Shocking New Doc Reveals James Reyes’ Quiet Life After Sherri Papini’s Kidnapping Hoax

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In a rare interview, Sherri Papini is speaking out almost a full decade since her alleged kidnapping hoax. In the recently released documentary series titled “Caught in the Lie,” she now asserts that her abductor was none other than her former boyfriend, James Reyes.

On November 2nd, 2016, Sherri Papini disappeared during a run close to her residence in Redding, California. Her husband, Keith Papini, along with their two kids, were filled with apprehension, leading to a wide-scale search across the nation. Twenty-two days later, she reappeared. She was found shackled, severely underweight, covered in bruises and burn marks, and had been burned with an identifying mark.

For quite some time, she maintained that her abductors were two Hispanic females whom she referred to as Smegma and Taint in her personal account of the event. However, the FBI found inconsistencies in her narrative, and it wasn’t until March 2022 that she was taken into custody. Ultimately, authorities discovered she had been residing at her former boyfriend’s residence, coercing him to assist her in causing herself harm.

In a plea agreement, she acknowledged her involvement in the fraud, leading to an 18-month prison sentence and a requirement to pay $300,000. Yet, in ID’s latest true crime documentary series, she alleges that Reyes was actually the instigator of the events.

Where is James Reyes now?

In their investigation for Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie, the producers hired a private detective who traced Reyes to Nogales, Arizona, where it was discovered that he now leads a peaceful life, taking care of his elderly grandfather who is 95 years old.

In the new documentary, Papini admitted to falsely claiming she had been kidnapped because she believed that Reyes’ mother was Hispanic. However, the private investigator found out that Reyes’ mother is actually Irish, a fact that contradicts Papini’s earlier statements.

Instead of directly informing the police that Reyes had kidnapped her, she chose to hint at his identity indirectly. She believed that describing the resemblance of his mother would provide them with a subtle clue, hopefully leading them to him.

Law enforcement questioned Reyes following the discovery of his DNA on Papini, along with the revelation that she had previously visited his residence. In response, he clarified that she had deceived him about her husband, Keith, by falsely accusing him of abuse.

Additionally, he declared that either Papini self-inflicted her wounds or persuaded him into assisting her. In the month of August 2020, on the verge of Sherri’s last conversation with authorities, he underwent a polygraph test and successfully passed each inquiry.

After his interviews, it was determined that he was not at fault for any misdeeds. Peter French, a former FBI special agent who worked on the case, shared, “I even communicated with the person responsible for the investigation.

The person who performed the test attended the same institution as me, known for its tough curriculum in preparing polygraph examiners. This professional confirmed he had passed the test.

The tale that fellow presented seemed reliable because it could be verified, in contrast to others who have provided multiple versions without any supporting evidence.

When truth is spoken, there are verifiable details that strengthen its credibility. On the other hand, fabricated stories lack these tangible evidences, making them difficult to either confirm or deny. Simply put, it is what it is. And, in the case of Sherri Papini’s statements, it seems challenging to find corroborating evidence.

Instead of saying “She had four years when she could’ve said…”, we can rephrase it as “For four years after the events took place, there was an opportunity for her to explain her actions, but she never did so.” And instead of “She never said that,” we can say “She chose not to share this reason.” This way, the sentence becomes more natural and easy to read.

Watch the first two episodes of “Sherri Papini: Exposed” right now on Max, with episodes three and four set to air on Tuesday, May 27th, from 9-11pm Eastern and Pacific Time, on Investigation Discovery (ID) and Max.

To stay updated on the latest in true crime, explore the reasons behind Fred West’s need for a designated adult, the revised sentencing of the Menendez brothers, and find out about the current whereabouts of Molly Martens.

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2025-05-27 11:48