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Writer's pictureElexyia Hollon

The kidnapping of Sherri Papini

It started with a beautiful blond out for a run on November 2nd of 2016. It ended with her being found on the side of the road 3 weeks later on Thanksgiving Day. Was she a victim or was she in on the plan from the start?? You decide.


On November 2nd 2016, Sherri's husband Keith came home from work to find that Sherri had never picked their kids up from daycare which was VERY unusual. She was defined as a wonderful mother whose kids were the center of her world. Her car was in the driveway but she was nowhere to be found. After looking for about 2 hours around the neighborhood he decided to use the "Find My Iphone" app and was led to a location about 1 mile from their home. The Iphone was laying on the side of the road in perfect condition with her headphones placed on top. There were a few strands of her long blond hair entangled in them. This will be one of the most controversial pieces of this case because the public and some news outlets felt that her phone was "placed" this way. This would also lead many to believe that either Sherri or Keith had orchestrated the kidnapping.


From the start, Keith proclaimed he was innocent and was very emotional when speaking with the news and detectives. He also passed a polygraph test. The police even after this polygraph still felt that he could be involved somehow, but had no proof.


In the very early hours of Thanksgiving morning on November 24th 2016, a woman was driving down the road and noticed what she first thought was a child trying to get someone's attention waving a white plastic bag. As the woman got upon the subject in the road, she realized it was a woman. A very small woman. She was afraid to stop and pick her up so she did call 911.


Sherri was 87 pounds when she was found. Emaciated, bound by chains, covered in bruises in various states of healing, a broken nose, and she had had her blond hair chopped off. She also was branded on her shoulder. The branding itself was never revealed. According to Sherri, she was abducted by two hispanic women. She was unable to give police much information on her captors and where she was taken. She states at the end of of her captivity , she did hear them arguing and then a gunshot.


Not much DNA evidence was found. No female DNA but a but of male DNA. This case has been an enigma. The public is divided. Some of the theories that are circulating are: Keith had her kidnapped and could not follow through with whatever he had planned for her, Sherri was feeling unappreciated by her husband and staged this kidnapping. Note: At the time of the kidnapping, Sherri was having an affair. The police did speak with the man Sherri was seeing and cleared him almost instantly. Most people believe this theory most of all. And then the last and most far fetched theory is that she was kidnapped due to white privilege because on a website called "skinheads.com", Sherri had written an essay and angered other races. There is no proof of this whatsoever. Just a random theory.


Sherri and her family are very rarely seen now. Every once in a while she gets a photo snapped but are few and far between.


This case is tough for me. I never want to victim shame because that to me is cruel. However, this case to me feels a lot like she had herself "kidnapped" and returned. There is no motive. There was never any demand for a ransom. She was having an affair and feeling like her husband did not appreciate her. She wanted him to notice her. I think she wanted him to know what it would feel like to miss her. Be without her. This is just my opinion.


What is your opinion? What do you think really happened to Sherri Papini? Victim or clever , bored, housewife??? No one was ever convicted and no suspects have emerged.


Until next time on Cuppa Crime.....



Site Sources:

Women in Crime Podcast-Sherri Papini story.





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