Sherri Papini case

[adidas]

I am on leave from work for a few days (yay - some time to breathe) and this is a case which intrigued me at the time. It made international news, but we didn’t get much follow up in the Australian media after she reappeared.

I decided to google the case this morning but it was super overwhelming. Does anyone have any good (concise) links which spell out the facts?

I know there are a lot of theories about what could have happened, but my surface level googling didn’t give many links based on fact - just lots of ‘she faked it’ without reason.

Thanks!

[Howl]

I had totally forgotten about that bizarre case!  Sorry, but no updates. Everyone was left wondering if she had faked her own kidnapping,  and the whole thing eventually just faded away. 

Edited August 4, 2020 by Howl

[Ozlsn]

I didn't remember this one at all but this site has a good overview. Seriously bizarre situation.

[Howl]

Sherri Papini, who knows? Terrible things can happen to a person with a troubled past, but what ever the truth, I hope she's getting all of the care she needs, including psychiatric care. 

One of the weekly news shows (I refer to them generically as 20 Minutes) featured a couple who were the victims of a bizarre abduction.   The woman was taken to the kidnappers house, raped multiple times and subsequently released. 

The police believed that the couple had set up an elaborate scenario and the abduction story was a hoax...except it wasn't.  I can't imagine the anguish the couple endured.

The perp, a Harvard trained lawyer and Gulf War veteran, was eventually convicted of kidnap and rape in a Federal court and sentenced  to 40 years in prison, but is in a mental health facility being forcibly medicated, pending state charges.  

Defendant in bizarre kidnapping case where victim was released in OC is admitted to state hospital  Previously convicted in federal court, Matthew D. Muller, 44, compelled to take antipsychotic medications while criminal proceedings against him have [been] suspended in Solano County Superior Court

 

[adidas]

I just saw in the news that she has been arrested for faking her kidnapping. She allegedly stayed with an ex boyfriend and beat herself up to add weight to her claims. 

[Howl]

2 hours ago, adidas said:

I just saw in the news that she has been arrested for faking her kidnapping. She allegedly stayed with an ex boyfriend and beat herself up to add weight to her claims. 

From a CNN article:  "DNA evidence eventually led them to the ex-boyfriend, according to the press release and the criminal complaint prosecutors filed in US District Court."   Ex-boyfriend is also in deep shit unless Sherry lied to him, but he certainly did not come forward voluntarily to expose the ruse. 

Also, the kidnappers described as "two women who spoke Spanish" is the alternate version of "black man with a beard wearing a hoody"...

[Howl]

Apparently ex-boyfriend helped with staging Papini as an abused kidnap victim. What a guy! 

[PumaLover]

I just saw an update on this on our local news station (I'm in California). I came here to see if anyone had been posting about it.

The thing that stood out to me most was that she's asking for bond because due to food allergies she can't eat the jail food. I also have a limited diet but that's also why I don't break the law… cuz I like being able to eat what I want.

I had all but forgotten about this bizarre case so I'm going to head back and read the previous posts! I also remember her husband's interview on 20/20. Here's a link to a news story with a couple updates: https://abc7.com/sherri-papini-family-kidnapping-husband/11623930/

[Howl]

11 hours ago, PumaLover said:

The thing that stood out to me most was that she's asking for bond because due to food allergies she can't eat the jail food.

I think Papini has a good lawyer working every possible angle; the food thing is just something they are throwing against the wall to see if it sticks. 

As a person who staged her own disappearance, I doubt if the police were willing to risk asking politely for her to come down to the station. 

I'd assume LE are PISSED at someone who created huge demands on police departments as they desperately searched for her over the weeks she went missing. 

[adidas]

The DNA in this 3 year old article was linked to the boyfriend, and it was the first step in finding the truth.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/could-ground-breaking-dna-technique-solve-bizarre-sherri-papini-kidnap-case/news-story/4257932be5da719c35a4962f338617eb

[adidas]

Here is another article, they go into some detail about it. Very interesting.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/evidence-that-exposed-mums-gone-girl-kidnap-lie/news-story/e59a6ea96f617b00b52e273cb5dd87ae

[adidas]

She has admitted that it was faked and has accepted a plea deal.
 

https://www.9news.com.au/world/sherri-papini-plea-california-woman-admits-fake-2016-kidnapping/33eca156-9839-4f6b-9413-1796162727ef

[Howl]

From the article linked by @adidas:  "Prosecutors agreed as part of the plea bargain to recommend a sentence on the low end of the sentencing range, estimated for Papini to be between eight and 14 months in custody."

This seems like a "slap on the wrist" sentence, considering the chaos she caused and especially because that chaos sucked up law enforcement resources.

But the $300,00 fine?  I don't think anyone is going to start a gofundme to cover that. 

[Howl]

I just watched a Dateline on Sherri Pappini.  There was footage of her recently -coming and going to a hearing, possibly.  The press gaggle, although not huge, was extremely aggressive and scary to watch - pushing, shoving hard, just trying to get a microphone into her face. 

A woman with extensive experience as a public defender but not involved with the Pappini case was interviewed for her take.   

Based on all of Pappini's self-inflicted injuries, extreme weight loss and what she got the ex boyfriend to do, this woman suggested there is a possibility that Pappini is mentally ill and used a term (that I can't remember) that refers to a mentally ill person who creates a scenario and then comes to believe it is true. 

The police who saw Pappini soon after she reappeared were pretty shocked at her physical state:  bruises all over in various states of healing, scabbed over brand injury,  extreme weight loss. 

 

[Howl]

Mea culpa.  I realized I've been spelling the last name incorrectly. It's Papini, not Pappini.

The husband, Keith, filed for divorce late last week.  They've been living separately since she was arrested in early March. 

Husband of Sherri Papini, woman who faked 2016 kidnapping, files for divorce and child custody

His wife had lied to their children about her disappearance, Keith Papini said in a court document. “The fact that their mother lied to them on such a major issue is something they, and I, are having a hard time dealing with. We, both children and I, need time to recover and stabilize.”

[DalmatianCat]

1 hour ago, Howl said:

Mea culpa.  I realized I've been spelling the last name incorrectly. It's Papini, not Pappini.

The husband, Keith, filed for divorce late last week.  They've been living separately since she was arrested in early March. 

Husband of Sherri Papini, woman who faked 2016 kidnapping, files for divorce and child custody

His wife had lied to their children about her disappearance, Keith Papini said in a court document. “The fact that their mother lied to them on such a major issue is something they, and I, are having a hard time dealing with. We, both children and I, need time to recover and stabilize.”

I remember following this case when it first came out. I’m actually amazed that she never slipped and let onto her husband what really happened. I’m curious if he ever suspected anything but thought their marriage was good enough it wasn’t worth rocking the boat or if he genuinely believed her story.

[Howl]

7 hours ago, DalmatianCat said:

I’m curious if he ever suspected anything but thought their marriage was good enough it wasn’t worth rocking the boat or if he believed her story.

I bet that bitcoin mining doesn't use a tenth of the energy spent speculating on this very issue. 

Keith P: Baby, you can tell me what happened!

S.P.: I can't, I just CAN'T discuss it.  Too traumatic. 

[Chickenbutt]

California mom Sherri Papini enduring what 'feels like a life sentence,' lawyer says ahead of sentencing (msn.com)

Defense wants 1 month behind bars. Prosecution wants 8 months! Sentencing is Sept 19th. 

 

[Howl]

11 hours ago, Chickenbutt said:

California mom Sherri Papini enduring what 'feels like a life sentence,' lawyer says ahead of sentencing (msn.com)

Defense wants 1 month behind bars. Prosecution wants 8 months! Sentencing is Sept 19th. 

I'm convinced this woman suffers from psychopathy, but not sure what kind.  She's continued to claim she was kidnapped. She strung her therapist along FOR FOUR YEARS. 

I'm sure she'll do her time, whatever it is, and find another boyfriend/husband who'll put up with the crazy in exchange for a beautiful g-friend.  Maybe she'll reconnect with the ex boyfriend.

She scammed a staggering amount of money from various sources, which she's required to need to pay back, so that's a multi-decade debt to pay off.  

I hope the ex is able to provide a loving, stable and supportive environment for the kids.  

[Chickenbutt]

Sherri Papini sentenced to 18 months in prison in hoax kidnapping case (msn.com)

Sentence: 18 months. 10 months more than the prosecution asked for.....lol

 

[Howl]

7 minutes ago, Chickenbutt said:

Sentence: 18 months. 10 months more than the prosecution asked for.....lol

Still not much for the scam she perpetrated.  I guess those extra 10 months are for keeping the ruse going for so long.  

[Chickenbutt]

Yeah I dunno either. I'm surprised the judge took it upon himself to give her more time. I'm a little shocked it was so low.