'Mind-blowing' new true crime docuseries follows mum's 'jaw-dropping' kidnapping hoax
A forthcoming documentary from Hulu is set to make viewers' jaws drop and get their pulses racing in equal measure as it's been dubbed 'mind-blowing'.
The three-part series follows the bizarre story of Sherri Papini who disappeared from Redding, California in 2016 at 34-years-old.
The local community, alongside law enforcement, worked tirelessly to bring the 34-year-old mother-of-two home safely. It was a moment of joy when she was found alive on a Sacramento highway 22 days later - but that was just the beginning of the mystery unfolding.
Watch the trailer for Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini here:
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Sherri, now 41, was married to a man named Keith Papini at the time of the abduction.
Director Michael Beach told PEOPLE: "This is a real-life psychological thriller with one jaw-dropping revelation after another.
"People who think they know the story of Sherri Papini’s disappearance are going to realise all reporting up to this point has barely scratched the surface. And those who know nothing of the story are going to have their minds absolutely blown."
Upon being found, Sherri blamed her kidnapping on two Hispanic women and said they took her while she was jogging near her house.
Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini retells the story of Sherri in a captivating fashion.
Warning: Spoilers ahead
The documentary-series tells how the story continued in 2022, over five years after her alleged abduction, when Sherri was charged in connection with her own disappearance.
A thorough investigation by the police found that, in spite of Sherri's story, she was spending time at an ex-boyfriend's house while supposedly missing.
It then emerged she had asked her ex for his help and told him to wound her body so that her story was more believable and in order for it to appear as though she was tortured while missing.
The ex-boyfriend in question has never faced any charges.
Her actual husband, Keith Papini, was none the wiser to any of it.
After being 'discovered', Sherri went back to living as his wife and kept up the story of being abducted.
Keith discovered the truth when his wife was arrested.
Sherri pleaded guilty to charges of lying to a federal officer and mail fraud in 2022. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison - but ended up serving less than a year.
Keith filed for divorce soon after his wife pled guilty.
Perfect Wife director Beach said: "It felt like an extraordinary opportunity to explore a seemingly 'perfect' relationship that was in reality propped up by fantasy and manipulation."
He concluded: "These types of relationship dynamics are as old as time, but it’s rare for this type of behaviour to be so comprehensively documented.
"We hope audiences walk away from the series with a sense of empathy for all involved, as well as an appreciation for how performative one’s identity can be in their own relationships."
Record Searchlight reported in March that Sherri sees her children during one-hour supervised visits.
Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini premieres Thursday, June 20 on Hulu.
Topics: Documentaries, TV And Film, True Crime
Kya Buller