Perfect Wife Hulu: Explore All About Sherri Papini Documentary

A new documentary is now available detailing the shocking hoax that took place in 2016, in which 34-year-old Sherry Papini faked her own kidnapping and disappeared for 22 days. Sherry vanished after going on a run in Shasta County, California. Her then-husband, Keith Papini, called the police, sparking a weeks-long search that cost thousands of dollars. The dramatic story is being retold in a new three-part series called “Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherry Papini.”

What is this documentary about?

The Hulu documentary series premiered on Thursday, June 20. It shows a behind-the-scenes look at Sherry and Keith’s relationship and his mysterious disappearance. The series begins with home video footage of Sherry singing a song track about her husband, Keith. The first episode is titled “It’s a Wonderful Life with You,” followed by “Smegma Was Relentless” and ends with “You Never Found Me.”

Keith Papini spoke to ABC10 ahead of the series’ release and expressed his excitement about the project. He hopes it will reveal the truth about what happened. “Trust is something I will be more careful about going forward. Luckily, I met Alison Berkley, who understood the message I wanted to give — thank you to the community, friends and family. But at the same time, I wanted to tell the truth about the years we lived in fear because of Sherry’s lies,” he said.

What did Keith Papini say?

Keith Papini also did an interview with ABC, in which he explained why he took part in the new series. He wanted to tell everyone how convincing Sherry was during those years and how he believed everything she said. “The fear our family lived in was fake and terrifying. We had new security measures in our home, new doors, locks, lights and cameras,” Keith shared.

Sherry’s fabricated kidnapping didn’t just affect Keith; it also affected their two children. Keith revealed the emotional toll the deception took on his family. The couple divorced in 2023 and Keith now has full custody of their children. Sherry was sentenced to 18 months in prison in September 2022 after pleading guilty in April of that year.

What happened during the fraud?

In a court filing, Sherry’s defense attorney revealed that she fled from her home in Redding, nearly 600 miles away, to her ex-boyfriend in Southern California. Her ex-boyfriend later abandoned her on Interstate 5, about 150 miles from her home. Passersby found her body covered in bandages, with a swollen nose, bruises, rashes and burns. These injuries were self-inflicted to bolster her story that she was kidnapped at gunpoint by two Hispanic women while she went on a run.

The fake kidnapping story led to a three-week multi-state manhunt in late 2016. Sherry’s lie cost her family and community a lot of resources and emotional distress. A plea deal with prosecutors resulted in her receiving an 18-month sentence, less than the maximum 25-year sentence she could have received for the charges. She never explained why she staged the kidnapping.

Why is this documentary important?

The documentary aims to shed light on the bizarre and disturbing case of Sherri Papini. It traces the impact of her actions on her family, the community, and law enforcement. Keith hopes the series will help people understand the truth behind this deception and the challenges her family faced. He believes sharing his story can bring closure and a better understanding of the events.

By revisiting the case, the documentary also raises awareness of the consequences of false reports and the strain they put on resources. It highlights the importance of truth and trust in relationships and the devastating effects when these are broken. The series promises to present a gripping story of one of the most shocking hoaxes in recent history.

Leave a Comment