Keith Papini, the ex-husband of Sheri Papini, has spoken out about his confusion and hurt over her faked kidnapping in a new true-crime docuseries on Hulu, “Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini.” Keith believes that attention-seeking may have driven Sherri to fabricate the kidnapping, causing immense pain and confusion to those around her. Despite their seemingly happy marriage, Keith was blindsided by the events that unfolded post-November 2016. Sherri’s story of being abducted by two Hispanic women turned out to be false, with evidence later revealing that she had been staying with an ex-boyfriend nearly 600 miles away from home and self-inflicted her injuries to back up her false claims. The community was shocked by the revelation, and resources were wasted on a search for a crime that didn’t happen.
Keith and Sherri’s life took a turn for the worse on November 2, 2016, when Keith reported Sherri missing after finding that she hadn’t returned home and hadn’t picked up their children from daycare. An extensive search ensued, culminating in Sherri being found nearly 150 miles from her home, bound and bruised. The claims of her abduction were debunked after an investigation revealed that she had fabricated the entire story. Despite initial beliefs in Sherri’s innocence, Keith began to question her story, realizing that many details didn’t add up. Sherri’s alleged kidnappers were described by her to an FBI sketch artist, but later evidence showed that none of it was true. She was eventually charged with making false statements to federal agents and mail fraud, and she pled guilty, admitting to the hoax.
Sherri’s faked kidnapping has left a lasting impact on not only Keith but also their children, who lived in a sense of fear that her alleged kidnappers would come after them. Keith admitted that he initially tried to protect his children from the possibility but later attempted to shield them from media scrutiny. He also discussed the hurtful allegations made by Sherri that he was a controlling spouse, which he vehemently denied. After Sherri’s admission of guilt and subsequent sentencing to 18 months in prison, Keith filed for divorce and sought custody of their children, claiming that Sherri had shown no remorse for her actions. Meanwhile, Sherri received psychiatric care for anxiety, depression, and PTSD, billing the state’s victim compensation fund for the treatment and being ordered to pay it back as part of her restitution.
At present, Sherri has not offered any rational explanation for her behavior, leaving many bewildered, including independent mental health experts who couldn’t fit her actions into any typical diagnosis. Her Defense attorney, William Portanova, attributed it to the internal turmoil she faced but noted that she has since undergone transformation. Despite receiving more than $30,000 worth of psychiatric care and being released early from prison, Keith claims that Sherri has never apologized to him or their children and continues to act as if the hoax never happened. The docuseries “Perfect Wife” delves into the complexities of Sherri Papini’s case, shedding light on a story that left a community in shock and disbelief while highlighting the aftermath of a fabricated tale that impacted many lives.
