How kidnap hoaxer Sherri Papini faked her own disappearance fooling police and family
Jaws are set to drop upon the release of a new Hulu documentary that has been dubbed 'mind blowing' and follows one of the most bizarre true crime cases of all time.
The shocking series is told in three parts and is centred on Sherri Papini, who was by all accounts, a happily married wife and mother of two young children when she went missing at 34-years-old from the Redding area in California in 2016.
Sherri's disappearance instilled fear into residents of the local community who banded together along with law enforcement to search for her and bring her home safely.
There was $50,000 raised in efforts to help find Sherri.
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Miraculously, Sherri was found alive on a Sacramento highway 22 days after she disappeared - but rather than closing the case, the questions only started there.
Watch the trailer for Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini here:
Following Sherri's return, her devoted husband Keith Papini who had been desolate with worry, gave many interviews about what she had been through.
He told ABC News: "The bruises were just intense.
"She's always had very long, blonde hair [and] they chopped it off."
Viewers unfamiliar with the true crime story will be left shocked.
Perfect Wife director Michael Beach shared with 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 told police that two Hispanic women had abducted her, recalling: "Two women. There was an older one and a younger one. They were Hispanic. They spoke Spanish a lot."
She also told police that she had been told she was going to be trafficked to somebody in law enforcement.
Warning: Spoilers ahead
It's truly spine-tingling viewing when the truth finally comes to light.
Viewers will learn how the story only really came to an end in 2022, over five years after her alleged abduction, in bombshell scenes which reveal Sherri was charged in connection with her own disappearance.
Police discovered that rather than being abducted and abused as she had said, Sherri had been living happily at an ex-boyfriend's house.
As for her bruises?
Sherri had asked her ex-boyfriend to inflict wounds and signs of struggle upon her in order for it to seem as though she had truly been taken.
The ex-boyfriend in this case has never faced any charges.
Her husband, Keith Papini, was none the wiser to any of Sherri's lies until she was charged.
Sherri was faced with charges of lying to a federal officer and mail fraud in 2022. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months in prison - but ended up serving under a year.
Keith filed for divorce soon after his wife pled guilty.
Motives for Sherri faking her own disappearance have remained murky.
There are reports that law enforcement were told by many people in Sherri's inner circle - including her ex-husband - that she had a history of lying in order to be the centre of attention.
Beyond that, the Daily Mail reported that Sherri wanted more control over the finances within the marriage, and that she believed her husband's power over their money 'left her with nothing'.
Director Michael Beach added: "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."
Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini premieres Thursday, June 20 on Hulu.
Kya Buller