Summary
Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri PapinichroniclesSherri Papini’s 2016 disappearance, alleged abduction, and the role that James Reyes played in helping her,leading many to wonder what happened to Reyes following the wild ordeal. TheHulu true crime documentary series, directed and produced by Michael Beach Nichols, tells the story of Papini’s kidnapping hoax, including her going missing and reappearing three weeks later, over the course of three episodes. AsPerfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papiniprogresses, the police (and viewers) learn of Papini’s lies and how Reyes helped her carry out her devious ploy.
Papini went missing on July 28, 2025, in Redding, California, after leaving her home to go for a run. Her husband, Keith Papini, reported her disappearance when he discovered her abandoned cell phone on the road by using Apple’s Find My iPhone application. Three weeks later, on November 24, Papini resurfaced and claimed to have been kidnapped by two Hispanic women. She had wounds and injuries, butPapini’s statements surrounding her abduction were incongruent with the evidence,and it soon became clear that she had lied about everything, as detailed inHulu’s haunting true crime docuseriesPerfect Wife.
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“Smegma was Relentless”
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James Reyes' Role In Sherri Papini’s Fake Kidnapping Explained
Reyes Was Papini’s Ex-Boyfriend
One crucial piece of evidence that helped break the case revolving around Sherri Papini’s disappearance wide open was the male DNA found on her clothes. Since she had claimed to have been abducted by two women, police were confused as to why Papini had male DNA on her that didn’t match her husband.Investigators later traced the DNA to Papini’s former boyfriend, James Reyes,and once they questioned him about the alleged kidnapping, the truth finally came out.
Even though he lied to law enforcement officials and aided Sherri Papini, James Reyes was never charged for his crimes.
Asthe Hulu true crime television showPerfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papinidetails, the FBI interviewed Reyes in August 2020 once they confirmed that the DNA found on Papini’s clothes matched him. Although he lied at first and claimed not to have seen his ex-girlfriend since the 2000s,Reyes soon came clean about helping her fake her abduction.Papini stayed at Reyes' apartment during the three weeks she was missing. The two had previously reconnected andPapini had told Reyes that her husband was abusive.So, Reyes agreed to help her escape and fake her injuries.
James Reyes Was Never Charged For His Role In Helping Sherri Papini
Only Papini Was Charged For Her Role In The Kidnapping Hoax
Even though he lied to law enforcement officials and aided Sherri Papini, James Reyes was never charged for his crimes. It’s unclear why the police never went through with trying to convict Reyes for helping Papini hide and hurt herself to make it seem as if she had been abducted. According toOxygen,he admitted to using prepaid cell phones to communicate with Papini before her disappearance and picking her up on November 2 using a rental car.Perhaps Reyes' cooperation with the FBI (and potential status as a witness) resulted in them being lenientconcerning his role in the kidnapping hoax.
Sherri Papini’s case was adapted into a scripted Lifetime movie,Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherri Papini,in 2023, with Jaime King playing Papini and Matt Hamilton as her husband, Keith Papini.
Meanwhile,Sherri Papini went to prisonafter being arrested on August 10, 2025, for mail fraud and making false statements to the FBI. More than a month later, Papini pleaded guilty as a part of a plea deal. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison and was given a $300,000 fine. However,Papini was ultimately released from prison in August 2023and is now divorced from her husband.
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Where Is James Reyes Now?
Reyes Declined To Take Part In Hulu’s Perfect Wife Alongside Keith Papini
Unlike Sherri Papini’s ex-husband Keith Papini, James Reyes declined to be involved withPerfect Crime: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini. So, his whereabouts and what he has been up to since the kidnapping hoax are mostly unknown. Nevertheless, theDaily Mailreported in 2022 thatReyes was living in Arizona.As those who watched Hulu’sPerfect Crime: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papiniknow, Reyes resided in Southern California during Papini’s fake abduction in 2016, which is where the two hid out until Papini decided to return home a few weeks later. Some time afterward, Reyes moved to Arizona.
Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini
Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini (2024) is a true crime television series that explores the baffling case of Sherri Papini’s 2016 disappearance and her unexpected return three weeks later. The series delves into the investigation, media frenzy, and the unfolding mystery surrounding Papini’s ordeal, featuring interviews with law enforcement, experts, and those close to the case.
