“Sherri Papini: Where The Truth Lies”: 20/20 Reports May 23 2025

On Friday, May 23, 2024, ABC’s 20/20 aired a two-hour special titled “Sherri Papini: Where The Truth Lies,” delving into one of the most bizarre and high-profile criminal hoaxes in recent memory. With correspondent Matt Gutman leading the report, the episode featured the first televised interview with Sherri Papini since her conviction and imprisonment for staging her own abduction in 2016. The special offered new insights into Papini’s personal motivations, the fallout of her deception, and the lingering questions surrounding her credibility.

This 20/20 investigation comes ahead of the companion four-part docuseries Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie, which expands on her claims and includes commentary from law enforcement, family, and experts. Together, these productions examine not only the hoax itself but the psychological, legal, and familial wreckage left in its wake.

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The 2016 Disappearance: A Nation Held Captive by a Lie

On November 2, 2016, Sherri Papini, then a 34-year-old mother of two, vanished during what was supposed to be a routine jog near her home in Redding, California. Her sudden disappearance ignited a massive local and national search effort. Her husband, Keith Papini, discovered her phone and tangled earbuds with strands of hair nearby, adding urgency and drama to the case.

Twenty-two days later, Sherri reappeared along a highway in Yolo County, 150 miles from home. She was bound, bruised, underweight, and appeared traumatized. She told police she had been abducted at gunpoint by two Hispanic women. Her injuries included a branded mark on her shoulder, a broken nose, and various abrasions—details that initially supported her story and garnered widespread sympathy.

Law enforcement and the public alike were captivated. The story drew comparisons to the 2014 film Gone Girl, and Sherri was initially hailed as a heroic survivor. However, inconsistencies in her account, the lack of forensic evidence, and skepticism from investigators soon began to unravel the narrative.

The Investigation and Exposure of the Hoax

The case took a dramatic turn in 2020 when DNA evidence found on the clothes Sherri wore during her return was traced to James Reyes, her ex-boyfriend. The FBI interrogated Reyes, who confessed that Papini had orchestrated her disappearance and stayed with him voluntarily during the 22-day period. According to Reyes, Papini inflicted injuries upon herself, including self-branding, and requested that he help her conceal her whereabouts.

Investigators later confronted Papini, who continued to insist her story was true until her eventual arrest in March 2022. She was charged with making false statements and mail fraud, having collected over $30,000 in victim compensation payments during the years after her staged kidnapping.

In April 2022, she entered a guilty plea as part of a deal that dropped 33 additional counts. Papini was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to repay more than $300,000 in restitution. She served 10 months before being released to a halfway house in 2023.

Papini’s New Version of Events

In 20/20 and the companion docuseries, Sherri Papini offers yet another version of the story. This time, she claims she was in fact kidnapped—by James Reyes. She alleges that after rekindling an emotional affair with Reyes, he turned violent when she tried to cut ties. She claims he abducted her during her jog and held her captive in his apartment, where she was physically and sexually abused.

Papini says she did not name Reyes to investigators at the time because she feared retaliation and the possibility that her husband, Keith, would take custody of their children if he found out about the affair. She asserts that her earlier story about two Hispanic women was meant to indirectly guide police to Reyes.

However, her claims remain unsubstantiated. Reyes has denied all allegations and passed a polygraph test. Law enforcement has maintained that he acted only at her request and was not a captor. He has never been charged with any crimes related to her disappearance.

A History of Fabrications and Legal Fallout

Sherri Papini’s credibility has been a focal point of this case. Long before her 2016 hoax, there were documented incidents of dishonest behavior. In 2003, her mother reported that Sherri had injured herself and falsely blamed her. Other former partners have described her as a compulsive liar, fabricating stories without clear motive.

Following her guilty plea, Keith Papini filed for divorce and sought full custody of their children. The two remain in a custody dispute. Keith, who had publicly defended Sherri for years, now says he felt manipulated and betrayed by her elaborate deception.

Despite her release from prison, Sherri remains under supervised probation and must continue restitution payments. The public and legal consequences of her actions are ongoing, with her name now synonymous with one of the most notorious hoaxes in modern American history.

Public Reception and Continued Controversy

The 20/20 special and the subsequent docuseries have reignited public debate over Papini’s motives and mental health. Some viewers express skepticism about her shifting narratives and see her as a habitual manipulator. Others argue that underlying psychological issues—perhaps compounded by an unhappy marriage and personal isolation—may have played a role.

Director Nicole Rittenmeyer, who helmed the docuseries, stated she was surprised by the complexity of Papini’s story, acknowledging she was “both a manipulator and a victim.” However, critics remain unconvinced, noting inconsistencies in her retelling, questionable polygraph results, and the significant harm caused to her family, law enforcement, and Hispanic communities unjustly implicated.

While Papini continues to insist that the truth has yet to fully emerge, the consensus from investigators, courts, and the public remains grounded in her confession and the evidence presented.

Conclusion: A Case That Still Divides

Nearly a decade after Sherri Papini’s vanishing act first captured headlines, her story continues to be a lightning rod for controversy. With every new interview or revelation, public opinion remains polarized between sympathy and outrage.

The 20/20 episode “Sherri Papini: Where The Truth Lies” serves as both a journalistic investigation and a cautionary tale. It highlights the enduring impact of false narratives and the fine line between victimhood and deceit in high-profile criminal cases. As new content surfaces and legal battles persist, the legacy of the Papini case remains far from settled.