Sherri Papini (b. June 11, 1982) disappeared from her husband and family on November 2, 2016, reportedly while out jogging a mile from her home in Redding, California.[1] Papini was 34 years old at the time. She reappeared three weeks later on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, having been reportedly freed by her captors at 4:30 that morning still wearing restraints, on the side of County Road 17 near Interstate 5 in Yolo County, about 150 miles (240 km) south of where she disappeared.[2]
The case garnered major media attention, with national law enforcement experts reporting doubts or otherwise baffled as to the unlikely details and inconsistencies of the reported abduction. On March 3, 2022 Papini was arrested on charges of making false statements to federal law enforcement officers and for mail fraud. According to the DOJ, Papini fabricated the story of her abduction. She had reportedly been staying with a former boyfriend during the time she was supposedly missing and had harmed herself in order to give credence to her false narrative. She maintained her story when questioned by a federal agent and a detective from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office in August 2020, despite being advised that it was a crime to lie to a federal agent. From 2017 to 2021, Papini had received over $30,000 from the California Victim's Compensation Board.
This case stands in sharp contrast to the Denise Huskins kidnapping case in Vallejo where police accused Huskins of faking her kidnapping. The police were eventually proven wrong.[3]
Background[edit]
Sherri Louise Graeff was born on June 11, 1982. She married Keith Papini in 2009.
Timeline[edit]
Sherri's husband Keith Papini first became concerned when he returned from his job at Best Buy on November 2 and could not find his wife at home. He eventually used the "Find My iPhone" application to locate her cell phone and ear buds at the intersection of Sunrise Drive and Old Oregon Trail (40°41′42″N 122°19′07″W / 40.6950511°N 122.318494°W), about a mile from their home.[4]
According to Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko,[5] in interviews Papini said she was held by two Hispanic women who took steps to keep their faces hidden from her, either by wearing masks or by keeping Papini's head covered. Papini was branded on her right shoulder during her captivity but details of what the brand includes have not been revealed.[6] According to a statement[7] by her husband Keith Papini, Sherri was physically abused during her captivity, had her nose broken and her hair cut off, and weighed 87 pounds (40 kg) when she was released.
The sheriff said that this is still an active investigation and that authorities are "looking for a dark-colored SUV with two Hispanic females armed with a handgun." The sheriff indicated that there is sensitive information that is not being released at this time.[8] Detectives have authored close to 20 search warrants and they said they’re examining cellphone records, bank accounts, email and social media profiles. Investigators have declined to discuss what prompted them to file the search warrants or why detectives have traveled out of state.[9]
According to Bosenko, Keith Papini "has been cooperative and even volunteered for a polygraph, which he passed." However, Bosenko has not ruled out Papini as a suspect in the abduction, stating "We are keeping an open mind and looking at all avenues."[10] Keith has been reported as possibly compromising the investigation with his statements to the media after Sherri was found.[11]
Authorities declined to comment on specific details of the ongoing investigation but have reported that they are actively pursuing the case. In November, while Papini was still missing, authorities executed more than 12 search warrants in Michigan.[12] The FBI has provided assistance in the case.[13]
Papini was found with both male and female DNA on her, neither of which matched her or her husband. The FBI ran the DNA through their database CODIS and found no matches. While significant, CODIS is dwarfed in size by various genetic genealogy websites such as Ancestry.com. Some suggest this newer technology could reveal further details about whom she was with. [14]
In March of 2022, it was reported that DNA found on her clothing matched that of an ex-boyfriend, who said that she stayed with him during the time she was allegedly kidnapped. [15]
Arrest[edit]
On March 3, 2022, Sherri Papini was arrested by the FBI, accused of lying to federal agents and faking her kidnapping to spend time with her ex-boyfriend away from her husband and family.[16]
See also[edit]
- Racial hoax
- Runaway bride case, a 2005 abduction hoax in Georgia, United States
References[edit]
- ^ "Missing California 'Super Mom' Found Alive, Bound by Road, Sheriff Says". ABC News. November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- ^ "Sheriff: Sherri Papini Was Kidnapped; Captors Still At Large « CBS Sacramento". Sacramento.cbslocal.com. November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- ^ "Vallejo woman and fiance wrongly accused of kidnapping hoax settle for $2.5 million « LA Times". www.latimes.comcom. November 24, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
- ^ "Sherri Papini Found Alive, Claims She Was Abducted by Two Hispanic Women". Inquisitr. November 29, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ "Full Text Of Nov 30 Press Conference About Sherri Papini's Abduction". November 30, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- ^ Heise, Sarah (November 7, 2017). "New video shows Sherri Papini moments before she was found". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
- ^ "Sherri Papini's husband might have compromised kidnapping probe with public comments, sheriff says". Los Angeles Times. November 30, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- ^ "Papini found : At 5 minute and 35 second mark". November 25, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016 – via YouTube.
- ^ Sabalow, Ryan (November 25, 2016). "CA kidnapping: Questions remain after missing California mom Sherri Papini reappears | The Sacramento Bee". Sacbee.com. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- ^ "Abducted jogger's husband not ruled out as a suspect". New York Post. December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- ^ Joseph Serna (2016) Sherri Papini's husband might have compromised kidnapping probe with public comments, sheriff says The Los Angeles Times November 30, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2017
- ^ Adam Carlson (2017). How Detectives Continue to Dig on the Case of Calif. Mom Who Said She Was Abducted on a Jog, People. April 3, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017
- ^ Ryan Sabalow (2017). Two months after Sherri Papini reappeared, here’s what we know about the investigation The Sacramento Bee, January 30, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017
- ^ Brannnon, Matt. “Sherri Papini Case: With DNA Science Booming, Could Genealogy Help Solve Kidnapping Mystery?” Redding.com, Redding.com, 29 Nov. 2019, https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2019/11/24/sherri-papini-missing-police-report-case-dna-genealogy/4091559002/.
- ^ Dowd, Katie. “FBI affidavit unravels astounding claims about California mom Sherri Papini” SFGate.com, 6 Mar. 2022, https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/FBI-says-Sherri-Papini-made-up-kidnapping-16980963.php
- ^ "Sherri Papini, accused of faking 2016 kidnapping, injured herself to further her hoax, feds say". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 2022-03-04.