HOAX: The Sherri Papini Story

On November 2, 2016, Sherri Papini, a young mother of two kids in Redding, California, went out for a jog...and vanished. As law enforcement begin to hunt for clues, her worried husband shares the story of her disappearance with the media, prompting a mysterious anonymous donor to come forward and offer a “reverse ransom” in an effort to get Sherri released. The donor taps a self-described “abduction expert” to negotiate with Sherri’s alleged captors as days tick by and the case heats up. But, just as things look bleak, a major new twist develops three weeks after Sherri first went missing...

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Audio clips featured in this episode can be found here:

1. Keith Papini’s 911 call: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/25/sherri-papini-abduction-911-audio-sketches-released/&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1656435630625589&usg=AOvVaw2clzQ5d-fBYTdyKwV57WPs

0:00-01:13

2. Sheila Koester and Suzanne Papini interview with Redding Record Searchlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8QBYrb3gN4

01:24-01:49 and 02:58-03:15

3. Keith Papini interview with KRCR-TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym3ruN0ClDU

0:09-0:19

4. Anonymous donor interview with Chris Hansen and Crime Watch Daily: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpUMv_KoXow

04:31-04:42 and 05:30-05:34

5. Dispatcher call (via ABC News): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHrctetjw2g&t=118s

4:01-4:10

6. Sheriff Tom Bosenko press conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpUMv_KoXow

07:52-08:00

Sources for this episode:

1. Redding Record Searchlight: https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2022/03/03/sherri-papini-kidnapping-timeline-arrest/9368973002/

https://archive.redding.com/news/crime/Sheriff-Sherri-Papinis-husband-passes-lie-detector-test-400619061.html/

2. The Sacramento Bee: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article113409723.html

3. The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-shady-hostage-negotiator-at-the-center-of-sherri-papinis-abduction

4. Mercury News: https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/25/sherri-papini-abduction-911-audio-sketches-released

Credits:

Created by:

Jessica Devine and Abby Schreiber

Written and hosted by:

Abby Schreiber

Executive produced by:

Elena Murdock

Sound design and editing by:

Gus Hurteau with additional help from Jacob Stein and Jason Rabinowitz at The Pop Ups Studios

Original art by:

Keitha McClocklin

Graphics by:

Katherine Deck

After years go by with little news about Sherri’s case, law enforcement makes a huge breakthrough that blows everything wide open. When DNA from the clothing Sherri was wearing in captivity shows that it belonged to an unknown male, the police use some of the same methods used to crack cold cases like the “Golden State Killer” and ultimately trace the sample to Sherri Papini’s ex-boyfriend. After authorities interview the Ex, they learn a stunning revelation: Sherri’s kidnapping was all made up...

Our Sponsors:

1. Betterhelp Try BetterHelp online therapy! HOAX listeners get 10% off their first month. Betterhelp.com/HOAX
2. June's Journey Download June’s Journey on the app store and start playing for free today!

Audio clips featured in this episode can be found here:

1. Good Morning America interview with Sheriff Michael Johnson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxa0wkOCEj0

3:25-3:42 and 3:59-4:37

1. Sound bite from Sherri’s lawyer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt8wnIP7RfM

0:54-1:02

Sources for this episode:

1. Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jvchamary/2020/06/30/genetic-genealogy-golden-state-killer/?sh=487192cc5a6d
2. Department of Justice / United States District Court: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/press-release/file/1479901/download
3. Good Morning America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxa0wkOCEj0

Credits:

Created by:

Jessica Devine and Abby Schreiber

Follow Abby Schreiber at @abbyschreiber28 and Jessica Devine/CAKE Media at @cakemediastudio on Instagram

Written and hosted by:

Abby Schreiber

Executive produced by:

Elena Murdock

Sound design and editing by:

Gus Hurteau

Original art by:

Keitha McClocklin

Graphics by:

Katherine Deck

As investigators continue to look into Sherri’s case, new details emerge about her life before she went missing. Her past includes a first husband, problems with her parents over the years, and a shocking rumor that she once posted on a white supremacist message board. With this new information, will investigators be able to track down her captors? Or will they conclude that the whole thing was made up?

Our Sponsors:

1. Betterhelp Try BetterHelp online therapy! HOAX listeners get 10% off their first month. Betterhelp.com/HOAX
2. June's Journey Download June’s Journey on the app store and start playing for free today!

Audio clips featured in this episode can be found here:

1. Inside Edition interview with Sherri’s ex-boyfriend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0gjVZRtKBU

00:06-00:16, 00:41-00:57, and 1:01-02:35

Sources for this episode:

1. People Magazine: https://people.com/crime/sherri-papini-missing-racist-letter-online/
2. Department of Justice / United States District Court: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/press-release/file/1479901/download
3. The Sacramento Bee: ​​https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article141599034.html
4. City of Redding: https://www.cityofredding.org/about-us/living-in-redding
5. TIME https://time.com/6729/10-cities-where-violent-crime-is-soaring/
6. Courier-Journal: https://www.courier-journal.com/in-depth/news/crime/2021/12/17/mexican-drug-cartels-move-in-on-californias-shadow-marijuana-industry/6036056001/
7. Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3980270/Sheriff-s-office-investigating-bizarre-blog-spewing-hatred-against-Latinos-purportedly-written-kidnapped-mom-two-Sherri-Papini-ex-husband-says-malicious-prank-isn-t-racist.html
8. Inside Edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0gjVZRtKBU
9. ABC News: https://abcnews.go.com/US/mother-super-mom-sherri-papini-told-police-daughter/story?id=46477176
10. The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/the-long-american-history-of-missing-white-woman-syndrome
11. New York Post: https://nypost.com/2020/11/18/convicted-killer-susan-smith-could-be-free-in-2024/

Credits:

Created by:

Jessica Devine and Abby Schreiber

Written and hosted by:

Abby Schreiber

Executive produced by:

Elena Murdock

Sound design and editing by:

Gus Hurteau

Original art by:

Keitha McClocklin

Graphics by:

Katherine Deck

After Sherri is unexpectedly found on the side of the road, her family is overjoyed by her return. But their happiness quickly turns to horror when they see what’s happened to her: she’s apparently been burned, beaten up, and branded. After law enforcement interviews Sherri about her ordeal, new—and surprising—details emerge about her alleged abductors and her time in captivity.

Our Sponsors:

1. Betterhelp Try BetterHelp online therapy! HOAX listeners get 10% off their first month. Betterhelp.com/HOAX
2. June's Journey Download June’s Journey on the app store and start playing for free today!

Audio clips featured in this episode can be found here:

1. Dispatcher call (via ABC News): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHrctetjw2g&t=118s

4:01-4:10

1. Sheriff Tom Bosenko press conference 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpUMv_KoXow

07:52-08:00

1. Sheriff Tom Bosenko press conference 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF_uUk-AZ5E

3:44-4:01

1. Sheriff Tom Bosenko press conference 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5Yl9rMbUEo

00:35-00:57 and 2:15-3:27

1. Anonymous donor interview with Chris Hansen and Crime Watch Daily: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAVNmPJycI8

04:31-04:42 and 05:30-05:34

Sources for this episode:

1. The Sacramento Bee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAVNmPJycI8
2. ABC News/Good Morning America: https://abcnews.go.com/US/gma-exclusive-husband-sherri-papini-speaks-familys-ordeal/story?id=43840659
3. Yahoo: https://au.news.yahoo.com/she-lived-through-hell-sherri-papini-skips-town-with-family-after-alleged-abduction-33429788.html
4. Detroit Free Press: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/10/25/sherri-papini-abduction-california/799533001/
5. ABC 7 Chicago: https://abc7chicago.com/sherri-papini-branded-keith-what-happened-to/1630521/
6. People: https://people.com/crime/sherri-papini-abduction-mystery-man-michigan/

Credits:

Created by:

Jessica Devine and Abby Schreiber

Written and hosted by:

Abby Schreiber

Executive produced by:

Elena Murdock

Sound design and editing by:

Gus Hurteau

Original art by:

Keitha McClocklin

Graphics by:

Katherine Deck