Sherri Papini has not yet made any public statements regarding her situation, but several of her loved ones have shared their perspectives on their relationships with her following her kidnapping hoax.
In 2016, Papini made headlines after she was allegedly abducted while jogging in her California neighborhood. She reappeared 22 days later, claiming she had been beaten and branded by her captors.
However, further investigation revealed that Papini had staged her own abduction. In 2022, she was arrested for orchestrating the hoax.
Papini pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud and lying to a federal officer, resulting in an 18-month prison sentence and over $300,000 in restitution. She was released from prison in August 2023.
Papini’s case was featured in Hulu’s Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini, which premiered in June 2024.
The docuseries included contributions from Sherri’s ex-husband, Keith Papini, and other family members, as well as insights from law enforcement about how they uncovered the deception.
Following the release of Perfect Wife, Investigation Discovery announced a new docuseries scheduled for 2025, where Sherri will speak out publicly for the first time about the controversy.
Here’s an update on Sherri Papini’s relationships with her ex-husband, children, and other loved ones:
Before her alleged abduction, Sherri and Keith had been married for seven years and had two children, Tyler and Violet. Keith initially supported Sherri but filed for divorce and sole custody of their children after her guilty plea.
Their divorce was finalized in May 2023. Sherri, who initially lived in a halfway house, has since relocated near Keith and their children.
According to photos, she is now dating Shawn Hibdon, whom she began seeing before her incarceration. Keith has clarified that he no longer communicates with Sherri, stating to TV Insider in June 2024,
“No, I don’t speak to her at all whatsoever. I might see her in the court for our court stuff, but no, I don’t talk to her.”
In Perfect Wife, Keith revealed that their children were aware of the situation involving their mother. Tyler and Violet have limited contact with Sherri, speaking to her on the phone occasionally and seeing her in professionally supervised visits once a month.
Keith mentioned that Sherri’s behavior had previously raised concerns, including allegations from their children that she made them inhale rubbing alcohol to induce illness.
Sherri and her attorney have not responded to these claims, and she has not been charged with any crimes related to these allegations.
Sherri’s sister Sheila Koester, along with footage of their other sister Christine and their parents, contributed to the Perfect Wife docuseries.
Sheila expressed regret over Sherri’s actions, attributing them to a desire for attention and a tendency to exaggerate.
Despite her disappointment, Sheila confirmed that her love for Sherri remains, though she struggles to understand her sister’s choices.
Keith acknowledged Sheila’s support as pivotal in his decision to distance himself from Sherri, stating, “I think Sheila, her sister, was a huge, amazing source for me. We’re still close.”
Sherri’s ex-boyfriend Keith Papini was implicated in the hoax after DNA evidence linked him to her case. Reyes claimed that Sherri asked him to help her stage the abduction and later inflicted injuries on herself.
He was not charged with any crimes related to the hoax and stated he had not been in contact with Sherri since she asked to be dropped off after her fake kidnapping.
Reyes is reported to be living in Arizona with his grandfather as of 2022. Director Michael Beach Nichols confirmed that Reyes chose not to participate in the documentary, acknowledging the difficulty of revisiting the situation for him.
Nichols expressed sympathy for Reyes, believing he was unaware of the full extent of the situation.
