Sherri Papini's abduction hoax: How DNA testing uncovered the truth
This story captivated the entire United States. Sherri Papini unexpectedly disappeared for three weeks. Later, she claimed that she was kidnapped by two Latina women who abused her daily while she was held captive. However, it was all lies.
28 June 2024 12:04
A few years ago, the story of Sherri Papini shocked the United States. On 2 November 2016, the 34-year-old woman was allegedly kidnapped while jogging a distance of about 1 kilometre from her home in Redding, California. Three weeks later, on 24 November, she was allegedly freed by the kidnappers at 12:30 PM Greenwich Time, coinciding with the Thanksgiving holiday. Ultimately, it turned out that the entire incident was a hoax.
Papini admitted to making false statements. It is worth noting that after the alleged kidnapping, she received over €27 675 from a kidnapping victims fund and €118 in Social Security disability payments. In May 2022, she was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Prosecutors revealed that the woman planned the entire act with her ex-boyfriend in December 2015. Additionally, she was ordered to repay more than €285 055 as compensation for incurred costs.
According to American media reports, Papini has already been released from federal prison and is currently staying in a residential reentry centre in Sacramento. The Sacramento Bee reported this information.
On the day of the staged kidnapping, Sherri’s husband, Keith Papini, returned home from work at Best Buy and did not find his wife at home. He used a phone location app, which showed that the device was about 1.6 kilometres from their home. Sherri Papini later claimed in interviews that she was held captive by two Latina women who physically abused her.
The search for the alleged kidnappers spanned the entire United States. Authorities were looking for a dark SUV in which the two Latina women were supposedly travelling, armed with a gun. Investigators issued nearly 20 search warrants and checked phone call histories, bank accounts, emails, and social media profiles. The FBI also assisted in the investigation.
The truth about the hoax was revealed only after several years, thanks to DNA testing. Both male and female DNA was found on Sherri Papini, which did not match her or her husband. In March 2022, it was discovered that the DNA belonged to her ex-boyfriend, James Reyes, who confirmed that the woman was with him at his residence in southern California during the alleged kidnapping. These findings put an end to the mystery surrounding the supposed abduction that had kept the public in suspense for years.
