Keith Papini, the ex-husband of Sherri Papini, has revealed his ongoing bewilderment over why his former wife faked her own kidnapping. Speaking to Fox News Digital, he said, "I believe she did it for attention. She enjoys being seen as a victim, regardless of the cost to others."
Keith expressed his frustration over the impact of Sherri's hoax. "I think about the people who helped during those 22 days she was missing," he said. "Kids couldn't ride their bikes, women stopped jogging. Sherri doesn't understand the harm she caused."
After seven years of silence, Keith is sharing his story in a new Hulu true-crime docuseries, "Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini." He explained why he's speaking out now: "I wanted to tell the truth about what really happened."
Keith described their life before the incident as a "fairy tale," filled with love and happiness. "I never thought she would fake injuries and create such an elaborate hoax," he admitted. "Our life seemed perfect, and we have amazing children."
The ordeal began on November 2, 2016, when Keith reported Sherri missing. After an extensive search, Sherri was found 24 days later, claiming she had been kidnapped by two masked women. Her story included being branded and having her hair cut, but investigators later discovered she was staying with an ex-boyfriend nearly 600 miles away.
Sherri's fabricated story led to a GoFundMe campaign raising over $49,000 for the family. Keith took a lie detector test and cooperated fully with the investigation, but he eventually started questioning Sherri's account. "Many things didn't add up, but I wanted to support my wife," he said.
Authorities found evidence that contradicted Sherri's claims. She had been using prepaid phones to communicate with her ex-boyfriend since December 2015. In March 2022, Sherri was arrested and later pleaded guilty to making false statements and mail fraud. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison but was released early in 2023.
Keith said the ordeal deeply affected their children, who lived in fear due to Sherri's fabricated story. "Those six years of their childhood were stolen away," he lamented. He also dismissed Sherri's claims that he was a controlling spouse as "hurtful and untrue."
Sherri's actions have puzzled mental health experts. Her defense attorney described her behavior as a pursuit of a "nonsensical fantasy." Following her arrest, Sherri received psychiatric care for anxiety, depression, and PTSD, which she billed to the state's victim compensation fund and was ordered to repay.
Keith filed for divorce and sought custody of their children after Sherri's guilty plea. He claimed she has shown "zero remorse" and never apologized. "This lie didn't end with her arrest," he said. "She acts like it never happened."
