discovered on the highway by a trucker who pulled over to assist her, she was visibly bruised, had a broken nose, and was malnourished, weighing only 87 pounds. Her family and the public were overjoyed at her return. Keith was horrified at her condition, but for just one moment he thought: “Is my wife lying?”
The Investigation
Papini told the police a harrowing story. Two Hispanic women kidnapped her at gunpoint and held her against her will. She said they tortured her, starved her, branded her, cut her hair, and even forced her to go to the bathroom in a bucket. After a year of investigation, the police still had no leads. Three years later, they were no closer to finding her alleged kidnappers.
In October 2017, there was finally a break in the case when police found male 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 authorities were encouraged to look into her past after 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
During her interrogation, she admitted to lying to Police 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 the investigators knew why. Sherri was sentenced to 18 months in prison and was required to pay $300,000 in restitution. She was released in 2023. James Reyes has never faced any charges.
Keith Papini filed for divorce a month after his wife was arrested, although he had stood beside her for 6 years. He says his ex-wife is a liar and manipulator, and his trust in her is 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 her mother used to make the children breathe in rubbing alcohol to make them sick, so she could take them to the doctor. Today, Sherri 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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