Sherri Papini Rewrites Her Kidnapping Story, But Family Doubts Remain
Sherri Papini, who made headlines for her mysterious disappearance in 2016, is back in the spotlight with new claims about her experience. After being missing for 22 days, she returned with signs of trauma, stating that two masked women had kidnapped her. Now, years later, she’s saying she was kidnapped, but not by the people she originally claimed.
At 42, Papini’s situation continues to stir controversy, especially after she served 18 months in prison for lying to federal investigators. Her story began to unravel when DNA found on her clothing linked back to her ex-boyfriend, James Reyes.
In a new documentary, Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie, she shares a different side of the story. She insists that while she was kidnapped, she fabricated the identity of her captor out of fear. She claims that her ex-husband, Keith Papini, would take their children from her if she revealed the truth about Reyes.
Papini admits to having an emotional affair with Reyes before she disappeared, feeling guilty for leading him on. “I agreed with James to make up a story about someone else to secure my release,” she said, expressing regret that she didn’t tell the truth sooner.
Reflecting on her ordeal, she shared, “I wasn’t thinking about those searching for me; I was only focused on my own fears.”
In her plea agreement with prosecutors, she acknowledged staging her own kidnapping, although she and her legal team assert that this was merely a move to avoid harsher penalties. Meanwhile, Reyes has stated that he hurt her at her request, and despite both passing polygraph tests, doubts linger.
Not everyone believes Papini’s new version of events. Her mother, Loretta Graeff, openly questioned the kidnapping narrative, stating, “No, it wasn’t a kidnapping.” She suggested that Papini was simply seeking happiness due to unhappiness in her marriage.
Graeff emphasized her belief that Papini did not abandon her children but was trying to escape an unhappy situation.
During the documentary, Papini accused her husband of emotional abuse, a claim that Keith has denied through his attorney.
The documentary aired on Investigation Discovery, with viewers invited to explore this dramatic story further over its two-night premiere.
