Where is Keith Papini Now from Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherri Papini on Lifetime

Where is Keith Papini Now?

In 2023, Lifetime was back with an all new lineup of “ripped from the headlines” original movies. One was called Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherri Papini. The movie was based off a young blonde mother named Sherri Papini. She lived a picture perfect life with her husband and two young children in a beautiful home – that is, until she was kidnapped. We are ready to answer your questions – where is her husband, Keith Papini now and what happened to her family?

Who is Sherri Papini?

Sherri Papini was a young 34 year old mom of two from California at the time of her disappearance. When she went out for a jog in her hometown of Redding, California – she was snatched. Three weeks later, she reappeared on Thanksgiving Day. Per interviews with police and officials, she stated that she was kidnapped while out jogging by two hispanic women and then chained up for weeks against her will. However, this was all discovered to be false – a made up story. Instead, she ran away with an ex-boyfriend.

Her maiden name was Sherri Graeff and she was born on June 11, 1982. She and her ex-husband Keith married in October of 2009.

Sherri Papini, Keith Papini with their two children during ABC 20/20 The Vanishing Act

Where is Keith Papini Now?

Keith Papini first discovered his wife was missing when he came home from his job at Best Buy and could not locate Sherri. He then discovered her cell phone and ear buds in the jogging trail close to their home.

He was always cooperative in the investigation and held no prior knowledge of his wife’s plan to escape. He is the father of Tyler and Violet Papini who are now 8 and 10 years old. Keith filed for divorce from Sherri in April 2022 at 39 years old, 6 years after the whole disappearance claim.

Keith Papini speaking to 20/20 on ABC during “The Vanishing Act”

Keith told People Magazine that he was “in shock” after learning about Sherri’s kidnapping hoax. “Do you think I want her anywhere around my kids or around me at all at this point?” he said to investigators.

Keith has kept himself out of the spotlight, trying to maintain a normal lifestyle as he raises his children in California.

Where is Sherri Papini’s Ex-Boyfriend Now?

In the Lifetime movie, they depicted Sherri’s boyfriend as Chris. However, her real life ex-boyfriend’s name was James Reyes.

James hid the mom of two in his California apartment during her staged disappearance in 2016. The two dated back in 2006. However, when they reconnected in 2015, Sherri was looking for him to rescue her and help her escape. James was quoted as saying “I got myself into a real dinger by helping this girl.”

Now appearing to live in Arizona, he was spotted by the Daily Mail for the first time since the trials. James was outside cleaning his car and now lives in a very small town in Arizona with his 92 year old grandfather.

James Reyes, Sherri Papini’s ex-boyfriend on ABC’s 20/20 The Vanishing Act