A woman disappears for three weeks and suddenly returns to her family. Weird, Right? This is the story of Sherri Papini, who lives in California with her children. In the beginning, things were so mysterious that they could not be understood. But later, it was all clear like water. The story was not easy, and neither can it be digestible. The disappearance, reappearance, and allegations do not fit together. Without any further ado, let’s take a keen observation.
Who is Sherri Papini?
Sherri Papini, born June 11, 1982, lives with her family in California, America. On November 2, 2016, she disappeared while jogging near her home in Redding. Three weeks later, she reappeared on Thanksgiving day. It was unimaginable, as when she came back with a broken nose and bruises on her body. Her reappearance has created a storm in public. Later, the police cleared that it was all pre-planned. After finding the truth, her husband divorced her. He also got the custody of their children.
Story Behind Sherri Papini
On November 2nd, 2016, Sherri jogged near her area after sending her husband to the office. When he returned, he searched her in the house. He even tried to track her phone and earbuds at the intersection of Sunrise Drive and Old Oregon Trail. When he could not find her anywhere, he reported the matter to the police, and the matter spread out publicly.
Three weeks after kidnapping her, the kidnappers left her on the side of County Road 17 near Interstate 5 in Yolo County at 4:30 am. It was 240 km far from the place where she disappeared. She was wearing the same outfit. The couple reached the Police Station and filed an assault report. The police started searching for her assaulters, but before that, she explained everything.
She returned to her home with a broken nose and bruises all over her body. During the investigation, she explained the story that two Spanish women kidnapped her. The women were not able to speak proper English. She said those women were wearing masks and kidnapped her in an SUV. She said that one of the women burnt her right shoulder while kidnapping.
According to Keith Papini, his wife was abused physically. He added that his wife’s hair was cut and bruises all over her body. He even said further that she is only 40 kg now. The police force released 20 search warrants and prepared the team to find the SUV. Moreover, the FBI helped in this case to find those Spanish women.
The Truth Behind Kidnapping
According to reports, Sherri Papini has two DNAs on her body. The DNAs were identified as of a male and a female. However, the DNA was not of her or her husband. The FBI ordered the samples to run through the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Later, in 2022, it was finally revealed that the DNA on her clothes was of her ex-boyfriend. After investigating with her ex-boyfriend, James Reyes, revealed the truth. He confirmed that Sherri was with him during the kidnapping in Southern California. “It was all planned”, he added.
What Happened With Sherri Papini After Truth Revealed?
In August 2020, after many interviews with detectives and FBI officers, Papini stood by her story. But later, she accepted the truth. She has been charged with fraud because, from 2017-2021, she received $30,000 from the California Victim Compensation Board.
On 3 March 2022, she was arrested for making fake allegations, mail fraud, and wasting the FBI’s time. Later, she admitted staying with her ex-boyfriend, James Reyes, at his house. On 9 March 2022, she was released after promising to appear in court and giving up her passport.
Moreover, her chances of staying in jail could have been increased to 25 years. But she admitted lying about the whole thing. She got in trouble for lying and getting money based on the fake story. Finally, The judge sentenced her to eighteen months and fined her $300,000. She spent 18 months in jail and was then released to a halfway house to learn from her mistakes.
Final Words
Sherri Papini has planned the story of the kidnapping. It all started from the day November 2, 2016. Her tensed husband kept searching for 3 weeks to find his wife. However, after searching the area, he could not see her anywhere. On Thanksgiving day, 24 November 2016, she returned home in a bad condition. After an investigation of DNA, it came out that the DNA on her dress was her ex-boyfriend. She was imprisoned for 18 months after admitting to her fake abduction in 2022. Her husband filed for divorce in the same month and demanded custody of both the children.