1 00:00:14,047 --> 00:00:15,648 >>> I'M LESTER HOLT. 2 00:00:15,648 --> 00:00:20,887 TONIGHT ON "DATELINE" -- NEW DETAILS IN THE INFAMOUS CASE 3 00:00:20,887 --> 00:00:24,591 OF CALIFORNIA MOM SHERRI PAPINI. WAS SHE THE VICTIM OF A 4 00:00:24,591 --> 00:00:30,363 HARROWING KIDNAPPING OR THE MASTERMIND OF AN ELABORATE HOAX? 5 00:00:30,363 --> 00:00:35,602 >> VERY VERY STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES. 6 00:00:35,602 --> 00:00:36,670 HER HANDS SHACKLED AND HER HAIR HAD BEEN CHOPPED OFF 7 00:00:36,670 --> 00:00:38,238 >> IT APPEARED THAT SHE HAD BEEN TORTURED, BRANDED. 8 00:00:38,238 --> 00:00:42,409 >> I'VE NEVER SEEN A VICTIM ACT LIKE SHE ACTED THAT DAY. 9 00:00:42,409 --> 00:00:43,977 >> TONIGHT, INSIDE THIS BAFFLING CASE 10 00:00:43,977 --> 00:00:45,145 >> Reporter: CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT WHAT STATE SHE WAS 11 00:00:45,145 --> 00:00:48,715 IN >> SHE WAS CRYING. 12 00:00:48,715 --> 00:00:51,317 SHE WAS SCREAMING. >> A LOT OF INJURIES, BRUISES ON 13 00:00:51,317 --> 00:00:54,487 TOP OF BRUISES >> INVESTIGATORS SPEAK OUT IN 14 00:00:54,487 --> 00:00:56,556 DEPTH FOR THE FIRST TIME >> Reporter: DID SHE TELL YOU 15 00:00:56,556 --> 00:01:00,760 HOW SHE GOT THE BRAND? >> SHE DID 16 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:02,862 >> TWO FEMALE CAPTORS CAME INTO THE ROOM, HELD HER DOWN AGAINST 17 00:01:02,862 --> 00:01:05,465 A TABLE. >> SHE DESCRIBED THE PAIN, THE 18 00:01:05,465 --> 00:01:09,135 BURNING, THE CRACKLING, THE SMELLS 19 00:01:09,135 --> 00:01:10,270 >> YOU DON'T THINK PEOPLE ARE CAPABLE OF STUFF LIKE THIS 20 00:01:10,270 --> 00:01:14,908 YOU SEE THIS AND YOU GO, "NO, THIS COULD NOT BE TRUE." 21 00:01:14,908 --> 00:01:31,157 >> THE SHERRI PAPINI CASE IS TAKING US ON A VERY TWISTY, 22 00:01:31,157 --> 00:01:34,794 WINDY, BUMPY ROAD. >> HERE'S KEITH MORRISON WITH 23 00:01:34,794 --> 00:01:38,465 "THE CURIOUS CASE OF SHERRI PAPINI. 24 00:01:38,465 --> 00:01:41,101 >> Reporter: HOW IN THE WORLD DID SHE GET HERE 25 00:01:41,101 --> 00:01:42,669 >> SHERRI. HEY, SHERRI. 26 00:01:42,669 --> 00:01:46,840 >> Reporter: HER NAME IS SHERRI PAPINI. 27 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:53,113 AND TONIGHT YOU'LL HEAR IT ALL, BOTH THE STORY SHE TOLD AND THE 28 00:01:53,113 --> 00:01:55,715 TRUTH. >> THIS WHOLE CASE HAS BEEN 29 00:01:55,715 --> 00:01:59,352 ABOUT CALCULATED DECEPTION, LIES, AND MISDIRECTION 30 00:01:59,352 --> 00:02:01,621 >> Reporter: A MIND-BENDING MYSTERY THAT WOULD TAKE YEARS TO 31 00:02:01,621 --> 00:02:04,624 SOLVE. AND THEY DID 32 00:02:04,624 --> 00:02:06,760 HAVE YOU EVER HEARD SUCH A THING IN YOUR LIFE BEFORE? 33 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:08,862 >> NO, NOT EVEN KIND OF. >> Reporter: WITH DETAILS 34 00:02:08,862 --> 00:02:11,798 THEY'RE REVEALING FOR THE FIRST TIME 35 00:02:11,798 --> 00:02:15,902 >> THERE WAS A CHAIN AROUND HER WAIST, AND SHE WAS ZIP-TIED TO 36 00:02:15,902 --> 00:02:18,271 THE CHAIN. HE WOULD SHOOT HOCKEY PUCKS OFF 37 00:02:18,271 --> 00:02:20,907 OF HER LEGS AND SHINS. HE WAS WILLIN' TO DO ANYTHING 38 00:02:20,907 --> 00:02:22,542 FOR HER. >> Reporter: SHERRI PAPINI WAS 39 00:02:22,542 --> 00:02:26,146 THE VICTIM, SO WE HEARD, OF A TERRIBLE CRIME 40 00:02:26,146 --> 00:02:27,347 >> I'M, LIKE, TOTALLY FREAKING OUT THINKING, LIKE, SOMEBODY, 41 00:02:27,347 --> 00:02:30,417 LIKE, GRABBED HER. >> WHAT'S HER -- 42 00:02:30,417 --> 00:02:33,987 >> Reporter: SNATCHED FROM HER HOME 43 00:02:33,987 --> 00:02:35,555 HER FAMILY >> WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A 44 00:02:35,555 --> 00:02:40,293 PREDATOR IN THE AREA IT WAS A REALLY SCARY TIME 45 00:02:40,293 --> 00:02:41,861 >> Reporter: A WHOLE CITY ON EDGE AS DETECTIVES HUNTED FOR A 46 00:02:41,861 --> 00:02:46,566 CRIMINAL >> EVERYONE WAS A SUSPECT. 47 00:02:46,566 --> 00:02:50,937 >> Reporter: THEN, THREE WEEKS LATER, VOILA 48 00:02:50,937 --> 00:02:53,907 BATTERED AND BRUISED, BUT BACK >> WE ARE VERY ECSTATIC TO 49 00:02:53,907 --> 00:02:57,577 REPORT THAT SHERRI PAPINI HAS BEEN LOCATED 50 00:02:57,577 --> 00:03:01,781 >> Reporter: LUCKY TO BE ALIVE OR SO IT SEEMED. 51 00:03:01,781 --> 00:03:04,050 >> THEY STARTED THE -- TO LET US GET A TRICKLE OF -- OF HER SIDE 52 00:03:04,050 --> 00:03:06,486 OF THE STORY AND HOW THEY CHOPPED OFF HER HAIR 53 00:03:06,486 --> 00:03:12,258 AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE 54 00:03:12,258 --> 00:03:13,960 >> Reporter: BIG NEWS IN TOWN. >> ANY STORY WITH THE WORD 55 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:19,599 "SHERRI PAPINI" IN THE HEADLINE WAS THE TOP STORY FOR WEEKS. 56 00:03:19,599 --> 00:03:22,202 >> Reporter: SHE OFFERED CLUES AND THE INVESTIGATION GOT 57 00:03:22,202 --> 00:03:24,838 BIGGER >> SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOIN' 58 00:03:24,838 --> 00:03:27,807 HERE >> Reporter: ALL LEADING TO THIS 59 00:03:27,807 --> 00:03:30,076 REMARKABLE MOMENT OUTSIDE A FEDERAL COURTHOUSE 60 00:03:30,076 --> 00:03:36,883 >> SHERRI. HEY, SHERRI. 61 00:03:36,883 --> 00:03:39,085 >> Reporter: IT WAS ALMOST 5 1/2 YEARS AGO WHEN THE WORLD 62 00:03:39,085 --> 00:03:42,622 FIRST HEARD THE NAME SHERRI PAPINI. 63 00:03:42,622 --> 00:03:48,395 HER SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE HER MIRACULOUS REAPPEARANCE. 64 00:03:48,395 --> 00:03:50,397 HOW TERRIBLE, THE SUFFERING SHE ENDURED. 65 00:03:50,397 --> 00:03:54,167 AND HOW WORTHY OF THE FLOOD OF SYMPATHY THAT FOLLOWED 66 00:03:54,167 --> 00:03:56,770 IT WAS QUITE A STORY BUT THE REAL STORY 67 00:03:56,770 --> 00:04:05,145 THAT WAS AS TWISTED AS THEY COME 68 00:04:05,145 --> 00:04:10,383 NOVEMBER 2nd, 2016, WAS A CLEAR, COOL DAY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 69 00:04:10,383 --> 00:04:12,485 CITY OF REDDING. NOT A CLOUD TO BLOCK THE VIEW OF 70 00:04:12,485 --> 00:04:17,757 MOUNT SHASTA OFF IN THE DISTANCE 71 00:04:17,757 --> 00:04:21,428 A PERFECT DAY TO GET OUTSIDE, TAKE A WALK, MAYBE A RUN 72 00:04:21,428 --> 00:04:25,598 THEN, AT 5:51 P.M. WHAT IS YOUR EMERGENCY 73 00:04:25,598 --> 00:04:29,069 >> Reporter: THE CALLER WAS KEITH PAPINI, FATHER OF TWO AND 74 00:04:29,069 --> 00:04:32,405 SHERRI PAPINI'S HUSBAND OF SEVEN YEARS. 75 00:04:32,405 --> 00:04:35,075 >> I JUST GOT HOME FROM WORK AND, UH, MY WIFE WASN'T THERE, 76 00:04:35,075 --> 00:04:37,243 WHICH IS UNUSUAL AND MY KIDS SHOULD'VE BEEN THERE 77 00:04:37,243 --> 00:04:39,746 BY NOW FROM, LIKE, DAY CARE. SO I WAS LIKE, "OH, MAYBE SHE 78 00:04:39,746 --> 00:04:43,950 WENT ON A WALK." >> Reporter: SERGEANT 79 00:04:43,950 --> 00:04:47,087 KYLE WALLACE AND CAPTAIN BRIAN JACKSON ARE SHASTA COUNTY 80 00:04:47,087 --> 00:04:48,655 SHERIFF'S DETECTIVES WHAT WERE THE DETAILS OF THE -- 81 00:04:48,655 --> 00:04:52,859 OF IT AS YOU FIRST HEARD THEM THAT EVENING BACK IN 2016? 82 00:04:52,859 --> 00:04:55,995 >> KEITH PAPINI ARRIVED HOME SHERRI'S CAR WAS IN THE 83 00:04:55,995 --> 00:04:58,098 DRIVEWAY HE WALKED IN THE HOUSE JUST 84 00:04:58,098 --> 00:04:59,666 ASSUMING THE KIDS AND SHERRI WERE IN THE HOUSE. 85 00:04:59,666 --> 00:05:01,234 HE COULDN'T FIND 'EM HE STARTED LOOKIN' AROUND, 86 00:05:01,234 --> 00:05:04,671 CALLIN' THEIR NAMES THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY 87 00:05:04,671 --> 00:05:06,473 HE WASN'T OVERLY CONCERNED AT FIRST. 88 00:05:06,473 --> 00:05:09,109 HE WAS GOING TO JUST WAIT FOR THEM TO COME HOME IF THEY WERE 89 00:05:09,109 --> 00:05:13,813 ON A WALK. AFTER THAT TIME HAD PASSED, HE 90 00:05:13,813 --> 00:05:14,948 GOT A LITTLE MORE WORRIED. >> SO I CALLED THE DAY CARE TO 91 00:05:14,948 --> 00:05:16,950 SEE WHAT TIME SHE PICKED UP THE KIDS 92 00:05:16,950 --> 00:05:20,186 THE KIDS WERE NEVER PICKED UP. SO I GOT FREAKED OUT, SO I HIT, 93 00:05:20,186 --> 00:05:23,456 LIKE, THE FIND MY IPHONE APP THING. 94 00:05:23,456 --> 00:05:25,325 AND IT SAID THAT HER -- IT SHOWED HER PHONE AT, LIKE, THE 95 00:05:25,325 --> 00:05:26,426 END OF OUR DRIVEWAY. >> Reporter: THE END OF THE 96 00:05:26,426 --> 00:05:31,164 PAPINI'S DRIVEWAY IS THE INTERSECTION OF SUNRISE DRIVE 97 00:05:31,164 --> 00:05:34,234 AND OLD OREGON TRAIL KEITH DROVE DOWN, LOOKING FOR 98 00:05:34,234 --> 00:05:36,336 SHERRI'S PHONE >> GOT OUT OF THE CAR, FOUND THE 99 00:05:36,336 --> 00:05:39,472 PHONE IN THE BUSHES. THAT DREW SOME CONCERN 100 00:05:39,472 --> 00:05:40,607 >> I JUST DROVE DOWN THERE, AND I SAW HER PHONE WITH HER 101 00:05:40,607 --> 00:05:43,677 HEADPHONES, BECAUSE SHE STARTED RUNNING AGAIN. 102 00:05:43,677 --> 00:05:47,313 >> Reporter: THE PHONE WAS PLAYING A SONG ON REPEAT, 103 00:05:47,313 --> 00:05:50,483 "EVERYTHING" BY MICHAEL BUBLE. IT HAD BEEN THE PAPINI'S WEDDING 104 00:05:50,483 --> 00:05:53,086 SONG AND SOMETHING WAS TANGLED UP IN 105 00:05:53,086 --> 00:05:54,788 HER EARBUDS. >> IT'S GOT, LIKE, HAIR RIPPED 106 00:05:54,788 --> 00:05:58,858 OUT OF IT, LIKE, IN THE HEADPHONES 107 00:05:58,858 --> 00:06:01,528 >> Reporter: IT LOOKED LIKE SHERRI'S EARBUDS WERE RIPPED 108 00:06:01,528 --> 00:06:06,733 FROM HER, HER BLONDE HAIR ALONG WITH THEM. 109 00:06:06,733 --> 00:06:07,834 KELLI SAAM OF NBC AFFILIATE ACTION NEWS NOW IN CHICO, 110 00:06:07,834 --> 00:06:10,403 CALIFORNIA, REPORTED ON SHERRI PAPINI'S DISAPPEARANCE 111 00:06:10,403 --> 00:06:14,507 FROM THE BEGINNING >> WE HAD A FEW CLUES. 112 00:06:14,507 --> 00:06:16,676 YOU KNOW WE HAD THE PHONE ON THE SIDE OF 113 00:06:16,676 --> 00:06:19,279 THE ROAD AND THOSE FEW STRANDS OF HAIR. 114 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,415 USUALLY, WHEN YOU DEAL WITH THESE MISSING PERSON REPORTS, 115 00:06:22,415 --> 00:06:23,950 YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE LIKE THAT. >> Reporter: SURE. 116 00:06:23,950 --> 00:06:26,353 >> SO IT WAS UNIQUE IN THAT SENSE. 117 00:06:26,353 --> 00:06:29,222 AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT MADE IT SO INTRIGUING. 118 00:06:29,222 --> 00:06:32,926 >> Reporter: IT WAS EXACTLY THE KIND OF A CLUE THAT TERRIFIES A 119 00:06:32,926 --> 00:06:34,461 HUSBAND. >> SO I'M, LIKE, TOTALLY 120 00:06:34,461 --> 00:06:36,596 FREAKING OUT THINKING, LIKE, SOMEBODY, LIKE, GRABBED HER. 121 00:06:36,596 --> 00:06:39,733 >> Reporter: AND THAT'S WHEN HE CALLED YOU GUYS? 122 00:06:39,733 --> 00:06:41,301 OR CALLED THE POLICE, ANYWAY >> YEP 123 00:06:41,301 --> 00:06:44,437 YEP. >> YES 124 00:06:44,437 --> 00:06:45,672 >> Reporter: KEITH'S MOM WENT TO PICK UP THE KIDS FROM DAY CARE 125 00:06:45,672 --> 00:06:49,309 AS DETECTIVES MADE THEIR WAY TO THE SCENE. 126 00:06:49,309 --> 00:06:51,378 THE CASE, JUST THEN, WAS WIDE OPEN 127 00:06:51,378 --> 00:06:56,082 WELL, THIS COULD BE ANYTHING RIGHT? 128 00:06:56,082 --> 00:06:57,684 I MEAN, IT'S ALSO HOW A LOT OF MURDER CASES GET STARTED 129 00:06:57,684 --> 00:06:59,819 YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY SUPPOSEDLY IS MISSING. 130 00:06:59,819 --> 00:07:01,721 THEY FIND A CELL PHONE THE HUSBAND CALLS IN ALL FREAKED 131 00:07:01,721 --> 00:07:04,324 OUT. AND THEN SOMETHING ELSE TURNS 132 00:07:04,324 --> 00:07:08,028 OUT TO BE THE CAUSE OF IT ALL. DID YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT OTHER 133 00:07:08,028 --> 00:07:10,096 POSSIBILITIES LIKE THAT? >> SO WHEN WE GOT CALLED OUT AND 134 00:07:10,096 --> 00:07:12,198 WE JUST TRIED TO FIGURE OUT AND LOOK AT IT 135 00:07:12,198 --> 00:07:14,300 YOU STARTED BROAD UNTIL YOU CAN START GETTING SOME ANSWERS TO 136 00:07:14,300 --> 00:07:16,036 SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. >> Reporter: BUT, OF COURSE, 137 00:07:16,036 --> 00:07:23,176 THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS COMING 138 00:07:23,176 --> 00:07:27,380 DID THEY >>> WHEN WE COME BACK, THE 139 00:07:27,380 --> 00:07:31,051 ALL-OUT SEARCH FOR SHERRI. >> SHE IS CONSIDERED MISSING AND 140 00:07:31,051 --> 00:07:33,119 AT RISK. >> EVERY POSSIBILITY WAS ALWAYS 141 00:07:33,119 --> 00:07:35,221 ON THE TABLE >> THEY SAID SHE WAS A WONDERFUL 142 00:07:35,221 --> 00:07:37,824 WIFE THIS WAS SOMEONE WHO WOULD NOT 143 00:07:37,824 --> 00:07:40,460 LEAVE WILLINGLY. >> Reporter: WHAT WAS THE STATE 144 00:07:40,460 --> 00:07:44,664 OF THEIR MARRIAGE? >> EVERYBODY HAD AN OPINION ON 145 00:07:44,664 --> 00:07:45,198 >> EVERYBODY HAD AN OPINION ON WHAT THEIR RELATIONSHIP WAS. 146 00:08:01,481 --> 00:08:06,686 "SUPER MOM." SHERRI PAPINI. 147 00:08:06,686 --> 00:08:09,322 DEVOTED WIFE DOTING MOTHER. 148 00:08:09,322 --> 00:08:11,424 >> EVERY STORY, THAT WE HEARD, "SHE'S A GREAT MOM," SHE'S 149 00:08:11,424 --> 00:08:15,795 PHYSICALLY FIT SHE LIKES TO JOG." 150 00:08:15,795 --> 00:08:18,798 >> Reporter: SHE'D LIVED PRACTICALLY HER WHOLE LIFE IN 151 00:08:18,798 --> 00:08:21,868 REDDING -- FROM BIRTH THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL TO THE DAY SHE 152 00:08:21,868 --> 00:08:24,037 DISAPPEARED. SHERRI KNEW KEITH PAPINI SINCE 153 00:08:24,037 --> 00:08:27,107 CHILDHOOD. THEY EVEN KISSED IN JUNIOR HIGH. 154 00:08:27,107 --> 00:08:29,743 IN A BLOG LEADING UP TO THEIR WEDDING, SHERRI GUSHED ABOUT HER 155 00:08:29,743 --> 00:08:33,380 FIANCE -- "KEITH" SHE WROTE, "CONTINUES TO 156 00:08:33,380 --> 00:08:36,649 SURPRISE ME. HE CONTINUES TO DO LITTLE THINGS 157 00:08:36,649 --> 00:08:41,287 THAT LIGHT ME UP AND MAKE ME GROW MORE AND MORE IN LOVE WITH 158 00:08:41,287 --> 00:08:46,059 HIM. THEY MARRIED IN 2009 159 00:08:46,059 --> 00:08:47,627 PHOTO AFTER ROMANTIC PHOTO >> THERE WERE THOSE BEAUTIFUL 160 00:08:47,627 --> 00:08:52,265 FAMILY PHOTOS. SHERRI PAPINI, I THINK, LOOKED 161 00:08:52,265 --> 00:08:53,833 TO A LOT OF FOLKS LIKE THE GIRL NEXT DOOR. 162 00:08:53,833 --> 00:08:58,571 SHE WAS VERY RELATABLE PEOPLE THOUGHT, "THAT COULD BE 163 00:08:58,571 --> 00:09:01,074 MY SISTER. >> Reporter: SO WHEN SHERRI 164 00:09:01,074 --> 00:09:04,344 VANISHED, HER FAMILY REACHED OUT TO LOCAL NEWSROOMS, AND SENT 165 00:09:04,344 --> 00:09:07,013 THOSE ENCHANTING PHOTOS. >> FAMILY OR FRIENDS THAT 166 00:09:07,013 --> 00:09:15,321 EMAILED OUR NEWSROOM WITH A PICTURE -- COUPLE PICTURES, 167 00:09:15,321 --> 00:09:16,523 SAYING, "SHERRI PAPINI, AGE, HEIGHT, WEIGHT, WENT MISSING ON 168 00:09:16,523 --> 00:09:19,025 AN AFTERNOON JOG, AND THIS IS NOT LIKE HER 169 00:09:19,025 --> 00:09:21,127 >> YOU DON'T REALIZE THAT IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOUR FAMILY. 170 00:09:21,127 --> 00:09:25,565 >> Reporter: SHERRI'S SISTER, SHEILA, MADE A PUBLIC PLEA FOR 171 00:09:25,565 --> 00:09:27,400 HELP >> I HOPE TO BRING HER HOME. 172 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:32,872 I WOULD JUST LOVE FOR HER TO COME HOME TO HER FAMILY. 173 00:09:32,872 --> 00:09:35,742 >> Reporter: AND OVERNIGHT, CARRIED BY THOSE LOVELY PHOTOS, 174 00:09:35,742 --> 00:09:39,412 IT ALL WENT VIRAL. ELIZABETH PARKER HAS LIVED IN 175 00:09:39,412 --> 00:09:44,651 THE AREA ON & OFF FOR 25 YEARS AND SHE SAID TALK OF SHERRI'S 176 00:09:44,651 --> 00:09:48,321 DISAPPEARANCE WAS EVERYWHERE >> I HEARD ABOUT IT FROM SOCIAL 177 00:09:48,321 --> 00:09:51,591 MEDIA, THAT SHERRI PAPINI WAS MISSING AND THEN THE LOCAL NEWS 178 00:09:51,591 --> 00:09:53,560 STATIONS, AND THEN SHORTLY THEREAFTER IT WAS NATIONAL NEWS. 179 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:56,196 >> IT WAS ALL EVERYBODY COULD TALK ABOUT 180 00:09:56,196 --> 00:09:58,798 >> Reporter: FAR, FAR BEYOND REDDING. 181 00:09:58,798 --> 00:10:02,535 >> THE DESPERATE SEARCH FOR A MISSING SHASTA COUNTY MOTHER 182 00:10:02,535 --> 00:10:04,571 CONTINUES TONIGHT. >> Reporter: SHERRI'S GIRL NEXT 183 00:10:04,571 --> 00:10:06,706 DOOR IMAGE HELPED GENERATE INTENSE INTEREST IN HER 184 00:10:06,706 --> 00:10:08,775 DISAPPEARANCE. A GO FUND ME PAGE WAS SETUP TO 185 00:10:08,775 --> 00:10:15,482 HELP KEITH IT WAS FLOODED WITH MONEY, 186 00:10:15,482 --> 00:10:17,150 $49,000 , ALL TOLD NEIGHBORS AND STRANGERS CAME OUT 187 00:10:17,150 --> 00:10:19,753 TO SEARCH, INCLUDING TRUDY NICKENS OF THE NOR-CAL 188 00:10:19,753 --> 00:10:24,491 ALLIANCE FOR THE MISSING >> I HAVE FIVE DAUGHTERS THAT 189 00:10:24,491 --> 00:10:28,228 LIVE IN THIS COUNTY. AND TO HEAR SOMEBODY WAS TAKEN 190 00:10:28,228 --> 00:10:33,900 OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, JUST IT'S CONCERNING 191 00:10:33,900 --> 00:10:38,104 >> WE JUST SET UP A TABLE, AND PULLED OUT SOME MAPS, AND 192 00:10:38,104 --> 00:10:41,408 STARTED ASSIGNING PEOPLE DIFFERENT AREAS TO SEARCH IN 193 00:10:41,408 --> 00:10:43,877 >> Reporter: MEANWHILE, DETECTIVES SIFTED THROUGH THE 194 00:10:43,877 --> 00:10:47,013 SCANT EVIDENCE THEY HAD. >> EVERY POSSIBILITY WAS ALWAYS 195 00:10:47,013 --> 00:10:50,684 ON THE TABLE WE CHECKED OUT EVERY AVENUE WE 196 00:10:50,684 --> 00:10:52,786 COULD. >> Reporter: FOR EXAMPLE, THEY 197 00:10:52,786 --> 00:10:56,423 WENT THROUGH THE CONTACTS ON SHERRI'S PHONE, AND FOUND OUT 198 00:10:56,423 --> 00:11:00,093 THAT TWO OF THEM, LISTED UNDER WOMEN'S NAMES, WERE REALLY MEN 199 00:11:00,093 --> 00:11:02,696 EX-BOYFRIENDS. THERE WAS ALSO AN EX-HUSBAND 200 00:11:02,696 --> 00:11:04,798 ALL THE MEN IN SHERRI'S LIFE HAD TO BE CHECKED OUT. 201 00:11:04,798 --> 00:11:12,072 INCLUDING THE HUSBAND, I'M ASSUMING 202 00:11:12,072 --> 00:11:13,373 >> ABSOLUTELY. WE TALKED TO KEITH AT LENGTH FOR 203 00:11:13,373 --> 00:11:14,641 SEVERAL DAYS, FOLLOWING NOVEMBER 2nd 204 00:11:14,641 --> 00:11:15,842 >> Reporter: WHAT WAS THE STATE OF THEIR MARRIAGE? 205 00:11:15,842 --> 00:11:17,077 WERE YOU ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT? >> EVERYBODY HAD AN OPINION ON 206 00:11:17,077 --> 00:11:18,345 WHAT THEIR RELATIONSHIP WAS THERE WAS NEVER REALLY ANY 207 00:11:18,345 --> 00:11:23,083 EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT IT WAS A BAD MARRIAGE 208 00:11:23,083 --> 00:11:26,186 >> Reporter: TRUDY NICKENS TALKED TO KEITH WHEN SHE FIRST 209 00:11:26,186 --> 00:11:31,424 ARRIVED. >> HE JUST SEEMED KIND OF IN 210 00:11:31,424 --> 00:11:32,592 SHOCK, JUST, LIKE -- LIKE, YOU KNOW, NOT A LOT OF EMOTION, 211 00:11:32,592 --> 00:11:36,863 JUST, LIKE, COULDN'T BELIEVE IT WAS HAPPENING. 212 00:11:36,863 --> 00:11:37,797 AND TRYING TO DEAL WITH IT THE BEST HE COULD. 213 00:11:37,797 --> 00:11:39,265 >> Reporter: DID HE TAKE A POLYGRAPH? 214 00:11:39,265 --> 00:11:41,368 >> HE DID. >> Reporter: WILLINGLY 215 00:11:41,368 --> 00:11:42,435 HE SORT OF SAID, "YEAH, I'LL TAKE A POLYGRAPH 216 00:11:42,435 --> 00:11:46,639 NO PROBLEM?" >> HE WAS COOPERATIVE , 217 00:11:46,639 --> 00:11:47,907 EVERYBODY WAS COMING OUT TO HIM, SAYIN', YOU KNOW, "THE HUSBAND'S 218 00:11:47,907 --> 00:11:51,444 RESPONSIBLE. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO HIM 219 00:11:51,444 --> 00:11:53,013 THE CIRCUMSTANCES. HE -- IT ALLOWED HIM TO REALLY 220 00:11:53,013 --> 00:11:55,548 JUST, "I WANNA GET MY NAME CLEARED. 221 00:11:55,548 --> 00:11:59,753 >> Reporter: KEITH PAPINI PASSED THAT POLYGRAPH, AND HE HAD AN 222 00:11:59,753 --> 00:12:05,058 ALIBI. THE EX HUSBAND HAD AN ALIBI TOO. 223 00:12:05,058 --> 00:12:06,559 AND INVESTIGATORS TRACKED DOWN EX-BOYFRIENDS, WENT ALL THE WAY 224 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:10,930 TO MICHIGAN TO SPEAK TO ONE OF THEM BECAUSE HE'D JUST VISITED 225 00:12:10,930 --> 00:12:14,934 CALIFORNIA BUT NEITHER HE NOR THE OTHERS 226 00:12:14,934 --> 00:12:18,605 WERE ANYWHERE NEAR REDDING WHEN SHERRI VANISHED ON NOVEMBER 2nd. 227 00:12:18,605 --> 00:12:22,275 THERE WAS ANOTHER THEORY, MAYBE SHERRI JUST WALKED AWAY FROM HER 228 00:12:22,275 --> 00:12:25,445 LIFE BUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE QUASHED 229 00:12:25,445 --> 00:12:29,582 THAT THEORY THEN AND THERE >> SHE IS CONSIDERED MISSING AND 230 00:12:29,582 --> 00:12:32,719 AT RISK. >> THEY SAID SHE WAS A WONDERFUL 231 00:12:32,719 --> 00:12:35,889 WIFE THAT SHE AND HER HUSBAND GOT 232 00:12:35,889 --> 00:12:38,591 ALONG WELL, AND THAT WAS PRETTY CONSISTENT FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT 233 00:12:38,591 --> 00:12:40,894 THEY WERE SAYING FROM THEIR CONVERSATIONS WITH FAMILY AND 234 00:12:40,894 --> 00:12:47,367 FRIENDS, THIS WAS SOMEONE WHO WOULD NOT LEAVE WILLINGLY. 235 00:12:47,367 --> 00:12:49,502 >> KEITH PAPINI WAS IN CRISIS. >> Reporter: CODY SALFEN IS A 236 00:12:49,502 --> 00:12:51,671 PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR KEITH HIRED TO HELP SORT THROUGH INCOMING 237 00:12:51,671 --> 00:12:55,775 TIPS, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF THEM 238 00:12:55,775 --> 00:12:57,344 DID YOU TRY TO TRACK 'EM ALL DOWN 239 00:12:57,344 --> 00:12:58,912 OR WAS IT PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT A LOT OF THEM WERE JUST GONNA GO 240 00:12:58,912 --> 00:13:00,480 NOWHERE? >> A LOT OF THEM WERE -- WERE 241 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:08,655 BOGUS. A LOT OF PEOPLE COME OUT OF THE 242 00:13:08,655 --> 00:13:12,058 WOODWORK THERE WERE PSYCHICS. 243 00:13:12,058 --> 00:13:13,193 THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT -- THAT SAID THEY HAD DREAMS ABOUT 244 00:13:13,193 --> 00:13:14,094 SHERRI PAPINI. >> Reporter: THE MYSTERY OF 245 00:13:14,094 --> 00:13:15,528 SHERRI PAPINI'S DISAPPEARANCE SEEMED TO GROW WITH EACH PASSING 246 00:13:15,528 --> 00:13:17,831 DAY. AS DID LOCAL, UNEASE 247 00:13:17,831 --> 00:13:20,967 EVEN FEAR. THINGS WERE DIFFERENT NOW, IN 248 00:13:20,967 --> 00:13:23,603 REDDING. >> EVERYBODY WAS ON EDGE 249 00:13:23,603 --> 00:13:25,171 YOU DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS SOMEONE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY 250 00:13:25,171 --> 00:13:28,842 IF IT WAS AN OUTSIDER. WE DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS OUR 251 00:13:28,842 --> 00:13:32,812 NEIGHBOR IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE 252 00:13:32,812 --> 00:13:35,915 SCARIEST THINGS FOR A LOT OF NOT ONLY WOMEN, BUT EVERYONE 253 00:13:35,915 --> 00:13:40,387 BECAUSE IT COULD BE YOUR SISTER, IT COULD BE YOUR DAUGHTER. 254 00:13:40,387 --> 00:13:43,089 WE WERE ALL JUST TERRIFIED >> Reporter: AND AS THE THEORIES 255 00:13:43,089 --> 00:13:47,727 MULTIPLIED, ONE CHILLING COINCIDENCE CAME TO THE SURFACE. 256 00:13:47,727 --> 00:13:50,864 >> THE LAST TIME ANYBODY SAW TERA SMITH IT WAS RIGHT HERE ON 257 00:13:50,864 --> 00:13:54,000 THIS REMOTE GRAVEL ROAD. >> Reporter: YEARS BEFORE, 258 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,137 ANOTHER WOMAN HAD VANISHED FROM REDDING. 259 00:13:57,137 --> 00:14:03,410 A WOMAN WHO'D GONE TO THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL AS SHERRI. 260 00:14:03,410 --> 00:14:08,348 AND SHE WAS NOT FOUND. NOT EVER. WHAT DID THAT PORTEND? 261 00:14:08,348 --> 00:14:10,216 >>> COMING UP: >> Reporter: DID YOU CONSIDER 262 00:14:10,216 --> 00:14:13,887 ANY POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN THIS CASE AND THE TERA SMITH CASE 263 00:14:13,887 --> 00:14:17,557 >> YEAH. IT WAS SOMETHIN' THAT WE LOOKED 264 00:14:17,557 --> 00:14:19,092 AT >> OUTWARDLY, IT SEEMS LIKE 265 00:14:19,092 --> 00:14:22,262 THERE'S SOME SIMILARITIES. PERSONALLY, I THOUGHT SHE WAS 266 00:14:22,262 --> 00:14:39,946 PROBABLY GONE FOR GOOD >> Reporter: AS THE CITIZENS OF 267 00:14:39,946 --> 00:14:45,185 REDDING SEARCHED FOR SHERRI PAPINI, TERRY AND 268 00:14:45,185 --> 00:14:50,457 MARILYN SMITH SAW THE NEWS AND THEIR HEARTS WERE TORN OPEN ONCE 269 00:14:50,457 --> 00:14:53,093 AGAIN ABOUT THEIR TERA >> TERA WAS OUR OLDEST 270 00:14:53,093 --> 00:14:56,463 SHE WAS OUR FIRSTBORN. [ LAUGHTER ] 271 00:14:56,463 --> 00:14:58,832 >> SHE JUST LOVED LIFE SHE HAD A LOT OF PASSIONS AND 272 00:14:58,832 --> 00:15:01,434 INTERESTS. HER FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH 273 00:15:01,434 --> 00:15:05,638 SCHOOL, SHE WAS HOMECOMING QUEEN AND ARM- WRESTLING CHAMP 274 00:15:05,638 --> 00:15:10,877 [ LAUGHTER ] >> Reporter: THAT'S A 275 00:15:10,877 --> 00:15:18,451 COMBINATION -- >> Reporter: -- YOU DON'T OFTEN 276 00:15:18,451 --> 00:15:23,590 HEAR ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG AGE OF 16 277 00:15:23,590 --> 00:15:24,724 >> Reporter: AMAZING YOU KNOW, SHE -- SHE WAS ALSO A 278 00:15:24,724 --> 00:15:25,692 PROLIFIC WRITER. WE HAVE VOLUMES AND VOLUMES OF 279 00:15:25,692 --> 00:15:26,626 HER JOURNALS, AND SHE WAS A INTERESTING SOUL 280 00:15:26,626 --> 00:15:29,329 >> Reporter: SHE LOVED HORSES AND BASKETBALL 281 00:15:29,329 --> 00:15:33,533 EVEN TOOK UP TAEKWONDO TERA WAS A STUDENT AT CENTRAL 282 00:15:33,533 --> 00:15:34,768 VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL BACK THEN -- THE SAME SCHOOL SHERRI PAPINI 283 00:15:34,768 --> 00:15:39,806 ATTENDED -- AROUND THE SAME TIME 284 00:15:39,806 --> 00:15:43,743 >> THEY WENT TO THE SAME SCHOOL, BUT THEY WERE NOT FRIENDS OR 285 00:15:43,743 --> 00:15:45,078 ASSOCIATED >> Reporter: AND YET, TWO 286 00:15:45,078 --> 00:15:47,147 ATTRACTIVE WOMEN FROM THE SAME SCHOOL -- WERE THESE RELATED 287 00:15:47,147 --> 00:15:53,086 DISAPPEARANCES OR NOT 288 00:15:53,086 --> 00:15:57,090 IT HAPPENED TO TERA ON AN AUGUST EVENING IN 1998, WHEN SHE WAS 289 00:15:57,090 --> 00:15:58,191 JUST 16. >> TERA WAS GROUNDED THAT DAY. 290 00:15:58,191 --> 00:16:01,261 >> Reporter: DO YOU REMEMBER WHY? 291 00:16:01,261 --> 00:16:05,465 WHY SHE WAS GROUNDED >> I THINK SHE HAD SNUCK OUT 292 00:16:05,465 --> 00:16:06,766 SHE WASN'T ALWAYS -- [ LAUGHTER ] 293 00:16:06,766 --> 00:16:09,669 -- SHE WASN'T THE PERFECT CHILD BY ANY MEANS 294 00:16:09,669 --> 00:16:12,806 SHE WAS KIND OF IMPULSIVE SOMETIMES, DIDN'T ALWAYS THINK 295 00:16:12,806 --> 00:16:13,940 THINGS THROUGH >> Reporter: TERA WAS SUPPOSED 296 00:16:13,940 --> 00:16:19,079 TO HEAD TO WORK AT THE SMITH'S MINI-GOLF BUSINESS 297 00:16:19,079 --> 00:16:23,283 BUT SHE DIDN'T SHOW UP >> SO I CALLED HOME AND HER 298 00:16:23,283 --> 00:16:27,487 LITTLE SISTER SIERRA WAS HERE AND SAID THAT SHE'D GONE JOGGING 299 00:16:27,487 --> 00:16:29,589 >> Reporter: JOGGING MARILYN DROVE AROUND LOOKING FOR 300 00:16:29,589 --> 00:16:32,726 TERA SHE AND TERRY CALLED TERA'S 301 00:16:32,726 --> 00:16:36,396 FRIENDS. NOBODY HAD SEEN HER. 302 00:16:36,396 --> 00:16:40,266 BUT LATER THAT NIGHT - >> A FRIEND CALLED BACK AND 303 00:16:40,266 --> 00:16:45,305 SAID, "I THINK SHE WAS HAVING AN INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH 304 00:16:45,305 --> 00:16:47,474 TROY ZINK. >> Reporter: TROY ZINK, TERA'S 305 00:16:47,474 --> 00:16:51,578 29-YEAR-OLD TAEKWONDO INSTRUCTOR 306 00:16:51,578 --> 00:16:55,749 TERA HAD TALKED TO HER DAD ABOUT TROY BEFORE. 307 00:16:55,749 --> 00:16:57,851 >> SHE STARTED TELLING ME ALL THESE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT HER 308 00:16:57,851 --> 00:17:00,020 MASTER ZINK HAD SHARED WITH HER. AND I REMEMBER FEELING ALMOST A 309 00:17:00,020 --> 00:17:01,621 TINGE OF JEALOUSY. LIKE, "WAIT. THERE'S -- THERE'S 310 00:17:01,621 --> 00:17:07,293 ANOTHER ADULT MAN IN MY YOUNG DAUGHTER'S LIFE. 311 00:17:07,293 --> 00:17:11,865 AND I ALSO REMEMBER FEELING LIKE IT -- "MAYBE THERE'S NOT -- THIS 312 00:17:11,865 --> 00:17:13,566 ISN'T RIGHT. >> Reporter: AFTER TERA 313 00:17:13,566 --> 00:17:17,404 DISAPPEARED, TROY ZINK WAS QUESTIONED EXTENSIVELY 314 00:17:17,404 --> 00:17:21,541 HE TOLD THE POLICE TERA CALLED HIM AT WORK, ASKING TO SEE HIM 315 00:17:21,541 --> 00:17:26,913 HE SAID WHEN HE SHOWED UP SHE ASKED HIM FOR $2000. 316 00:17:26,913 --> 00:17:29,416 HE SAID HE TOLD TERA HE MIGHT LEND HER THE MONEY IF HE KNEW 317 00:17:29,416 --> 00:17:35,555 WHAT IT WAS FOR, AND SHE GOT ANGRY. 318 00:17:35,555 --> 00:17:39,859 HE SAID HE ENDED UP DROPPING HER OFF ON OLD OREGON TRAIL -- THE 319 00:17:39,859 --> 00:17:43,463 SAME ROAD WHERE SHERRI PAPINI'S PHONE WAS FOUND -- AND SHE WENT 320 00:17:43,463 --> 00:17:45,565 JOGGING. >> HE GAVE US THE SAME STORY 321 00:17:45,565 --> 00:17:49,235 THAT HE DROPPED HER OFF ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF FROM OUR HOUSE, 322 00:17:49,235 --> 00:17:55,608 TWO MILE -- THREE MILES FROM OUR HOUSE, AND THEN HAD GONE UP TO A 323 00:17:55,608 --> 00:17:56,543 HILL NEARBY CALLED HANG GLIDER HILL 324 00:17:56,543 --> 00:17:58,144 HE SAYS HE WENT UP TO HANG GLIDER HILL, AND WAS PRAYING FOR 325 00:17:58,144 --> 00:18:01,781 THE LAST FIVE HOURS, AND HAD JUST GOTTEN HOME 326 00:18:01,781 --> 00:18:03,383 >> Reporter: PRAYING >> PRAYING, WHICH -- 327 00:18:03,383 --> 00:18:07,554 >> Reporter: FOR FIVE HOURS? >> RIGHT 328 00:18:07,554 --> 00:18:09,122 >> Reporter: THEN, A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER TERA DISAPPEARED -- 329 00:18:09,122 --> 00:18:11,224 >> WE WERE GOING THROUGH HER THINGS UP IN HER -- IN HER 330 00:18:11,224 --> 00:18:15,428 BEDROOM AND -- AND FOUND THE LETTER 331 00:18:15,428 --> 00:18:18,665 >> Reporter: A LETTER TERA HAD WRITTEN TO TROY TELLING HIM SHE 332 00:18:18,665 --> 00:18:23,169 WANTED TO END THEIR RELATIONSHIP 333 00:18:23,169 --> 00:18:25,372 AND YOU BELIEVE THAT HE -- SHE WAS GOING TO DELIVER A VERSION 334 00:18:25,372 --> 00:18:28,541 OF THAT LETTER TO HIM? >> I THINK ORIGINALLY SHE HAD 335 00:18:28,541 --> 00:18:32,212 WRITTEN IT ALL OUT THINKING SHE WOULD, YEAH, EITHER MAIL IT OR 336 00:18:32,212 --> 00:18:35,849 GIVE IT TO HIM IN PERSON, AND THEN DECIDED SHE WOULD JUST TELL 337 00:18:35,849 --> 00:18:38,485 HIM IN PERSON. >> Reporter: THE SMITHS THOUGHT 338 00:18:38,485 --> 00:18:41,087 ZINK MUST HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH TERA'S DISAPPEARANCE. 339 00:18:41,087 --> 00:18:44,824 AND THEY ONLY BECAME MORE CERTAIN OF IT WHEN THEY LEARNED 340 00:18:44,824 --> 00:18:48,428 THAT HE HAD A CRIMINAL RECORD -- HE HAD SERVED TIME FOR RAPE. 341 00:18:48,428 --> 00:18:52,098 POLICE SEARCHED ZINK'S MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO AND FOUND WEAPONS -- 342 00:18:52,098 --> 00:18:58,405 A VIOLATION OF HIS PAROLE. HE WAS SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS 343 00:18:58,405 --> 00:19:00,907 IN PRISON FOR THAT BUT POLICE NEVER FOUND EVIDENCE 344 00:19:00,907 --> 00:19:05,211 TO PROVE ZINK HARMED TERA, AND HE WAS NEVER CHARGED 345 00:19:05,211 --> 00:19:06,780 HE DENIES ANY INVOLVEMENT. * 346 00:19:06,780 --> 00:19:08,915 >> Reporter: REDDING RALLIED AROUND THE SMITHS AFTER TERA 347 00:19:08,915 --> 00:19:12,552 WENT MISSING VIGILS AND SEARCHES WENT ON FOR 348 00:19:12,552 --> 00:19:15,188 MONTHS A $20,000 REWARD 349 00:19:15,188 --> 00:19:22,529 MEDIA APPEARANCES. ALL OF IT LED NOWHERE. 350 00:19:22,529 --> 00:19:27,767 >> IT WAS A VERY GRADUAL-- PROCESS REALIZING SHE WAS GONE 351 00:19:27,767 --> 00:19:34,074 FROM THE TIME -- WE LOST TERA 'TIL ABOUT FOUR YEARS, I DON'T 352 00:19:34,074 --> 00:19:35,642 HAVE SPECIFIC MEMORIES IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT WAS JUST 353 00:19:35,642 --> 00:19:36,910 SUCH AN OVERWHELMING PART OF OUR CONSCIOUSNESS ALL THE TIME THAT 354 00:19:36,910 --> 00:19:42,682 I DIDN'T HAVE ROOM FOR ANY OTHER MEMORIES 355 00:19:42,682 --> 00:19:45,585 I FEEL LIKE I LOST THOSE YEARS IN SOME WAYS WITH OUR OTHER 356 00:19:45,585 --> 00:19:49,356 KIDS >> Reporter: AND THEN, 18 YEARS 357 00:19:49,356 --> 00:19:53,526 AFTER TERA VANISHED -- >> KEITH PAPINI REPORTED HIS 358 00:19:53,526 --> 00:19:56,062 WIFE, SHERRI, AS A MISSING PERSON WITH SUSPICIOUS 359 00:19:56,062 --> 00:19:59,799 CIRCUMSTANCES. >> IT WAS MAJOR NEWS IN OUR -- 360 00:19:59,799 --> 00:20:00,834 IN OUR SMALL COMMUNITY WE WATCHED IT LIKE EVERYBODY 361 00:20:00,834 --> 00:20:04,437 ELSE >> Reporter: WHAT WERE THE ODDS? 362 00:20:04,437 --> 00:20:08,108 DID YOU CONSIDER ANY POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN THIS CASE AND THE 363 00:20:08,108 --> 00:20:12,812 TERA SMITH CASE? >> YEAH IT WAS SOMETHIN' THAT WE 364 00:20:12,812 --> 00:20:15,982 LOOKED AT. THE DETECTIVES CHECKED TO SEE IF 365 00:20:15,982 --> 00:20:19,853 TROY ZINK HAD AN ALIBI WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH 366 00:20:19,853 --> 00:20:22,789 TROY ZINK, AND HE PROVIDED US INFORMATION WHERE HE WAS, WHICH 367 00:20:22,789 --> 00:20:24,891 WAS CORROBORATED AND WE MOVED ON FROM THAT. 368 00:20:24,891 --> 00:20:29,095 >> Reporter: WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE -- THE FACT THAT THE 369 00:20:29,095 --> 00:20:31,398 COMPARISONS WERE MADE? >> OUTWARDLY, IT SEEMS LIKE 370 00:20:31,398 --> 00:20:34,868 THERE'S SOME SIMILARITIES. OUTWARDLY. 371 00:20:34,868 --> 00:20:38,638 BUT WE DIDN'T EVER -- WE NEVER MADE CORRELATION THAT MAYBE THE 372 00:20:38,638 --> 00:20:41,107 SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO SHERRI HAD HAPPENED TO TERA. 373 00:20:41,107 --> 00:20:43,743 >> Reporter: BUT IF ANYONE COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PAPINI 374 00:20:43,743 --> 00:20:47,347 FAMILY WAS GOING THROUGH, IT WAS CERTAINLY THE SMITHS 375 00:20:47,347 --> 00:20:51,084 KEITH PAPINI WENT TO TERA'S DAD, IN FACT, LOOKING FOR SUPPORT 376 00:20:51,084 --> 00:20:55,822 AND THE SMITHS WERE KEEN TO HELP, BUT THEY WEREN'T 377 00:20:55,822 --> 00:20:59,459 OPTIMISTIC ABOUT SHERRI. >> PERSONALLY, I THOUGHT SHE WAS 378 00:20:59,459 --> 00:21:02,095 PROBABLY GONE FOR GOOD THAT HAD BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE, 379 00:21:02,095 --> 00:21:06,800 YOU KNOW >> Reporter: SO YOU CAN IMAGINE 380 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:11,071 THEIR SURPRISE -- EVERYONE'S SURPRISE - 381 00:21:11,071 --> 00:21:15,742 AT WHAT HAPPENED NEXT. >>> COMING UP -- 382 00:21:15,742 --> 00:21:17,811 >> WE SAW THIS WOMAN FRANTICALLY AND DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET 383 00:21:17,811 --> 00:21:23,083 SOMEONE'S ATTENTION. >> A WOMAN ALONG THE HIGHWAY, 384 00:21:23,083 --> 00:21:46,339 AND AN URGENT CALL TO 911 -- COULD THIS BE SHERRI PAPINI? 385 00:21:46,339 --> 00:21:48,942 >> Reporter: IT WAS EARLY MORNING, THANKSGIVING MORNING. 386 00:21:48,942 --> 00:21:53,113 DARK HOURS BEFORE DAWN. 387 00:21:53,113 --> 00:21:55,715 ALISON SUTTON WAS DRIVING WITH HER DAUGHTER ALONG A RURAL 388 00:21:55,715 --> 00:22:01,654 STRETCH OF INTERSTATE 5, 150 MILES SOUTH OF REDDING 389 00:22:01,654 --> 00:22:06,192 SUDDENLY, IN HER HEADLIGHTS -- WELL, LET HER TELL IT. 390 00:22:06,192 --> 00:22:10,397 >> WE SAW THIS WOMAN WHO WAS ALMOST OUT IN 70-MILE-AN-HOUR 391 00:22:10,397 --> 00:22:12,499 TRAFFIC. SHE WAS SO FRANTICALLY AND 392 00:22:12,499 --> 00:22:16,670 DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET SOMEONE'S ATTENTION. 393 00:22:16,670 --> 00:22:20,907 >> Reporter: A WOMAN ON FOOT, DARTING IN AND OUT OF FREEWAY 394 00:22:20,907 --> 00:22:22,075 TRAFFIC. >> IF I'D SWERVED JUST A LITTLE 395 00:22:22,075 --> 00:22:23,543 BIT, I WOULD'VE HIT -- I WOULD'VE HIT HER WITH MY CAR 396 00:22:23,543 --> 00:22:27,147 I FELT LIKE WE, LIKE, LOCKED EYES 397 00:22:27,147 --> 00:22:30,850 IT'S LIKE I CAUGHT HER GAZE WITH THIS -- AND THIS JUST, LIKE, 398 00:22:30,850 --> 00:22:38,692 SHEER TERROR IN HER EYES THOSE EYES JUST, LIKE, HAUNTED 399 00:22:38,692 --> 00:22:39,826 ME FOR A VERY LONG TIME. >> Reporter: ALISON PULLED OVER, 400 00:22:39,826 --> 00:22:43,930 CALLED 911 >> I JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, 401 00:22:43,930 --> 00:22:47,100 "THERE'S THIS WOMAN ON THE SIDE OF INTERSTATE 5, AND SHE 402 00:22:47,100 --> 00:22:49,469 OBVIOUSLY NEEDS HELP." >> Reporter: ALISON DIDN'T KNOW 403 00:22:49,469 --> 00:22:50,737 IT THEN, BUT THE TERRIFIED WOMAN ON THE HIGHWAY WAS THE SAME ONE 404 00:22:50,737 --> 00:22:56,009 WHO HAD BEEN MAKING NATIONAL HEADLINES. 405 00:22:56,009 --> 00:23:00,180 SHERRI PAPINI. IN THIS SECURITY CAM VIDEO FROM 406 00:23:00,180 --> 00:23:02,816 A CHURCH PARKING LOT, YOU CAN SEE SHERRI JUST MOMENTS BEFORE 407 00:23:02,816 --> 00:23:08,054 SHE WAS SPOTTED BY ALISON RUNNING ACROSS THE BLACKTOP ALL 408 00:23:08,054 --> 00:23:11,057 ALONE. BACK IN REDDING, SHASTA COUNTY 409 00:23:11,057 --> 00:23:14,327 SHERIFF'S INVESTIGATORS HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR SHERRI FOR 22 DAYS 410 00:23:14,327 --> 00:23:16,463 STRAIGHT THIS WAS THEIR FIRST DAY OFF 411 00:23:16,463 --> 00:23:19,065 KYLE WALLACE WAS ASLEEP WHEN HIS PHONE RANG 412 00:23:19,065 --> 00:23:23,737 IT WAS SHERRI'S HUSBAND, KEITH PAPINI 413 00:23:23,737 --> 00:23:27,407 >> KEITH CALLED ME ABOUT 4:00 IN THE MORNING. 414 00:23:27,407 --> 00:23:32,679 HE WAS FRANTIC, WAS YELLING, SAYING THAT SHERRI HAD BEEN 415 00:23:32,679 --> 00:23:35,281 FOUND. VERY, VERY EXCITED 416 00:23:35,281 --> 00:23:37,083 AND AT THAT POINT, I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS -- HE WAS BEING 417 00:23:37,083 --> 00:23:41,554 TRICKED. >> Reporter: A REASONABLE 418 00:23:41,554 --> 00:23:44,157 SUSPICION. THE MASSIVE SEARCH FOR SHERRI 419 00:23:44,157 --> 00:23:46,793 HAD COME UP EMPTY. WHAT WERE THE ODDS SHE WOULD 420 00:23:46,793 --> 00:23:47,827 JUST TURN UP >> CHP IS ON SCENE 421 00:23:47,827 --> 00:23:50,463 LOCATION IS JUST SOUTH OF YOLO ON NORTHBOUND I-5. 422 00:23:50,463 --> 00:23:54,634 >> Reporter: BUT BY THEN HIGHWAY PATROL WAS ON THE SCENE, AND IT 423 00:23:54,634 --> 00:23:57,270 APPEARED THIS WAS NO TRICK >> ADVISING THEY'RE GOING TO 424 00:23:57,270 --> 00:24:02,542 NEED CSI SHE IS HEAVILY BATTERED 425 00:24:02,542 --> 00:24:03,677 >> Reporter: WHEN DETECTIVES JACKSON AND WALLACE ARRIVED, 426 00:24:03,677 --> 00:24:09,382 THEY FINALLY LAID EYES ON SHERRI PAPINI. 427 00:24:09,382 --> 00:24:10,917 >> SHE WAS VERY EMOTIONAL, UPSET, CRYING. 428 00:24:10,917 --> 00:24:14,854 >> Reporter: GONE WAS THE WOMAN FROM THOSE BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS. 429 00:24:14,854 --> 00:24:17,891 SHERRI'S LONG, BLONDE HAIR WAS CHOPPED SHORT. 430 00:24:17,891 --> 00:24:21,895 SHE LOOKED FRAIL, BRUISED AND BATTERED, AND MORE 431 00:24:21,895 --> 00:24:25,699 >> WHEN SHE WAS INITIALLY FOUND ON THE SIDE OF I-5, SHE HAD BEEN 432 00:24:25,699 --> 00:24:29,235 CHAINED. THERE WAS A CHAIN AROUND HER 433 00:24:29,235 --> 00:24:30,804 WAIST AND SHE WAS ZIP-TIED TO THE CHAIN. 434 00:24:30,804 --> 00:24:33,973 >> Reporter: HOW BADLY WAS SHE BRUISED? 435 00:24:33,973 --> 00:24:37,077 >> EXTREME >> THE BRUISES WERE, YOU KNOW, 436 00:24:37,077 --> 00:24:39,179 DIFFERENT STAGES OF HEALING. YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENT COLORS 437 00:24:39,179 --> 00:24:41,281 THAT OCCUR DURING A BRUISE >> Reporter: AS IF THIS HAS 438 00:24:41,281 --> 00:24:44,084 HAPPENED OVER THE WHOLE PERIOD OF TIME? 439 00:24:44,084 --> 00:24:45,485 >> LEGS, ARMS, BACK. SO IT WAS -- IT WAS PRETTY 440 00:24:45,485 --> 00:24:50,757 SIGNIFICANT. >> Reporter: AND THAT WASN'T 441 00:24:50,757 --> 00:24:53,860 >> SHE HAD A BRAND >> Reporter: A BRAND BURNED INTO 442 00:24:53,860 --> 00:24:55,962 THE SKIN OF HER RIGHT SHOULDER >> Reporter: IN -- IN WHAT 443 00:24:55,962 --> 00:25:00,233 SHAPE? >> IT WAS STILL IN THE PROCESS 444 00:25:00,233 --> 00:25:01,735 OF HEALING SO IT WAS STILL A SCAB, AND IT 445 00:25:01,735 --> 00:25:05,672 WAS STILL HEALING. >> Reporter: IT WAS OBVIOUS 446 00:25:05,672 --> 00:25:08,875 SHERRI HAD SUFFERED HORRIBLY BUT SHE WAS ALIVE. 447 00:25:08,875 --> 00:25:11,144 >> WE ALL WOKE UP ON THANKSGIVING MORNING TO THE NEWS 448 00:25:11,144 --> 00:25:14,280 THAT SHERRI'S BEEN FOUND AND SHE'S ALIVE. 449 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:17,450 AND A LITTLE WORSE FOR THE WEAR, BUT SHE WAS SAFE AND RETURNING 450 00:25:17,450 --> 00:25:22,155 HOME TO SHASTA COUNTY. >> Reporter: THE CITIZENS OF 451 00:25:22,155 --> 00:25:23,289 REDDING, THE HUNDREDS WHO HAD CONTRIBUTED, SEARCHED, AND 452 00:25:23,289 --> 00:25:27,360 PRAYED FOR SHERRI PAPINI'S SAFE RETURN, WERE ECSTATIC. 453 00:25:27,360 --> 00:25:28,962 >> I GOT ONTO THE PHONE WITH MY TEAM 454 00:25:28,962 --> 00:25:30,063 AND WE WERE JUST LIKE, "YEAH," YOU KNOW, "PRAISE GOD. 455 00:25:30,063 --> 00:25:33,667 ALL RIGHT. SHE'S BEEN FOUND 456 00:25:33,667 --> 00:25:37,337 AND SHE'S ALIVE. AND THIS IS GREAT. 457 00:25:37,337 --> 00:25:39,472 AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY CELEBRATED FOR THANKSGIVING. 458 00:25:39,472 --> 00:25:42,575 IT WAS JUST, WOW, SUCH A BLESSED DAY. 459 00:25:42,575 --> 00:25:48,314 >> Reporter: A THANKSGIVING DAY MIRACLE. 460 00:25:48,314 --> 00:25:53,586 BITTERSWEET FOR TERA SMITH'S PARENTS. 461 00:25:53,586 --> 00:25:58,291 >> IT WAS EXTREME HAPPINESS ONE SECOND AND THEN EXTREME JUST, 462 00:25:58,291 --> 00:26:02,062 LIKE, CRASHING 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T -- IT SOUNDS SO 463 00:26:02,062 --> 00:26:05,031 SELFISH, BUT WE DIDN'T GET OUR HAPPY ENDING 464 00:26:05,031 --> 00:26:06,299 IT JUST SEEMED LIKE, OH, SOME -- SOME PEOPLE GET THAT -- GET THAT 465 00:26:06,299 --> 00:26:08,768 HAPPY ENDING AND WE DIDN'T. 466 00:26:08,768 --> 00:26:12,439 >> Reporter: SHERRI'S SISTER, SHEILA, SPOKE TO THE PRESS AFTER 467 00:26:12,439 --> 00:26:17,877 SHERRI'S RETURN. >> KEITH AND SHERRI ONLY HAVE 468 00:26:17,877 --> 00:26:21,881 ONE STATEMENT AT THIS TIME "WE ARE OVERWHELMED WITH JOY OF 469 00:26:21,881 --> 00:26:26,086 HOW SUPPORTIVE EVERYONE HAS BEEN TO HELP BRING US TOGETHER AS A 470 00:26:26,086 --> 00:26:27,153 FAMILY AGAIN." >> Reporter: SHERIFF BOSENKO 471 00:26:27,153 --> 00:26:30,790 VOWED THAT HIS INVESTIGATORS WOULD FIND THE PEOPLE 472 00:26:30,790 --> 00:26:34,961 RESPONSIBLE. >> THEY ARE STILL DEVOTED TO THE 473 00:26:34,961 --> 00:26:39,699 CASE AND WILL NOT REST UNTIL HER CAPTOR OR CAPTORS IS IDENTIFIED 474 00:26:39,699 --> 00:26:43,536 AND BROUGHT TO JUSTICE >> Reporter: OF COURSE THE 475 00:26:43,536 --> 00:26:45,472 INVESTIGATORS WANTED ANSWERS AND URGENTLY 476 00:26:45,472 --> 00:26:51,745 BUT AS THEY SOON FOUND OUT, ANSWERS WOULD NOT BE SO EASY TO 477 00:26:51,745 --> 00:26:55,949 FIND >>> COMING UP -- 478 00:26:55,949 --> 00:26:57,517 BEATINGS AND BRANDING. >> SHE DESCRIBED THE PAIN, THE 479 00:26:57,517 --> 00:27:01,721 BURNING, THE CRACKLING, THE SMELLS 480 00:27:01,721 --> 00:27:05,158 >> HEART-WRENCHING NEW DETAILS BUT A HESITATION TO REVEAL THEM. 481 00:27:05,158 --> 00:27:08,028 >> SHE SAID THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS INVOLVED IN HER ABDUCTION. 482 00:27:08,028 --> 00:27:09,562 >> Reporter: HOW DID THAT STRIKE YOU? 483 00:27:09,562 --> 00:27:29,149 >> IT STRUCK US AS ODD >> Reporter: WHEN SHERRI PAPINI 484 00:27:29,149 --> 00:27:32,719 TURNED UP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS SUDDENLY AS SHE HAD 485 00:27:32,719 --> 00:27:36,890 DISAPPEARED THREE WEEKS EARLIER, DETECTIVES KNEW TIME WAS OF THE 486 00:27:36,890 --> 00:27:40,427 ESSENCE. IT SEEMED CLEAR SHE HAD BEEN 487 00:27:40,427 --> 00:27:43,163 ASSAULTED, WHICH MEANT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR VIOLENT CRIMINALS. 488 00:27:43,163 --> 00:27:46,299 THEY NEEDED SHERRI TO TELL THEM WHO HURT HER 489 00:27:46,299 --> 00:27:53,139 BUT SHERRI DID NOT WANT TO TALK TO THE POLICE. 490 00:27:53,139 --> 00:27:54,207 >> SHE WAS HESITANT AT FIRST, LIKE A MISTRUST OF LAW 491 00:27:54,207 --> 00:27:55,408 ENFORCEMENT. >> Reporter: AT FIRST IT WASN'T 492 00:27:55,408 --> 00:27:58,345 CLEAR WHY. >> WE COULDN'T GET ANYTHING OUT 493 00:27:58,345 --> 00:28:03,049 OF HER AT THAT POINT WE NEEDED TO CALM DOWN THE 494 00:28:03,049 --> 00:28:05,685 SITUATION THE BEST WE COULD. SO KEITH CAME INTO THE ROOM, 495 00:28:05,685 --> 00:28:12,025 'CAUSE AT THAT POINT, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO INTERVIEW HER BASED ON 496 00:28:12,025 --> 00:28:13,626 HER EMOTIONAL STATE. >> Reporter: WITH INVESTIGATORS 497 00:28:13,626 --> 00:28:16,162 PRESENT, KEITH PAPINI INTERVIEWED HIS WIFE ABOUT WHAT 498 00:28:16,162 --> 00:28:22,469 HAPPENED THE DAY SHE WENT OUT AND DIDN'T COME BACK 499 00:28:22,469 --> 00:28:27,874 SHERRI TOLD A HARROWING STORY. >> SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS ON A 500 00:28:27,874 --> 00:28:34,047 RUN IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD INITIALLY WHEN A UNKNOWN TYPE 501 00:28:34,047 --> 00:28:35,548 SUV DROVE IN FRONT OF HER, TURNED AROUND, CAME BACK, AND 502 00:28:35,548 --> 00:28:40,787 SHE WAS CONFRONTED BY TWO HISPANIC FEMALES, ONE OF WHICH 503 00:28:40,787 --> 00:28:45,058 HAD A HANDGUN. ORDERED HER INTO THE VEHICLE 504 00:28:45,058 --> 00:28:46,659 SHERRI SAID SHE COMPLIED GOT INTO THE CAR AND SHE -- THEY 505 00:28:46,659 --> 00:28:49,696 DROVE HER TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION. 506 00:28:49,696 --> 00:28:51,331 >> Reporter: TERRIFIED THE WHOLE TIME, I'M ASSUMING 507 00:28:51,331 --> 00:28:55,468 RIGHT? >> CORRECT 508 00:28:55,468 --> 00:28:58,605 >> Reporter: IN SUBSEQUENT INTERVIEWS, SHERRI OPENED UP 509 00:28:58,605 --> 00:29:00,173 MORE MUCH MORE. 510 00:29:00,173 --> 00:29:03,410 THIS DOCUMENT FILED IN FEDERAL COURT SUMMARIZES HER ACCOUNT, 511 00:29:03,410 --> 00:29:08,081 WHICH DETECTIVES WALLACE AND JACKSON ARE TALKING ABOUT IN 512 00:29:08,081 --> 00:29:11,184 DETAIL FOR THE FIRST TIME. SOME PARTS OF SHERRI'S STORY 513 00:29:11,184 --> 00:29:13,286 WERE CRYSTAL CLEAR FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT THAT 514 00:29:13,286 --> 00:29:19,025 EYE-CATCHING CLUE. SHERRI'S HAIR WRAPPED UP WITH 515 00:29:19,025 --> 00:29:22,696 HER EARBUDS. >> SHE LATER TOLD US SHE WAS 516 00:29:22,696 --> 00:29:27,934 TOLD BY THE CAPTORS TO THROW HER PHONE. 517 00:29:27,934 --> 00:29:29,569 SO SHE INTENTIONALLY GRABBED THE HAIR AND PLUCKED THE HAIRS OUT 518 00:29:29,569 --> 00:29:31,638 AS SHE TOOK THE EARBUDS OUT. BECAUSE SHE SAID THAT WOULD 519 00:29:31,638 --> 00:29:35,275 LEAVE A MESSAGE TO KEITH THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HER. 520 00:29:35,275 --> 00:29:37,077 >> Reporter: BUT SHERRI SAID SHE COULDN'T TELL THEM MUCH ABOUT 521 00:29:37,077 --> 00:29:42,382 THE CAR RIDE WITH HER KIDNAPPERS 522 00:29:42,382 --> 00:29:44,150 >> SHERRI SAID THAT A MASK WAS PUT OVER HER HEAD, OR A BAG OF 523 00:29:44,150 --> 00:29:45,218 SOME SORT PUT OVER THE BACK OF HER HEAD 524 00:29:45,218 --> 00:29:50,957 AND THEN SHE WAS PLACED IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE VEHICLE 525 00:29:50,957 --> 00:29:54,627 YOU KNOW, IT WAS SUNNY DAY YOU KNOW, SHE RECALLED SEEIN' 526 00:29:54,627 --> 00:29:55,895 WHAT SHE BELIEVED WAS, YOU KNOW, THE PASSING OF TREES BECAUSE OF 527 00:29:55,895 --> 00:29:58,832 THE CHANGES OF THE COLOR AND LIGHT. 528 00:29:58,832 --> 00:30:00,400 BUT AS FAR AS PROVIDIN' US A REAL GOOD DEPICTION OF THE 529 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:03,036 VEHICLE, SHE DID A POOR JOB AT THAT 530 00:30:03,036 --> 00:30:09,342 >> Reporter: WHAT COULD SHE TELL YOU ABOUT WHERE SHE WAS TAKEN? 531 00:30:09,342 --> 00:30:12,012 >> SO SHE DESCRIBED THE LOCATION OF A RURAL LOCATION AND COLD 532 00:30:12,012 --> 00:30:17,684 SHE ALMOST DESCRIBED IT AS MOUNTAINOUS. 533 00:30:17,684 --> 00:30:19,786 SHE SAID THEY CAME OFF OF A PAVED ROAD ONTO A DIRT DRIVEWAY 534 00:30:19,786 --> 00:30:24,524 BEHIND A GATE. SHE DESCRIBED HAVING TO WALK UP 535 00:30:24,524 --> 00:30:28,695 STAIRS TO GET INTO THE MAIN RESIDENCE AND THEN BEIN' PLACED 536 00:30:28,695 --> 00:30:32,899 IN A ROOM THAT SHE DESCRIBED AS A RAISED FOUNDATIONAL HOUSE, 537 00:30:32,899 --> 00:30:34,100 ALMOST LIKE A MODULAR HOME TYPE. >> Reporter: THE DETAILS SHE 538 00:30:34,100 --> 00:30:38,104 OFFERED PAINTED A PICTURE OF A ROOM THAT LOOKED SOMETHING LIKE 539 00:30:38,104 --> 00:30:42,308 THIS SHERRI SAID HER KIDNAPPERS PUT 540 00:30:42,308 --> 00:30:43,977 HER IN DIFFERENT CLOTHES BUT KEPT HER IN HER OWN UNDERWEAR, A 541 00:30:43,977 --> 00:30:48,581 POINT THAT WOULD MATTER A LOT LATER. 542 00:30:48,581 --> 00:30:51,718 THEN THESE WOMEN, ONE OF THEM PARTICULARLY CRUEL, SHE SAID, 543 00:30:51,718 --> 00:30:55,388 CUT OFF MOST OF HER LONG, BLONDE HAIR AND TOLD SHERRI SHE WAS 544 00:30:55,388 --> 00:31:00,627 GOING TO SEND IT TO HER MOTHER THEY LET HER SHOWER, BUT ONLY 545 00:31:00,627 --> 00:31:03,763 FED HER ONCE A DAY, SHE SAID RICE OR TORTILLAS, SOMETIMES 546 00:31:03,763 --> 00:31:06,399 APPLES >> SHE LOOKED EMACIATED, YES 547 00:31:06,399 --> 00:31:10,337 LOT OF HER BONES WERE STICKIN' OUT ON HER 548 00:31:10,337 --> 00:31:13,173 LIKE, COLLARBONE STICKIN' OUT. SHOULDERS REALLY DEFINED 549 00:31:13,173 --> 00:31:14,074 >> Reporter: LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS STARVING 550 00:31:14,074 --> 00:31:18,445 >> YES YES. 551 00:31:18,445 --> 00:31:24,217 >> Reporter: SHERRI SAID SHE TRIED TO ESCAPE BY RIPPING A 552 00:31:24,217 --> 00:31:25,552 BOARD OFF A WINDOW AND FOR THAT, SHE SAID HER 553 00:31:25,552 --> 00:31:28,555 ABDUCTORS PUNISHED HER BY KEEPING HER IN A CLOSET, CHAINED 554 00:31:28,555 --> 00:31:31,091 BY HER WAIST TO A METAL POLE, A BUCKET FILLED WITH KITTY LITTER 555 00:31:31,091 --> 00:31:33,893 FOR A TOILET SHE SAID THOSE WOMEN HIT HER IN 556 00:31:33,893 --> 00:31:38,365 THE BACK AND TIED HER TO A TABLE AND BRANDED HER. 557 00:31:38,365 --> 00:31:40,967 >> SHE DESCRIBED THE PAIN, THE BURNING, THE CRACKLING, THE 558 00:31:40,967 --> 00:31:42,535 SMELLS >> Reporter: AND THE REASON SHE 559 00:31:42,535 --> 00:31:45,672 WAS AFRAID TO REVEAL ALL THIS TO THE COPS 560 00:31:45,672 --> 00:31:51,111 >> SHE SAID THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS INVOLVED IN HER ABDUCTION. 561 00:31:51,111 --> 00:31:54,147 >> Reporter: SHERRI SAID THE KIDNAPPERS TOLD HER, "YOU'RE 562 00:31:54,147 --> 00:31:59,819 BUYER IS A COP." THE IDEA THAT SHE DIDN'T WANNA 563 00:31:59,819 --> 00:32:05,158 TALK TO YOU BECAUSE SOME COPS WERE BEHIND HER ABDUCTION, OR 564 00:32:05,158 --> 00:32:06,326 WANTED TO BUY HER SOME -- I MEAN, HOW DID THAT STRIKE YOU? 565 00:32:06,326 --> 00:32:07,293 >> IT STRUCK US AS ODD >> Reporter: ANYTHING IS 566 00:32:07,293 --> 00:32:12,899 POSSIBLE IN THIS WORLD, UNFORTUNATELY. 567 00:32:12,899 --> 00:32:16,569 SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO INVESTIGATE, LOOK INTO TO SEE 568 00:32:16,569 --> 00:32:19,939 IF THERE'S ANY VALIDITY TO IT. >> Reporter: AND THEN ONE DAY, 569 00:32:19,939 --> 00:32:23,410 SHERRI SAID SHE HEARD THE WOMEN ARGUING IN SPANISH 570 00:32:23,410 --> 00:32:24,944 SHE HEARD A GUN SHOT, AND AFTER A LONG TIME, ONE OF HER 571 00:32:24,944 --> 00:32:29,182 KIDNAPPERS CAME TO GET HER, THREW A PILLOWCASE OVER HER 572 00:32:29,182 --> 00:32:33,887 HEAD, PUT HER BACK IN THE SUV, AND DUMPED HER ON THE SIDE OF 573 00:32:33,887 --> 00:32:36,623 INTERSTATE 5 BRANDED, BRUISED, BATTERED, BUT 574 00:32:36,623 --> 00:32:40,193 NOT SEXUALLY ASSAULTED, SAID SHERRI 575 00:32:40,193 --> 00:32:43,863 >> SHE'S ALWAYS CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS NO SEXUAL MISCONDUCT 576 00:32:43,863 --> 00:32:49,602 SHE WAS NEVER A VICTIM OF ANY SEXUAL ASSAULT OR SEXUAL 577 00:32:49,602 --> 00:32:50,970 ACTIVITY DURING HER TIME AWAY. >> Reporter: THEY SENT SHERRI'S 578 00:32:50,970 --> 00:32:56,409 CLOTHES TO THE CRIME LAB TO TEST FOR DNA. 579 00:32:56,409 --> 00:32:57,744 AND LATER SHERRI SPOKE WITH A FORENSIC INTERVIEWER FROM THE 580 00:32:57,744 --> 00:33:00,380 FBI. AND WHENEVER SOMETHING SPURRED A 581 00:33:00,380 --> 00:33:04,284 MEMORY - >> SHE WOULD REACH OUT TO MYSELF 582 00:33:04,284 --> 00:33:06,920 OR THE FBI AND BRING UP INFORMATION THAT IF SHE RECALLED 583 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:10,056 SOMETHING SPECIFIC >> Reporter: LIKE THAT TABLE SHE 584 00:33:10,056 --> 00:33:14,761 SAID SHE WAS BRANDED ON. >> SO SHE DESCRIBED THE TABLE 585 00:33:14,761 --> 00:33:19,466 AS, LIKE, A COFFEE TABLE SO SHORT LEGS, ONE OR TWO FEET 586 00:33:19,466 --> 00:33:24,704 HIGH OFF THE GROUND. SHE SAID THE TILE WAS A FAKE, 587 00:33:24,704 --> 00:33:29,943 WHICH PROVIDED, LIKE, A SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE TABLE THAT 588 00:33:29,943 --> 00:33:33,613 SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS PLACED ON. >> Reporter: MANY MONTHS LATER, 589 00:33:33,613 --> 00:33:35,682 KEITH PAPINI FOUND A PICTURE OF A TABLE THAT SHERRI SAID WAS 590 00:33:35,682 --> 00:33:38,318 SIMILAR TO THE ONE SHE WAS BRANDED ON AND SENT IT TO 591 00:33:38,318 --> 00:33:42,489 INVESTIGATORS. >> I THINK KEITH WAS TRYIN' TO 592 00:33:42,489 --> 00:33:46,192 BE AS HELPFUL AS HE COULD. >> Reporter: BUT NONE OF THOSE 593 00:33:46,192 --> 00:33:47,894 LEADS WENT ANYWHERE. AS THE WEEKS AND MONTHS SLIPPED 594 00:33:47,894 --> 00:33:54,100 BY, LOCAL AND FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS SEEMED NO CLOSER 595 00:33:54,100 --> 00:33:57,704 TO FINDING SHERRI'S KIDNAPPERS HOW DID SHE SEEM TO BE ADJUSTING 596 00:33:57,704 --> 00:33:58,838 POST RETURN? >> I THINK IT WAS PRETTY SLOW. 597 00:33:58,838 --> 00:33:59,806 SHE WASN'T GOING OUT IN THE PUBLIC MUCH. 598 00:33:59,806 --> 00:34:02,942 SHE WAS STAYING INSIDE THE HOUSE. 599 00:34:02,942 --> 00:34:05,545 >> Reporter: NOT LONG AFTER SHERRI TURNED UP, THE SMITHS 600 00:34:05,545 --> 00:34:07,647 INVITED THE PAPINIS OVER FOR DINNER 601 00:34:07,647 --> 00:34:11,484 THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY'RE TELLING THE STORY PUBLICLY 602 00:34:11,484 --> 00:34:13,920 >> IT SEEMED VERY OBVIOUS THAT SHE HAD BEEN THROUGH SOME 603 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:18,124 TRAUMATIC STUFF. >> SHE WAS VERY EMOTIONAL. 604 00:34:18,124 --> 00:34:23,930 KEITH WAS VERY EMOTIONAL SHE WAS ALMOST, LIKE, SHAKY. 605 00:34:23,930 --> 00:34:27,233 A LITTLE UNSTEADY TALKING ABOUT IT 606 00:34:27,233 --> 00:34:29,169 OR JUST VERY UNCOMFORTABLE EVEN BEING -- JUST EVEN EXISTING. 607 00:34:29,169 --> 00:34:35,942 >> SHE NEEDED TO USE THE RESTROOM AT ONE POINT. 608 00:34:35,942 --> 00:34:40,680 AND SHE, FROM CLAUSTROPHOBIA THAT WAS LINKED TO HER BEING 609 00:34:40,680 --> 00:34:44,351 HELD AGAINST HER WILL IN A ROOM, APPARENTLY, SHE HAD HER HUSBAND 610 00:34:44,351 --> 00:34:47,487 ACCOMPANY HER INTO THE RESTROOM AND KINDA, YOU KNOW, JUST 611 00:34:47,487 --> 00:34:51,691 STANDING GUARD >> Reporter: AND WHILE SHERRI 612 00:34:51,691 --> 00:34:54,327 WAS RECOUNTING THE HORRIFIC DETAILS OF HER KIDNAPPING -- 613 00:34:54,327 --> 00:34:56,896 >> A RING CAME OFF OF HER FINGER AND FELL ON THE FLOOR. 614 00:34:56,896 --> 00:34:59,566 SHE RECOVERED THE RING AND ESSENTIALLY SAID THAT SHE HAD 615 00:34:59,566 --> 00:35:19,652 LOST SO MUCH WEIGHT THAT HER -- HER RINGS WON'T STAY ON HER HAND 616 00:35:19,652 --> 00:35:21,254 >> Reporter: AFTER SHERRI PAPINI'S MIRACULOUS 617 00:35:21,254 --> 00:35:23,323 RETURN HOME TO REDDING, THE COMMUNITY BREATHED A SIGH OF 618 00:35:23,323 --> 00:35:25,959 RELIEF, FOLLOWED, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, BY QUESTIONS FROM 619 00:35:25,959 --> 00:35:31,331 PEOPLE LIKE LOCAL RESIDENT ELIZABETH PARKER 620 00:35:31,331 --> 00:35:34,768 >> PERSONALLY, I WAS SKEPTICAL OF THE STORY 621 00:35:34,768 --> 00:35:37,404 JUST TO HAPPEN TO APPEAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, OUT OF 622 00:35:37,404 --> 00:35:41,574 NOWHERE, ON THANKSGIVING OF ALL DAYS, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE IT WAS 623 00:35:41,574 --> 00:35:53,653 WRITTEN FOR TELEVISION, HONESTLY 624 00:35:53,653 --> 00:35:55,188 >> Reporter: AND TV REPORTER KELLI SAAM 625 00:35:55,188 --> 00:35:56,790 >> IT WAS VERY, VERY STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES OF WHY WOULD 626 00:35:56,790 --> 00:35:57,824 SOMEONE LEAVE HER ALONG THE INTERSTATE 627 00:35:57,824 --> 00:35:59,359 IF YOU'D KEPT HER FOR THREE WEEKS, WHY THAT MORNING? 628 00:35:59,359 --> 00:36:00,527 AND WHY IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD YOU SUDDENLY DECIDE TO 629 00:36:00,527 --> 00:36:03,630 RELEASE HER? SO THERE WERE MORE QUESTIONS 630 00:36:03,630 --> 00:36:06,766 THAN -- THAN REALLY ANSWERS AT THAT POINT 631 00:36:06,766 --> 00:36:16,710 BECAUSE NOW WE WANT TO HEAR FROM SHERRI HERSELF WHAT HAPPENED 632 00:36:16,710 --> 00:36:18,178 >> Reporter: AND DID SHE SPEAK >> NO, SHE DID NOT 633 00:36:18,178 --> 00:36:19,412 >> Reporter: OF COURSE, SHERRI HAD EVERY REASON TO LOCK HERSELF 634 00:36:19,412 --> 00:36:20,347 IN HER HOME, GIVEN WHAT SHE HAD BEEN THROUGH 635 00:36:20,347 --> 00:36:25,118 THE POLICE WEREN'T TALKING EITHER 636 00:36:25,118 --> 00:36:26,319 BUT FROM THE EARLIEST DAYS OF THE INVESTIGATION, DETECTIVES 637 00:36:26,319 --> 00:36:29,389 HAD -- WELL, THEY'D HEARD THINGS 638 00:36:29,389 --> 00:36:35,595 >> EVERY PERSON HAD A DIFFERENT OPINION OF SHERRI THAT WE TALKED 639 00:36:35,595 --> 00:36:42,435 TO ALL OF HER CLOSE FRIENDS, ALL OF 640 00:36:42,435 --> 00:36:43,703 HER ACQUAINTANCES, EVERY PERSON HAD A DIFFERENT VIEW OF SHERRI, 641 00:36:43,703 --> 00:36:45,071 OR SHERRI PORTRAYED HERSELF DIFFERENT TO EACH ONE OF THOSE 642 00:36:45,071 --> 00:36:47,140 FRIENDS. >> Reporter: DID ANYONE SAY THAT 643 00:36:47,140 --> 00:36:50,810 SHE HAD BEEN HABITUALLY A LIAR >> I WOULDN'T SAY THAT, LIKE, 644 00:36:50,810 --> 00:36:51,945 HABITUAL I THINK THERE WERE SOME STORIES 645 00:36:51,945 --> 00:36:52,912 THAT CAME OUT OF, LIKE, TALL TALES. 646 00:36:52,912 --> 00:36:58,151 SOME MISREPRESENTATIONS OF TRUTHS 647 00:36:58,151 --> 00:37:01,821 >> Reporter: SMALL TOWN GOSSIP MAYBE. 648 00:37:01,821 --> 00:37:07,060 BUT THERE WERE ALSO THE INCIDENT REPORTS SHERRI'S FAMILY FILED 649 00:37:07,060 --> 00:37:09,162 WITH THE SHASTA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN THE EARLY 2000s. 650 00:37:09,162 --> 00:37:13,333 THE REPORTS ARE VERY BRIEF NO CHARGES WERE FILED. 651 00:37:13,333 --> 00:37:16,036 BUT FAMILY MEMBERS TOLD POLICE SHERRI VANDALIZED PROPERTY, 652 00:37:16,036 --> 00:37:17,270 BROKE INTO HER SISTER'S HOME, TOOK MONEY FROM HER FATHER'S 653 00:37:17,270 --> 00:37:24,344 CHECKING ACCOUNT WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION 654 00:37:24,344 --> 00:37:30,116 AND THERE WAS THIS - AN INCIDENT REPORT FROM 2003, 655 00:37:30,116 --> 00:37:32,385 FILED BY SHERRI'S MOTHER, SAID A THEN 21- YEAR-OLD SHERRI HAD 656 00:37:32,385 --> 00:37:36,423 BEEN HARMING HERSELF AND BLAMING IT ON HER MOTHER 657 00:37:36,423 --> 00:37:38,525 >> IT DOES CAUSE YOU TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF 658 00:37:38,525 --> 00:37:41,127 DOUBT. YOU ALWAYS MAKE THOSE LITTLE 659 00:37:41,127 --> 00:37:43,763 MENTAL NOTES ABOUT, "WELL, THAT WAS -- THAT INFORMATION WAS A 660 00:37:43,763 --> 00:37:46,366 LITTLE WEIRD." >> Reporter: LIZ THOMSON IS A 661 00:37:46,366 --> 00:37:50,070 FORMER HOMICIDE UNIT SUPERVISOR IN ALBUQUERQUE 662 00:37:50,070 --> 00:37:54,207 SHE DIDN'T WORK ON THE PAPINI CASE, BUT GOT HOOKED ON IT 663 00:37:54,207 --> 00:38:02,082 ANYWAY BECAUSE OF HER LIFELONG OBSESSION WITH HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY. 664 00:38:02,082 --> 00:38:04,284 WHEN THOMSON REVIEWED THE COURT DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE CASE, 665 00:38:04,284 --> 00:38:05,852 HER 20 YEARS AS AN INVESTIGATOR TOLD HER THAT SOME PARTS OF 666 00:38:05,852 --> 00:38:08,888 SHERRI'S STORY JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. 667 00:38:08,888 --> 00:38:11,024 LIKE THAT CLUE SHERRI SAID SHE LEFT BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD 668 00:38:11,024 --> 00:38:15,628 >> YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE -- [ LAUGHTER ] 669 00:38:15,628 --> 00:38:20,033 STEPS OF PULLING OUT YOUR OWN HAIR, PLACING IT ON THE EARBUDS, 670 00:38:20,033 --> 00:38:21,468 AND THEN PLACING THE PHONE DOWN. IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT TO BE GOING 671 00:38:21,468 --> 00:38:27,240 ON WHILE YOU'RE BEING HELD AT GUNPOINT 672 00:38:27,240 --> 00:38:28,541 >> Reporter: AND WHILE SHE WAS IN THE BACK OF THE CAR, SHERRI 673 00:38:28,541 --> 00:38:36,649 TOLD INVESTIGATORS HER HANDS WERE ZIP-TIED BEHIND HER BACK. 674 00:38:36,649 --> 00:38:39,319 >> BUT THEN, SHE TALKED ABOUT CHEWING THROUGH THE ZIP TIES 675 00:38:39,319 --> 00:38:41,354 >> Reporter: WITH THEM BEHIND HER BACK 676 00:38:41,354 --> 00:38:46,593 HMM. >> SHE COULD NOT EXPLAIN HOW SHE 677 00:38:46,593 --> 00:38:52,899 GOT HER HANDS TO THE FRONT TO THEN CHEW THROUGH ZIP TIES 678 00:38:52,899 --> 00:38:55,869 >> Reporter: DIDN'T ADD UP NEITHER DID THIS -- SHERRI SAID 679 00:38:55,869 --> 00:39:00,740 THE KIDNAPPERS ALLOWED HER TO TAKE SHOWERS, BUT MADE HER USE 680 00:39:00,740 --> 00:39:04,411 KITTY LITTER FOR A TOILET. >> SO THEY COULDN'T TAKE HER TO 681 00:39:04,411 --> 00:39:08,548 THE BATHROOM, BUT THEY COULD TAKE HER TO SHOWER 682 00:39:08,548 --> 00:39:13,353 >> Reporter: AND THEN THERE WAS THE BRANDING 683 00:39:13,353 --> 00:39:15,455 AT ONE POINT SHERRI SAID IT WAS PUNISHMENT FOR TRYING TO ESCAPE. 684 00:39:15,455 --> 00:39:19,759 AT ANOTHER, THAT IT WAS PUNISHMENT FOR MAKING TOO MUCH 685 00:39:19,759 --> 00:39:24,364 NOISE. AND SHE GAVE A THIRD REASON. 686 00:39:24,364 --> 00:39:31,171 >> THE BUYER, THE PERSON WHO WAS PURCHASING HER, LIKED THAT AND 687 00:39:31,171 --> 00:39:35,075 WANTED THAT. SAID SHE COULDN'T SEE WHAT THEY 688 00:39:35,075 --> 00:39:38,511 USED TO BRAND HER, SHE ALSO SAID SHE THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A 689 00:39:38,511 --> 00:39:40,613 CRAFTING TOOL. >> IT WASN'T A DRASTIC CHANGE OF 690 00:39:40,613 --> 00:39:43,750 STORY. IT WAS MAYBE A NEW DETAIL HERE 691 00:39:43,750 --> 00:39:47,921 OR THERE BUT THERE WAS NEVER ANYTHING 692 00:39:47,921 --> 00:39:51,591 THAT MADE US JUMP UP AND DOWN AND SAY IT IS OR IT WASN'T TRUE. 693 00:39:51,591 --> 00:39:55,795 >> Reporter: LATER IN AN INTERVIEW WITH WITH THE F.B.I., 694 00:39:55,795 --> 00:39:57,864 SHERRI ASKED WHAT INVESTIGATORS THOUGHT THE BRAND SAID, EVEN 695 00:39:57,864 --> 00:40:02,602 THOUGH SHE ALREADY SEEMED TO KNOW 696 00:40:02,602 --> 00:40:07,841 IT WAS A WORD -- "EXODUS." >> SHE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS FROM 697 00:40:07,841 --> 00:40:12,545 THE BIBLE, BUT IT WAS CONFUSING. AND I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT 698 00:40:12,545 --> 00:40:17,784 EXODUS IS ABOUT THE RESCUE OR THE LIBERATION OF THE ISRAELITES 699 00:40:17,784 --> 00:40:25,625 FROM SLAVERY >> Reporter: ONE THING SHERRI 700 00:40:25,625 --> 00:40:29,829 WAS CONFIDENT ABOUT -- HER DESCRIPTION OF HER CAPTORS -- 701 00:40:29,829 --> 00:40:32,432 TWO HISPANIC WOMEN BUT THAT -- THAT TWEAKED 702 00:40:32,432 --> 00:40:39,739 SOMEONE'S MEMORY AND FROM THERE CAME A HUGE FLOOD 703 00:40:39,739 --> 00:40:40,807 OF CONTROVERSY >>> COMING UP -- 704 00:40:40,807 --> 00:40:43,410 NEW SKETCHES OF THE ALLEGED CAPTORS. 705 00:40:43,410 --> 00:40:46,479 >> WE RECEIVED QUITE A FEW TIPS THAT PEOPLE WOULD REPORT THAT 706 00:40:46,479 --> 00:40:48,648 THEY SAW TWO FEMALES THAT LOOKED SIMILAR TO THE SKETCHES. 707 00:40:48,648 --> 00:40:51,818 >> AND, A SURPRISE FROM THE DNA LAB. 708 00:40:51,818 --> 00:40:54,421 THE RESULTS? NOT AT ALL WHAT INVESTIGATORS 709 00:40:54,421 --> 00:41:11,705 EXPECTED >> Reporter: THROUGHOUT THEIR 710 00:41:11,705 --> 00:41:14,240 INVESTIGATION, DETECTIVES JACKSON AND WALLACE STRUGGLED TO 711 00:41:14,240 --> 00:41:17,877 GET INFORMATION OUT OF SHERRI PAPINI. 712 00:41:17,877 --> 00:41:19,546 SHE SEEMED FRIGHTENED, TRAUMATIZED, DETAILS WERE HAZY 713 00:41:19,546 --> 00:41:28,388 BUT SHE WAS ALWAYS CLEAR ABOUT THE DESCRIPTION OF HER 714 00:41:28,388 --> 00:41:29,489 KIDNAPPERS >> HISPANIC FEMALES -- ONE 715 00:41:29,489 --> 00:41:30,590 YOUNGER, ONE OLDER SHE STATED THE YOUNGER HISPANIC 716 00:41:30,590 --> 00:41:32,592 FEMALE CAME OUT WITH A HANDGUN, AND PUT HER AT GUNPOINT AND 717 00:41:32,592 --> 00:41:35,195 FORCED HER INTO THE VEHICLE. >> Reporter: HISPANIC FEMALES. 718 00:41:35,195 --> 00:41:40,467 THE DESCRIPTION WENT FAR AND WIDE 719 00:41:40,467 --> 00:41:43,603 AND, JUST DAYS AFTER SHERRI RE-APPEARED, IT ALSO BECAME A 720 00:41:43,603 --> 00:41:46,306 FLASHPOINT WHEN SOMEONE ON SOCIAL MEDIA DISCOVERED THIS - 721 00:41:46,306 --> 00:41:51,945 DID YOU READ THIS BLOG POST CALLED "KEEP WALKING"? 722 00:41:51,945 --> 00:41:55,715 >> YES, WE DID >> Reporter: IT WAS REPORTEDLY 723 00:41:55,715 --> 00:42:00,120 WRITTEN IN 2003, SIGNED BY A SHERRI GRAEFF. 724 00:42:00,120 --> 00:42:02,055 GRAEFF WAS SHERRI'S MAIDEN NAME. IT TOLD THE STORY OF A WHITE 725 00:42:02,055 --> 00:42:07,727 WOMAN BULLIED BY HISPANIC WOMEN BECAUSE OF HER RACE. 726 00:42:07,727 --> 00:42:10,463 "THE CHIEF PROBLEM WAS THAT I WAS DRUG-FREE, WHITE, AND PROUD 727 00:42:10,463 --> 00:42:14,067 OF MY BLOOD AND HERITAGE THIS REALLY IRKED A GROUP OF 728 00:42:14,067 --> 00:42:20,273 LATINO GIRLS, WHICH WOULD CONSTANTLY RAG AND ATTACK ME." 729 00:42:20,273 --> 00:42:23,943 SHE CONCLUDED WRITING, "BEING WHITE IS MORE THAN JUST BEING 730 00:42:23,943 --> 00:42:26,646 AWARE OF MY SKIN, BUT OF STANDING BEHIND SKINHEADS AND 731 00:42:26,646 --> 00:42:29,282 HAVING PRIDE FOR MY COUNTRY. >> IT WAS NEVER ANYTHING WE 732 00:42:29,282 --> 00:42:33,987 COULD SAY THAT SHE ACTUALLY WROTE. 733 00:42:33,987 --> 00:42:35,155 WHEN WE TALKED TO HER, WE COULDN'T CONFIRM THAT THAT'S THE 734 00:42:35,155 --> 00:42:38,591 SHERRI GRAEFF OR THAT'S THE ONE IN THE SAME PERSON 735 00:42:38,591 --> 00:42:43,663 >> SHE DENIED THOSE THINGS AND SAID SOMEONE HAD POSTED UNDER 736 00:42:43,663 --> 00:42:47,000 HER NAME, AND THAT SHE HAD HIRED AN ATTORNEY TO GET THOSE POSTS 737 00:42:47,000 --> 00:42:50,804 TAKEN DOWN OFF SOCIAL MEDIA. >> Reporter: NEVERTHELESS, WHEN 738 00:42:50,804 --> 00:42:54,841 THE BLOG POST HIT THE NEWS IT RAISED UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS 739 00:42:54,841 --> 00:42:59,546 >> WHEN A COUNTRY IS SO DIVIDED RACIALLY IT'S A PROBLEM. 740 00:42:59,546 --> 00:43:01,114 >> Reporter: NEAMA RAHMANI IS A FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR. 741 00:43:01,114 --> 00:43:04,351 AND HE SAID THE STORY TOLD IN THE BLOG POST IS UNCOMFORTABLY 742 00:43:04,351 --> 00:43:10,757 SIMILAR TO THE ONE SHERRI TOLD ABOUT HER ABDUCTION. 743 00:43:10,757 --> 00:43:14,761 >> THIS YOUNG, ATTRACTIVE, WHITE WOMAN THAT REALLY CAPTURED THE 744 00:43:14,761 --> 00:43:17,364 COUNTRY'S ATTENTION, SHE IS BLAMING MEMBERS OF A MINORITY 745 00:43:17,364 --> 00:43:22,102 GROUP FOR KIDNAPPING AND TORTURING HER. 746 00:43:22,102 --> 00:43:26,806 >> Reporter: WHICH ONLY ADDED MORE PRESSURE TO SOLVE THE CASE. 747 00:43:26,806 --> 00:43:30,977 WHAT THE DETECTIVES NEEDED DESPERATELY WAS SOME HARD 748 00:43:30,977 --> 00:43:36,216 EVIDENCE AND THEN, SUDDENLY, IN 749 00:43:36,216 --> 00:43:39,386 EARLY 2017, THERE IT WAS >> WORKING ON THAT CASE FOR SO 750 00:43:39,386 --> 00:43:43,223 LONG AND JUST HITTING ROADBLOCKS, AND THEN WE GET THE 751 00:43:43,223 --> 00:43:46,326 DNA. IT WAS HUGE FOR US 752 00:43:46,326 --> 00:43:51,965 >> Reporter: THE CRIME LAB HAD FOUND FOREIGN DNA ON SHERRI'S 753 00:43:51,965 --> 00:43:54,267 BODY AND HER CLOTHING. THERE WASN'T MUCH OF IT, AND 754 00:43:54,267 --> 00:43:55,135 THEY WEREN'T SURE HOW IT GOT THERE. 755 00:43:55,135 --> 00:43:56,703 >> IT WAS A TRANSFER TYPE OF DNA. 756 00:43:56,703 --> 00:43:59,939 IT WASN'T JUST SOMETHIN' THAT YOU COULD SWAB -- THAT'S ANOTHER 757 00:43:59,939 --> 00:44:02,442 ODDITY OF THIS CASE, NOTHIN' WAS EASY 758 00:44:02,442 --> 00:44:06,112 >> Reporter: THE DNA WAS FROM TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE NOT 759 00:44:06,112 --> 00:44:10,283 SHERRI PAPINI. ONE SAMPLE WAS SERIOUSLY 760 00:44:10,283 --> 00:44:13,119 DEGRADED >> THAT DNA WAS A PARTIAL 761 00:44:13,119 --> 00:44:14,587 PROFILE. AND SO WE WERE ONLY LIMITED 762 00:44:14,587 --> 00:44:18,158 TO -- TO RUN THAT LOCALLY IN THE STATE DATABASE 763 00:44:18,158 --> 00:44:22,896 AND THERE WAS NO CONNECTION. >> Reporter: BUT THE OTHER DNA 764 00:44:22,896 --> 00:44:24,297 SAMPLE WAS STRONG. THEY HAD -- CRIMINALISTS HAD TO 765 00:44:24,297 --> 00:44:26,533 COMPILE IT AND PUT IT TOGETHER TO SHOW THAT COMPLETE DNA 766 00:44:26,533 --> 00:44:29,703 STRUCTURE. COMPLETE ENOUGH TO GIVE THESE 767 00:44:29,703 --> 00:44:33,073 DETECTIVES SOME HOPE >> IT WAS A PIECE OF INFORMATION 768 00:44:33,073 --> 00:44:38,078 THAT WAS TANGIBLE. YOU KNOW, WE COULD PUT IT IN THE 769 00:44:38,078 --> 00:44:39,312 "COMBINED DNA INDEX SYSTEM," OR CODIS, AND, HOPEFULLY GET THE 770 00:44:39,312 --> 00:44:43,416 PERSON IDENTIFIED, WHICH WOULD THEN PUSH US TO THE NEXT STAGE 771 00:44:43,416 --> 00:44:48,088 >> Reporter: CODIS IS A HUGE DATABASE OF DNA PROFILES 772 00:44:48,088 --> 00:44:50,657 MAINTAINED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. IF SHERRI'S KIDNAPPERS HAD BEEN 773 00:44:50,657 --> 00:44:52,759 CONVICTED, OR EVEN ARRESTED BEFORE, THEY COULD WELL BE IN 774 00:44:52,759 --> 00:44:54,327 IT >> IT WAS AN EXCITING TIME FOR 775 00:44:54,327 --> 00:44:56,096 US I REMEMBER TALKING WITH KYLE AND 776 00:44:56,096 --> 00:44:59,566 WAITING FOR US TO GET A HIT ON THAT DNA 777 00:44:59,566 --> 00:45:03,770 >> Reporter: IT TOOK A FEW DAYS TO GET THE RESULTS BACK -- NO 778 00:45:03,770 --> 00:45:05,338 MATCH. THAT'S FRUSTRATING 779 00:45:05,338 --> 00:45:06,906 >> IT WAS A IMMEDIATE HIGH IN THE BEGINNING. 780 00:45:06,906 --> 00:45:12,145 AND THEN ABOUT A WEEK OR SO LATER, WE HAVE A LOW 781 00:45:12,145 --> 00:45:15,849 >> Reporter: CODIS IS CONSTANTLY UPDATED, SO THEIR SEARCH WOULD 782 00:45:15,849 --> 00:45:19,486 BE RE-RUN ONCE A WEEK. BUT FOR NOW THE DNA WAS A DEAD 783 00:45:19,486 --> 00:45:24,724 END -- AT LEAST WHEN IT CAME TO IDENTIFYING A SUSPECT. 784 00:45:24,724 --> 00:45:27,360 BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE VERY SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THE DNA 785 00:45:27,360 --> 00:45:31,064 THAT DEGRADED SAMPLE -- THE ONE THEY COULDN'T MATCH -- CAME FROM 786 00:45:31,064 --> 00:45:36,236 A WOMAN. THE OTHER SAMPLE, FOUND ON HER 787 00:45:36,236 --> 00:45:39,406 UNDERWEAR, CAME FROM A MAN AND IT DID NOT MATCH HER 788 00:45:39,406 --> 00:45:41,074 HUSBAND. MALE DNA IN SOMEBODY'S UNDERWEAR 789 00:45:41,074 --> 00:45:42,542 DOES TEND TO BE SOMEWHAT SUGGESTIVE. 790 00:45:42,542 --> 00:45:46,212 BUT -- >> IT -- IT COULD DEFINITELY 791 00:45:46,212 --> 00:45:47,313 CAUSE A PERSON TO -- TO HAVE PAUSE ABOUT IT -- ABOUT IT 792 00:45:47,313 --> 00:45:48,314 I -- I WILL AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT 793 00:45:48,314 --> 00:45:50,083 >> Reporter: ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE WAS ABDUCTED, SHE SAID, BY TWO 794 00:45:50,083 --> 00:45:54,187 WOMEN. >> WELCOME TO OUR INVESTIGATION. 795 00:45:54,187 --> 00:45:55,655 >> Reporter: REMEMBER, SHERRI TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT TWO 796 00:45:55,655 --> 00:45:59,325 WOMEN TOOK HER. NO MAN WAS INVOLVED AT ANY 797 00:45:59,325 --> 00:46:03,496 POINT. AND SHE WAS NOT SEXUALLY 798 00:46:03,496 --> 00:46:05,598 ASSAULTED. SO HOW TO EXPLAIN THAT MALE DNA? 799 00:46:05,598 --> 00:46:09,769 DETECTIVES WALLACE AND JACKSON HAD TO NAVIGATE THE 800 00:46:09,769 --> 00:46:13,373 INVESTIGATION CAREFULLY. >> THE LAST THING WE WANNA DO IS 801 00:46:13,373 --> 00:46:14,574 TO -- IS TO SHUT HER DOWN AND CONFRONT HER IF WE DON'T HAVE 802 00:46:14,574 --> 00:46:17,210 EVERYTHING IN ORDER. BECAUSE THEN SHE'S NEVER GONNA 803 00:46:17,210 --> 00:46:18,812 TALK WITH US AGAIN, THERE WAS A LOTTA THINGS THAT WEREN'T RIGHT. 804 00:46:18,812 --> 00:46:21,314 WE JUST DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHAT IT WAS AT THE TIME 805 00:46:21,314 --> 00:46:23,950 AND WE WERE GONNA GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT - 806 00:46:23,950 --> 00:46:32,892 >> Reporter: THERE WAS ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO TREAD LIGHTLY 807 00:46:32,892 --> 00:46:34,127 IN 2015, A FEW HOURS SOUTH OF REDDING IN VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA, 808 00:46:34,127 --> 00:46:36,062 A WOMAN NAMED DENISE HUSKINS TOLD POLICE SHE WAS KIDNAPPED 809 00:46:36,062 --> 00:46:43,236 AND LATER RETURNED. AND INVESTIGATORS DECLARED THAT 810 00:46:43,236 --> 00:46:44,404 A HOAX ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. >> POLICE SAY SHE LIED ABOUT HER 811 00:46:44,404 --> 00:46:47,073 OWN KIDNAPPING >> Reporter: THEY WERE WRONG 812 00:46:47,073 --> 00:46:51,711 DENISE HUSKINS' ABDUCTION HAD BEEN ALL TOO REAL. 813 00:46:51,711 --> 00:46:53,913 IT WAS A CASE THAT MADE FOR WORLD HEADLINES, AND WIDESPREAD 814 00:46:53,913 --> 00:46:56,449 CONDEMNATION OF THE VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT. 815 00:46:56,449 --> 00:46:57,450 >> Reporter: THAT WAS A BLACK EYE. 816 00:46:57,450 --> 00:47:01,621 >> YEAH, A BLACK EYE FOR EVERYBODY. 817 00:47:01,621 --> 00:47:03,723 >> Reporter: HERE'S THE CURRENT SHERIFF OF SHASTA COUNTY - 818 00:47:03,723 --> 00:47:05,892 MICHAEL JOHNSON. >> EVERY CASE LIKE THAT 819 00:47:05,892 --> 00:47:09,496 CONTRIBUTES TO WHY WE'RE SO THOROUGH AND CAREFUL, AND MAKE 820 00:47:09,496 --> 00:47:14,200 SURE THAT WE DO IT RIGHT 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONE, THAT'S 821 00:47:14,200 --> 00:47:18,071 NOT FAIR TO A TRUE VICTIM. AND TWO, PART OF PROFESSIONALISM 822 00:47:18,071 --> 00:47:19,472 IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTEGRITY RESTS UPON THE FACT THAT WE 823 00:47:19,472 --> 00:47:23,610 SHOULD BE VETTING OUT ALL THOSE THINGS 824 00:47:23,610 --> 00:47:26,780 >> Reporter: IN OCTOBER, 2017, NEARLY A YEAR AFTER SHERRI 825 00:47:26,780 --> 00:47:31,484 DISAPPEARED, THE SHASTA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FINALLY PUT OUT 826 00:47:31,484 --> 00:47:33,687 A PRESS RELEASE ABOUT THE DNA RESULTS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME 827 00:47:33,687 --> 00:47:37,791 SAYING THEY HAD NO REASON TO DOUBT SHERRI'S STORY 828 00:47:37,791 --> 00:47:44,064 THEY ALSO RELEASED THESE SKETCHES MADE BY THE F.B.I., 829 00:47:44,064 --> 00:47:46,966 BASED ON SHERRI'S DESCRIPTION OF HER CAPTORS -- THE NOTORIOUS 830 00:47:46,966 --> 00:47:48,234 HISPANIC FEMALES THE SKETCHES THAT SHERRI 831 00:47:48,234 --> 00:47:50,870 PROVIDED -- WHAT CAME OF THOSE THINGS 832 00:47:50,870 --> 00:47:58,211 WERE THERE TIPS OUTTA THEM >> WE RECEIVED QUITE A FEW TIPS 833 00:47:58,211 --> 00:47:59,479 THAT -- PEOPLE WOULD REPORT THAT THEY SAW TWO FEMALES THAT LOOKED 834 00:47:59,479 --> 00:48:01,348 SIMILAR TO THE SKETCHES AT A WALMART IN WHATEVER CITY 835 00:48:01,348 --> 00:48:07,654 THEY SEEMED, QUOTE-UNQUOTE AND THEN THERE WAS NOTHIN' EVER 836 00:48:07,654 --> 00:48:09,723 REALLY CONCRETE. >> Reporter: AFTER THAT, 837 00:48:09,723 --> 00:48:11,825 NOTHING. NO PRESS RELEASES, NO 838 00:48:11,825 --> 00:48:18,665 STATEMENTS SILENCE. 839 00:48:18,665 --> 00:48:23,903 >> WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT PUBLIC HAPPENS, AND THEN YOU 840 00:48:23,903 --> 00:48:26,072 JUST KINDA SHUT THE STORY DOWN WITH NO CONCLUSION, OF COURSE, 841 00:48:26,072 --> 00:48:29,676 EVERYBODY'S GONNA START GOING, "WELL, WHAT HAPPENED 842 00:48:29,676 --> 00:48:32,312 WHY AREN'T WE GETTING ANSWERS? >> Reporter: AFTER ORGANIZING 843 00:48:32,312 --> 00:48:33,380 THE SEARCH WHEN SHERRI WAS MISSING, TRUDY NICKENS WAS 844 00:48:33,380 --> 00:48:38,585 STARTING TO HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT SHERRI'S STORY 845 00:48:38,585 --> 00:48:39,819 >> PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN JUST SITTING DOWN AND DISCUSSING 846 00:48:39,819 --> 00:48:44,357 THE STORY WITH PEOPLE -- A COUPLE OF COLLEAGUES -- FELT 847 00:48:44,357 --> 00:48:48,628 ALMOST SHUNNED, LIKE, HOW DARE I QUESTION THE STORY 848 00:48:48,628 --> 00:48:52,732 HOW DARE I THINK THAT THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN A DIFFERENT 849 00:48:52,732 --> 00:48:57,437 SCENARIO HAPPENING? THE MAJORITY OF THE PUBLIC, I 850 00:48:57,437 --> 00:49:02,142 BELIEVE, BELIEVED THAT SHE WAS TAKEN OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD 851 00:49:02,142 --> 00:49:06,880 >> Reporter: SHASTA COUNTY DETECTIVES AND THE F.B.I. HAD 852 00:49:06,880 --> 00:49:08,014 NOTHING TO SAY PUBLICLY ABOUT THE SHERRI PAPINI CASE 853 00:49:08,014 --> 00:49:15,789 BUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WAS A VERY DIFFERENT STORY 854 00:49:15,789 --> 00:49:18,925 >>> COMING UP -- A SOLID LEAD, AT LAST, FROM THAT 855 00:49:18,925 --> 00:49:20,060 MALE DNA SHERRI PAPINI'S MYSTERY MAN IS 856 00:49:20,060 --> 00:49:25,765 ABOUT TO GET A KNOCK ON THE DOOR 857 00:49:25,765 --> 00:49:27,767 >> HE WASN'T READY FOR US WOULD BE THE EASIEST WAY TO PUT IT 858 00:49:27,767 --> 00:49:46,353 HE WAS SCARED AND SHOCKED THAT >> Reporter: VETERAN DETECTIVES 859 00:49:46,353 --> 00:49:51,091 BRIAN JACKSON AND KYLE WALLACE WERE DETERMINED TO CRACK THE 860 00:49:51,091 --> 00:49:53,293 SHERRI PAPINI CASE >> WE HAD A GOAL, AND THE GOAL 861 00:49:53,293 --> 00:49:56,830 WAS TO FIND THE ABDUCTORS AND TO GET THIS CASE SOLVED 862 00:49:56,830 --> 00:50:01,568 >> Reporter: THEY HAD THE KIND OF EVIDENCE THAT OFTEN SOLVES 863 00:50:01,568 --> 00:50:04,838 CASES -- THE MALE DNA FOUND ON SHERRI'S UNDERWEAR 864 00:50:04,838 --> 00:50:09,409 BUT WITHOUT A HIT IN CODIS, THERE WASN'T MUCH THEY COULD DO 865 00:50:09,409 --> 00:50:12,545 WITH IT. THAT IS, UNTIL APRIL 24, 2018. 866 00:50:12,545 --> 00:50:16,216 >> THE MYSTERY SURROUNDING AN INFAMOUS KILLING SPREE THAT 867 00:50:16,216 --> 00:50:20,420 SHOOK CALIFORNIA AND CONFOUNDED INVESTIGATORS FOR DECADES MAY 868 00:50:20,420 --> 00:50:23,023 HAVE JUST ENDED. >> Reporter: THE NOTORIOUS 869 00:50:23,023 --> 00:50:26,159 GOLDEN STATE SERIAL KILLER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST MAJOR CASES TO 870 00:50:26,159 --> 00:50:30,864 BE CRACKED USING "FORENSIC GENEALOGY" -- SO-CALLED 871 00:50:30,864 --> 00:50:34,334 "FAMILIAL DNA" -- THAT TAPS DNA PROFILES STORED IN MASSIVE, 872 00:50:34,334 --> 00:50:37,837 PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATABASES HOW DID THE GOLDEN STATE KILLER 873 00:50:37,837 --> 00:50:40,306 CASE AFFECT LAW ENFORCEMENT AROUND THE COUNTRY 874 00:50:40,306 --> 00:50:43,443 >> SO DRAMATICALLY JUST A GAME-CHANGER. 875 00:50:43,443 --> 00:50:47,414 >> Reporter: DETECTIVES WALLACE AND JACKSON FIGURED MAYBE WE 876 00:50:47,414 --> 00:50:50,250 SHOULD TRY THIS FAMILIAL DNA THING. 877 00:50:50,250 --> 00:50:51,951 I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE WERE SAYING, "WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU DO 878 00:50:51,951 --> 00:50:56,656 THAT SOONER? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S 879 00:50:56,656 --> 00:50:59,059 BENCHMARKS IN AN INVESTIGATION YOU HAVE TO REACH. 880 00:50:59,059 --> 00:51:00,293 >> Reporter: EVENTUALLY, THEY GOT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF 881 00:51:00,293 --> 00:51:04,330 JUSTICE TO APPROVE A FAMILIAL DNA SEARCH 882 00:51:04,330 --> 00:51:06,933 IT WAS A SLOW PROCESS. BUT THEN, ON MARCH 19, 2020, 883 00:51:06,933 --> 00:51:12,672 THREE YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS AFTER SHERRI PAPINI WEIRDLY 884 00:51:12,672 --> 00:51:14,774 APPEARED ALONG INTERSTATE 5 -- THERE WAS A HIT ON A FAMILY 885 00:51:14,774 --> 00:51:17,377 MEMBER OF THE MAN WHOSE DNA THEY RECOVERED FROM SHERRI'S 886 00:51:17,377 --> 00:51:20,547 UNDERWEAR. >> WHICH LED US TO SEVERAL 887 00:51:20,547 --> 00:51:27,854 POSSIBILITIES OF PEOPLE IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE. 888 00:51:27,854 --> 00:51:33,093 >> Reporter: ONE OF THOSE POSSIBILITIES WAS AN AMATEUR 889 00:51:33,093 --> 00:51:38,331 HOCKEY GOALIE WHO LIVED IN COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA, AND MANAGED 890 00:51:38,331 --> 00:51:42,002 THE SKATE STORE AT AN ICE RINK HIS NAME WAS JAMES REYES 891 00:51:42,002 --> 00:51:45,205 TELL ME ABOUT THIS GUY >> I THINK THE EASIEST WAY TO 892 00:51:45,205 --> 00:51:47,774 DESCRIBE HIM IS JUST -- LIKE A BURNOUT, ESSENTIALLY 893 00:51:47,774 --> 00:51:52,479 HE PLAYED HOCKEY, EVERY DAY OR MAJORITY OF HIS DAYS OFF 894 00:51:52,479 --> 00:51:57,817 SINGLE GUY JUST LIVIN' THAT GLORY DAYS LIFE 895 00:51:57,817 --> 00:51:58,685 I THINK'S THE EASIEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT. 896 00:51:58,685 --> 00:52:03,490 >> Reporter: FRIENDS DESCRIBED REYES AS THE NICEST GUY IN THE 897 00:52:03,490 --> 00:52:05,625 WORLD. COULD HE REALLY BE INVOLVED IN 898 00:52:05,625 --> 00:52:10,597 SHERRI PAPINI'S DISAPPEARANCE? THE DETECTIVES HAD TO BE SURE. 899 00:52:10,597 --> 00:52:11,798 SO THEY TRAVELED TO COSTA MESA AND THEY STAKED OUT -- OF ALL 900 00:52:11,798 --> 00:52:16,069 THINGS -- HIS TRASH CAN. 901 00:52:16,069 --> 00:52:19,205 >> SO DETECTIVES WILL FOLLOW PEOPLE 902 00:52:19,205 --> 00:52:21,841 THEY'LL SEE THAT THEY'VE DISCARDED SOME TRASH 903 00:52:21,841 --> 00:52:24,444 >> Reporter: IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED 904 00:52:24,444 --> 00:52:29,416 >> YEAH. THEY WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY A 905 00:52:29,416 --> 00:52:32,285 GREEN TEA BOTTLE THAT HE HAD DRANK FROM 906 00:52:32,285 --> 00:52:36,489 SO THEY WERE ABLE TO GET HIS DNA FROM THE BOTTLE. 907 00:52:36,489 --> 00:52:38,091 >> Reporter: AND WHADDYA KNOW? THE DNA ON THE BOTTLE WAS A 908 00:52:38,091 --> 00:52:44,864 PERFECT MATCH TO THE DNA ON SHERRI'S UNDERWEAR 909 00:52:44,864 --> 00:52:52,205 SOMEHOW, JAMES REYES WAS INVOLVED AFTER ALL 910 00:52:52,205 --> 00:52:53,473 AS THE DETECTIVES DUG DEEPER INTO REYES'S LIFE, THEY WOULD 911 00:52:53,473 --> 00:52:56,910 DISCOVER HE WAS CONNECTED TO SHERRI BY MORE THAN DNA. 912 00:52:56,910 --> 00:52:58,278 THE TWO HAD HISTORY. >> THEY HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER 913 00:52:58,278 --> 00:53:01,648 SINCE THEY WERE IN THEIR EARLY TEENS. 914 00:53:01,648 --> 00:53:03,216 THEY HAD BEEN BOYFRIEND AND GIRLFRIEND 915 00:53:03,216 --> 00:53:11,091 HE SAID THAT THEY HAD ACTUALLY BEEN ENGAGED TO EACH OTHER 916 00:53:11,091 --> 00:53:13,193 >> Reporter: THEY CALLED IT QUITS IN 2006. 917 00:53:13,193 --> 00:53:15,495 SO WHY HAD REYES SUDDENLY APPEARED IN SHERRI'S LIFE NINE 918 00:53:15,495 --> 00:53:19,466 YEARS AFTER THEY'D SPLIT UP? >> I WAS GETTIN' A LITTLE MORE 919 00:53:19,466 --> 00:53:20,734 EXCITED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW HE WAS INVOLVED NOW THAT I KNEW 920 00:53:20,734 --> 00:53:25,238 THAT THEY HAD A PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP 921 00:53:25,238 --> 00:53:32,545 >> Reporter: WALLACE AND AN FBI AGENT WENT TO REYES' DUPLEX TO 922 00:53:32,545 --> 00:53:33,980 FIND OUT MYSELF, THE L.A. FIELD 923 00:53:33,980 --> 00:53:42,956 OFFICE OF FBI AND THEN A LOCAL AGENT JUST CONTACTED HIM AT HIS 924 00:53:42,956 --> 00:53:44,657 RESIDENCE ON A COLD KNOCK. >> Reporter: WHAT DID THE 925 00:53:44,657 --> 00:53:45,792 BOYFRIEND LOOK LIKE WHEN A COUPLE OF COPS ARRIVED AT THE 926 00:53:45,792 --> 00:53:46,359 DOOR >> HE WAS SHOCKED. 927 00:53:46,359 --> 00:53:51,331 HE WASN'T READY FOR US, WOULD BE THE EASIEST WAY TO PUT IT. 928 00:53:51,331 --> 00:53:52,899 HE WAS SCARED AND SHOCKED THAT WE WERE THERE. 929 00:53:52,899 --> 00:53:54,968 >> Reporter: AT FIRST HE WASN'T EXACTLY CHATTY 930 00:53:54,968 --> 00:53:58,238 >> HE WANTED TO LIMIT WHAT HE WAS SAYIN', WHICH IS COMMON FOR 931 00:53:58,238 --> 00:54:03,343 THESE TYPES OF INVESTIGATIONS. SO, INITIALLY, IT WAS A LOT OF 932 00:54:03,343 --> 00:54:08,081 JUST THE -- TRY TO BREAK HIM >> Reporter: BUT EVENTUALLY, 933 00:54:08,081 --> 00:54:10,717 JAMES REYES BEGAN TO TALK. IT STARTED IN DECEMBER, 2015, 934 00:54:10,717 --> 00:54:15,455 SAID JAMES, WHEN HE WAS CLEANING HIS HOME AND STUMBLED ON SOME OF 935 00:54:15,455 --> 00:54:17,490 SHERRI'S THINGS. HE PACKED THEM UP AND SENT THEM 936 00:54:17,490 --> 00:54:21,161 OFF. HE MAILED SOME STUFF TO HER 937 00:54:21,161 --> 00:54:23,797 PARENTS' PLACE OR SOMETHING AND THEN SHE CONTACTED HIM 938 00:54:23,797 --> 00:54:25,365 >> YES, WHICH STARTED THE CONVERSATIONS, TEXT MESSAGES, 939 00:54:25,365 --> 00:54:29,069 PHONE CALLS. >> Reporter: SHERRI CALLED 940 00:54:29,069 --> 00:54:32,706 FIRST, SAID JAMES. HE WAS AT WORK AT THE SKATE 941 00:54:32,706 --> 00:54:37,410 STORE. HE TOLD DETECTIVES SHERRI SAID 942 00:54:37,410 --> 00:54:38,578 SHE WAS IN TROUBLE WHAT WAS HIS EXPLANATION FOR WHY 943 00:54:38,578 --> 00:54:40,080 HE HELPED HER IN THE FIRST PLACE? 944 00:54:40,080 --> 00:54:44,250 >> AS A FRIEND >> YEAH, HE WAS A FRIEND 945 00:54:44,250 --> 00:54:47,854 SHE CALLED HIM IN NEED >> Reporter: IT WAS HER 946 00:54:47,854 --> 00:54:49,456 MARRIAGE >> SHE DESCRIBED THAT SHE WAS IN 947 00:54:49,456 --> 00:54:53,693 AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH KEITH, THAT SHE NEEDED TO GET 948 00:54:53,693 --> 00:54:56,796 AWAY SHE NEEDED HIS HELP. 949 00:54:56,796 --> 00:54:59,399 >> Reporter: IF HE WAS GOING TO HELP HER, HE SAID SHE TOLD HIM 950 00:54:59,399 --> 00:55:03,069 THEY'D NEED TO TALK IN SECRET. >> SHERRI WAS THE PERSON WHO 951 00:55:03,069 --> 00:55:07,273 TOLD HIM TO GO GET A MINUTE-BY-MINUTE PHONE 952 00:55:07,273 --> 00:55:12,045 >> Reporter: A BURNER PHONE. SHERRI GOT ONE TOO, HE SAID. 953 00:55:12,045 --> 00:55:15,648 >> SHERRI EVENTUALLY USED THE MAIL TO SEND HIM THE PLAN. 954 00:55:15,648 --> 00:55:20,887 SO, HE GOT A CARE PACKAGE WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW SHE WANTED 955 00:55:20,887 --> 00:55:23,056 HIM TO GET THERE >> Reporter: THE PLAN WAS FOR 956 00:55:23,056 --> 00:55:29,262 JAMES TO DRIVE 600 MILES FROM HIS HOME IN COSTA MESA TO 957 00:55:29,262 --> 00:55:30,397 REDDING TO RESCUE SHERRI >> JAMES HAD TO FIND A FRIEND TO 958 00:55:30,397 --> 00:55:35,535 RENT HIM A CAR FOR HIM SO, THE RENTAL CAR WASN'T IN HIS 959 00:55:35,535 --> 00:55:38,304 NAME >> Reporter: AFTER DRIVING ALL 960 00:55:38,304 --> 00:55:41,441 THE WAY TO REDDING, JAMES GOT BREAKFAST AT A TRADER JOE'S AND 961 00:55:41,441 --> 00:55:48,114 THEN WAITED OUTSIDE A STARBUCKS FOR A TEXT MESSAGE FROM SHERRI 962 00:55:48,114 --> 00:55:50,750 ON HIS PREPAID PHONE IT WAS NOVEMBER 2, 2016. 963 00:55:50,750 --> 00:55:52,352 WHEN JAMES TOLD THE STORY TO DETECTIVES HE COULDN'T QUITE 964 00:55:52,352 --> 00:55:54,954 REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE ROAD WHERE SHERRI TOLD HIM TO PICK 965 00:55:54,954 --> 00:56:00,727 HER UP "OLD SOMETHING," HE SAID 966 00:56:00,727 --> 00:56:03,396 OLD OREGON TRAIL THEN, DRIVING DOWN THE DUSTY 967 00:56:03,396 --> 00:56:06,032 ROAD, HE SPOTTED A SWEATY SHERRI IN RUNNING CLOTHES 968 00:56:06,032 --> 00:56:06,933 AND THEN HE PICKED HER UP BESIDE THE ROAD 969 00:56:06,933 --> 00:56:08,068 THEY LEFT THE CELL PHONE BY THE ROAD 970 00:56:08,068 --> 00:56:11,838 AND THAT'S HOW THE WHOLE THING BEGAN? 971 00:56:11,838 --> 00:56:15,909 >> THAT'S HOW IT KICKED OFF. >> Reporter: AFTER SHERRI 972 00:56:15,909 --> 00:56:19,045 DITCHED HER CELL PHONE AND EARBUDS, SHE LAY FLAT ON THE 973 00:56:19,045 --> 00:56:21,247 BACK SEAT, BARELY SAYING A WORD, AS REYES DROVE ALL THE WAY BACK 974 00:56:21,247 --> 00:56:27,821 TO COSTA MESA AND SETTLED HER AT HIS APARTMENT. 975 00:56:27,821 --> 00:56:29,089 WHEN THEY GOT BACK TO HIS PLACE, DID HE SAY WHAT HE THOUGHT WOULD 976 00:56:29,089 --> 00:56:31,091 HAPPEN OR WHAT -- WHAT -- WHAT DID HAPPEN 977 00:56:31,091 --> 00:56:33,560 >> HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN ON THE RELATIONSHIP 978 00:56:33,560 --> 00:56:34,661 AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN THE NEXT DAY. 979 00:56:34,661 --> 00:56:35,829 HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN THE NEXT HOUR 980 00:56:35,829 --> 00:56:42,602 >> Reporter: BUT WHAT DID HAPPEN 981 00:56:42,602 --> 00:56:46,272 REMEMBER WHEN WE SAID "TWISTED"? >>> COMING UP -- 982 00:56:46,272 --> 00:56:49,943 THAT BIZARRE BRANDING -- DID IT COME AT SHERRI'S REQUEST 983 00:56:49,943 --> 00:56:55,849 >> SHE WANTED HIM TO GO SPECIFICALLY TO, LIKE, A HOBBY 984 00:56:55,849 --> 00:56:58,084 LOBBY AND TO GET LIKE, A WOOD-BURNING KIT OR A 985 00:56:58,084 --> 00:57:01,021 WOOD-CARVIN' KIT HE SAID SHE JUST LAID THERE, 986 00:57:01,021 --> 00:57:19,205 TIGHTENED HER BACK AND HE CONDUCTED THE BRAND. 987 00:57:19,205 --> 00:57:22,876 >> Reporter: TO HEAR JAMES REYES TELL IT, HE WAS RESCUING 988 00:57:22,876 --> 00:57:25,478 SHERRI PAPINI. HIS STORY WAS THAT AFTER A 989 00:57:25,478 --> 00:57:28,715 CLANDESTINE MEETING ARRANGED ON BURNER PHONES, HE DROVE NEARLY 990 00:57:28,715 --> 00:57:32,318 TEN HOURS TO BRING HER TO HIS HOME IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 991 00:57:32,318 --> 00:57:38,558 >> EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL WHEN THEY FIRST GOT THERE 992 00:57:38,558 --> 00:57:39,592 SHE ASKED TO BE IN A SPECIFIC ROOM 993 00:57:39,592 --> 00:57:41,161 SO HE HAD TO MOVE ALL OF THE FURNITURE OUT OF THE ROOM THAT 994 00:57:41,161 --> 00:57:43,797 SHE WANTED >> Reporter: HE SAID WHILE 995 00:57:43,797 --> 00:57:47,967 SHERRI HID OUT IN HER CHOSEN ROOM, HE TRIED TO GO ABOUT 996 00:57:47,967 --> 00:57:53,206 BUSINESS AS USUAL. >> HE CONTINUED TO GO TO WORK, 997 00:57:53,206 --> 00:57:56,376 WENT TO ALL OF HIS HOCKEY GAMES. >> Reporter: HE CAME HOME TO 998 00:57:56,376 --> 00:57:57,410 DISCOVER SHERRI HAD TRANSFORMED HIS APARTMENT. 999 00:57:57,410 --> 00:58:02,649 HE SAID WITH THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS, SHE DID A DEEP CLEAN OF 1000 00:58:02,649 --> 00:58:03,683 HIS APARTMENT. >> WENT FROM A BACHELOR 1001 00:58:03,683 --> 00:58:06,853 LIFESTYLE HOUSE TO A HOUSE THAT WAS VERY CLEAN 1002 00:58:06,853 --> 00:58:08,021 WOW. >> Reporter: DID HE TELL YOU 1003 00:58:08,021 --> 00:58:11,024 THAT HE -- HE -- HE WAS WAITIN' FOR THE ROMANCE TO BEGIN 1004 00:58:11,024 --> 00:58:16,329 >> IF THE RELATIONSHIP TOOK BACK OFF, I THINK HE WAS ABSOLUTELY 1005 00:58:16,329 --> 00:58:17,664 WILLING TO CONTINUE THAT ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP. 1006 00:58:17,664 --> 00:58:23,136 >> Reporter: BUT ACCORDING TO JAMES, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. 1007 00:58:23,136 --> 00:58:24,304 HE SAID SHE SLEPT IN HIS BED HE SLEPT ON THE COUCH. 1008 00:58:24,304 --> 00:58:27,807 >> WE WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT THERE WAS NO SEXUAL ACTIVITY 1009 00:58:27,807 --> 00:58:32,545 >> Reporter: IF HIS DNA WAS ON SHERRI'S CLOTHING, IT MUST HAVE 1010 00:58:32,545 --> 00:58:35,682 GOTTEN THERE SOME OTHER WAY. SHE COULD'VE HANDED HIM A PILE 1011 00:58:35,682 --> 00:58:37,784 OF CLOTHES, AND HE'D TAKE THEM OFF TO THE WASHING MACHINE AND 1012 00:58:37,784 --> 00:58:40,387 THEN HAND THEM BACK TO HER AFTER, AND HE LEFT HIS DNA ON 1013 00:58:40,387 --> 00:58:42,055 HER UNDERWEAR. IS THAT POSSIBLY HOW IT GOT 1014 00:58:42,055 --> 00:58:45,125 THERE? >> THAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE 1015 00:58:45,125 --> 00:58:46,693 HIGHER PROBABILITIES OF WHAT THAT DNA HAD BEEN ORIGINATED 1016 00:58:46,693 --> 00:58:50,897 FROM >> SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE 1017 00:58:50,897 --> 00:58:55,869 TRANSFER FROM BEIN' IN HIS HOUSE, SLEEPIN' IN HIS BED 1018 00:58:55,869 --> 00:58:59,272 >> ACTION NEWS NOW REPORTER AVISHA SCARBOROUGH VISITED THOSE 1019 00:58:59,272 --> 00:59:00,540 VOLUNTEERS TODAY AND ALSO SPOKE WITH THE MISSING WOMAN'S FAMILY. 1020 00:59:00,540 --> 00:59:01,541 >> Reporter: AS THE STORM OF NEWS ABOUT SHERRI'S 1021 00:59:01,541 --> 00:59:05,545 DISAPPEARANCE RAGED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, JAMES SAID HE TOLD 1022 00:59:05,545 --> 00:59:15,588 FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO KEEP THEIR DISTANCE WHILE SHERRI FOLLOWED 1023 00:59:15,588 --> 00:59:16,856 NEWS ABOUT THEIR FRANTIC SEARCH FOR HER ON HER OWN BURNER PHONE. 1024 00:59:16,856 --> 00:59:17,891 >> SHE STAYED INSIDE THE APARTMENT THE ENTIRE TIME. 1025 00:59:17,891 --> 00:59:19,693 SHE WOULD ASK HIM TO GO GET CERTAIN STUFF THROUGHOUT HER 1026 00:59:19,693 --> 00:59:23,897 STAY THERE >> Reporter: INSIDE JAMES'S 1027 00:59:23,897 --> 00:59:26,032 HOME, THINGS WERE GETTING STRANGER 1028 00:59:26,032 --> 00:59:29,836 >> HE WAS DAY TO DAY WITH SHERRI, WAITIN' FOR WHAT WAS 1029 00:59:29,836 --> 00:59:31,304 GONNA HAPPEN NEXT. >> Reporter: WITHIN A WEEK, HE 1030 00:59:31,304 --> 00:59:36,376 TOLD POLICE, SHERRI HAD CUT OFF HER OWN HAIR 1031 00:59:36,376 --> 00:59:41,681 AND WHILE HE PROVIDED PLENTY OF GOOD FOOD, HE SAID SHE PUT 1032 00:59:41,681 --> 00:59:43,750 HERSELF ON PRISON-TYPE RATIONS, LOSING WEIGHT TO THE POINT SHE 1033 00:59:43,750 --> 00:59:46,386 LOOKED EMACIATED HE CLAIMED SHE BANGED HER HEAD 1034 00:59:46,386 --> 00:59:50,590 ON THE BATHTUB AND BATHROOM FLOOR. 1035 00:59:50,590 --> 00:59:52,759 SEVERE BRUISES FROM THAT AND HERE'S THE FIRST TIME THE 1036 00:59:52,759 --> 00:59:55,295 DETECTIVES ARE SHARING THE DETAILS OF WHAT JAMES SAID 1037 00:59:55,295 --> 01:00:01,067 SHERRI TOLD HIM TO DO NEXT SHE DEMANDED HE BEAT HER 1038 01:00:01,067 --> 01:00:03,203 WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR HIM >> HE REFUSED TO PUT HIS OWN 1039 01:00:03,203 --> 01:00:06,306 HANDS ON HER TO HURT HER SO HE WOULD SHOOT HOCKEY PUCKS 1040 01:00:06,306 --> 01:00:10,010 OFF OF HER LEGS AND SHINS. >> Reporter: AND THAT WASN'T 1041 01:00:10,010 --> 01:00:13,646 ALL. >> ON ONE OCCASION, SHERRI 1042 01:00:13,646 --> 01:00:16,816 WANTED HIM TO HIT HER IN THE FACE WITH THE HOCKEY STICK 1043 01:00:16,816 --> 01:00:20,453 HE DESCRIBED SHERRI THEN RUNNIN' INTO THE HOCKEY STICK WHILE HE 1044 01:00:20,453 --> 01:00:22,022 JUST HELD IT OUT AND THAT'S HOW SHE CAUSED THE 1045 01:00:22,022 --> 01:00:23,189 INJURY TO HER NOSE >> Reporter: HAVE YOU EVER HEARD 1046 01:00:23,189 --> 01:00:25,392 SUCH A THING IN YOUR LIFE BEFORE 1047 01:00:25,392 --> 01:00:29,896 >> NO, I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS 1048 01:00:29,896 --> 01:00:31,965 NOT EVEN KIND OF >> Reporter: IF THAT SOUNDED 1049 01:00:31,965 --> 01:00:35,635 IMPROBABLE, CONSIDER HIS STORY ABOUT THE BRANDING 1050 01:00:35,635 --> 01:00:40,373 JAMES CLAIMED SHERRI GAVE HIM INSTRUCTIONS 1051 01:00:40,373 --> 01:00:45,612 >> WANTED HIM TO GO SPECIFICALLY TO, LIKE, A HOBBY LOBBY AND TO 1052 01:00:45,612 --> 01:00:48,748 GET, LIKE, A WOOD BURNING KIT OR A WOOD CARVIN' KIT 1053 01:00:48,748 --> 01:00:51,885 HE SAID SHE JUST LAID THERE, TIGHTENED HER BACK 1054 01:00:51,885 --> 01:00:56,089 HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE BRANDED IN HER 1055 01:00:56,089 --> 01:00:57,657 HE WAS JUST HANDED THE LETTERS AND HE -- HE CONDUCTED THE 1056 01:00:57,657 --> 01:01:00,260 BRAND. >> Reporter: SO YOU PUT THE 1057 01:01:00,260 --> 01:01:02,896 LETTER ON THE END OF THE -- ON THE END OF THE CRAFTING TOOL, 1058 01:01:02,896 --> 01:01:04,964 AND YOU JUST STAMP IT ON HER BACK, BASICALLY? 1059 01:01:04,964 --> 01:01:06,599 >> YUP, ONCE IT HEATS UP >> Reporter: AND THEN YOU PUT 1060 01:01:06,599 --> 01:01:09,669 ANOTHER ONE ON AND STAMP THE NEXT LETTER ON 1061 01:01:09,669 --> 01:01:15,442 >> YUP IT SOUNDS LIKE IT TOOK AT LEAST 1062 01:01:15,442 --> 01:01:17,544 AN HOUR OR TWO >> Reporter: AFTER THREE WEEKS, 1063 01:01:17,544 --> 01:01:22,248 SAID JAMES, SHERRI TOLD HIM SHE MISSED HER KIDS AND WANTED TO GO 1064 01:01:22,248 --> 01:01:24,351 HOME >> IT WAS JUST ANOTHER DAY 1065 01:01:24,351 --> 01:01:26,986 HE DOESN'T KNOW IF IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS THANKSGIVING OR 1066 01:01:26,986 --> 01:01:33,259 IF THERE WAS ANY OF THAT IDEA BEHIND IT. 1067 01:01:33,259 --> 01:01:35,128 HE HAD NO IDEA >> Reporter: THEY SET OUT ON THE 1068 01:01:35,128 --> 01:01:37,464 EVE OF THANKSGIVING, SAID JAMES, DROVE BACK UP HIGHWAY 5 TO 1069 01:01:37,464 --> 01:01:39,833 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. ON THE WAY BACK, DID SHE GET RID 1070 01:01:39,833 --> 01:01:43,737 OF ANYTHING? >> YES 1071 01:01:43,737 --> 01:01:46,373 SHE THREW AWAY DIFFERENT ITEMS CELL PHONE 1072 01:01:46,373 --> 01:01:48,541 SHE DISCARDED LOTS OF THE DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT WOULD HAVE 1073 01:01:48,541 --> 01:01:50,010 TIED HER TO WHERE HER LOCATION WAS. 1074 01:01:50,010 --> 01:01:51,277 >> Reporter: CHUCKED 'EM OUT THE WINDOW ON THE WAY UP THE 1075 01:01:51,277 --> 01:01:54,214 HIGHWAY. >> YEAH. 1076 01:01:54,214 --> 01:01:58,418 >> Reporter: ACCORDING TO JAMES, HER FINAL PIECE OF STAGECRAFT 1077 01:01:58,418 --> 01:02:01,154 WAS TO BIND HER OWN WRISTS AND ANKLES USING A CHAIN, ZIP TIES, 1078 01:02:01,154 --> 01:02:05,759 AND HOSE CLAMPS HE HAD BOUGHT FOR HER. 1079 01:02:05,759 --> 01:02:08,395 >> SHE STARTED SECURIN' HERSELF IN THE CHAINS WHILE SHE WAS IN 1080 01:02:08,395 --> 01:02:09,963 THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR WHEN SHE WAS DONE, SHE TOLD HIM 1081 01:02:09,963 --> 01:02:13,600 TO PULL OVER HE DID 1082 01:02:13,600 --> 01:02:16,836 FOLLOWED HER DIRECTIONS ON WHERE TO GO. 1083 01:02:16,836 --> 01:02:20,407 SHE JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR. >> Reporter: THEN ALISON SUTTON 1084 01:02:20,407 --> 01:02:25,111 SAW HER AND THE WORLD SOON LEARNED OF SHERRI'S "MIRACULOUS" 1085 01:02:25,111 --> 01:02:29,849 RETURN NOT HAVING A CLUE ABOUT JAMES REYES, WHOSE STORY ENDED 1086 01:02:29,849 --> 01:02:32,085 AS IMPROBABLY AS IT BEGAN. >> AND HE DROVE BACK HOME AND 1087 01:02:32,085 --> 01:02:35,088 WENT TO THANKSGIVING DINNER WITH HIS FAMILY 1088 01:02:35,088 --> 01:02:39,259 THERE WAS NO COMMUNICATION AFTER THAT 1089 01:02:39,259 --> 01:02:40,827 >> Reporter: JAMES REYES CONTRADICTED JUST ABOUT EVERY 1090 01:02:40,827 --> 01:02:46,099 LAST STRANGE DETAIL OF SHERRI PAPINI'S STORY. 1091 01:02:46,099 --> 01:02:49,202 THERE HAD BEEN NO KIDNAPPING BY LATINA WOMEN, NO GUN, NO 1092 01:02:49,202 --> 01:02:56,743 TORTURE, NO KITTY LITTER, AND NO PLOT TO SELL HER TO A COP. 1093 01:02:56,743 --> 01:03:00,480 ACCORDING TO JAMES REYES, IT WAS JUST SHERRI AND HIMSELF. 1094 01:03:00,480 --> 01:03:06,486 NOW THE QUESTION WAS, WHICH ONE OF THEM WAS REALLY IN CHARGE 1095 01:03:06,486 --> 01:03:11,725 >>> COMING UP -- SHERRI PAPINI BACK IN THE 1096 01:03:11,725 --> 01:03:14,327 INTERVIEW ROOM >> WHEN SHE WAS CONFRONTED, SHE 1097 01:03:14,327 --> 01:03:15,929 JUST WENT INTO A SHUTDOWN MODE WHERE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING DOWN, 1098 01:03:15,929 --> 01:03:20,800 NONRESPONSIVE. >> WOULD SHE CHANGE HER STORY 1099 01:03:20,800 --> 01:03:20,934 >> WOULD SHE CHANGE HER STORY NOW? 1100 01:03:38,451 --> 01:03:42,655 INVESTIGATORS A LONG AND DETAILED AND DEEPLY STRANGE 1101 01:03:42,655 --> 01:03:47,894 STORY ABOUT HOW HE CAME TO BE INVOLVED IN WHAT HE NOW KNEW WAS 1102 01:03:47,894 --> 01:03:51,564 SHERRI PAPINI'S FAKE KIDNAPPING. THE QUESTION WAS, COULD THEY 1103 01:03:51,564 --> 01:03:54,701 BELIEVE HIM? HOW DID YOU CORROBORATE THE 1104 01:03:54,701 --> 01:03:57,837 BOYFRIEND'S STORY? >> ONCE WE LEARNED OF HIS 1105 01:03:57,837 --> 01:03:59,406 INFORMATION, THAT WAS ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER LITTLE 1106 01:03:59,406 --> 01:04:02,575 INVESTIGATION INSIDE THE MAIN INVESTIGATION. 1107 01:04:02,575 --> 01:04:04,310 >> Reporter: YEP >> YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO VERIFY. 1108 01:04:04,310 --> 01:04:08,848 >> Reporter: AND VERIFY THEY DID. 1109 01:04:08,848 --> 01:04:10,950 OR TRIED TO. PIECING TOGETHER TANGIBLE 1110 01:04:10,950 --> 01:04:13,053 EVIDENCE OF THE ODYSSEY REYES DESCRIBED. 1111 01:04:13,053 --> 01:04:17,223 >> CAR RENTAL RECEIPTS UH, PHONE RECORDS. 1112 01:04:17,223 --> 01:04:21,928 FOLLOWING UP AT BUSINESSES >> Reporter: THEY TALKED TO 1113 01:04:21,928 --> 01:04:23,096 JAMES' COUSIN. HE LIVED RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET 1114 01:04:23,096 --> 01:04:26,132 FROM JAMES' APARTMENT. WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM HIM? 1115 01:04:26,132 --> 01:04:29,269 >> ESSENTIALLY HE CONFIRMED THAT SHERRI WAS DOWN THERE AT THE 1116 01:04:29,269 --> 01:04:38,712 TIME OF THE DISAPPEARANCE. HE SAW HER DURING THAT TIME. 1117 01:04:38,712 --> 01:04:39,946 >> Reporter: BUT THERE WAS OTHER EVIDENCE, TOO, TO BACK UP WHAT 1118 01:04:39,946 --> 01:04:41,514 JAMES REYES HAD TOLD THEM. LIKE THE EXTENT OF SHERRI'S 1119 01:04:41,514 --> 01:04:46,086 INJURIES >> THERE WAS A LOT OF INJURIES, 1120 01:04:46,086 --> 01:04:51,358 BRUISES ON TOP OF BRUISES. THE INJURIES ARE ALL DIFFERENT 1121 01:04:51,358 --> 01:04:52,826 STAGES OF HEALING. >> Reporter: THE FULL EXTENT AND 1122 01:04:52,826 --> 01:04:57,197 LOCATIONS OF SHERRI'S BRUISES AND CUTS AND BURNS HAD NEVER 1123 01:04:57,197 --> 01:05:00,700 BEEN MADE PUBLIC BUT JAMES SEEMED TO HAVE NO 1124 01:05:00,700 --> 01:05:02,235 TROUBLE REMEMBERING EACH ONE WHAT'S MORE, SOME OF THE 1125 01:05:02,235 --> 01:05:05,939 STRONGEST CORROBORATION FOR HIS STORY CAME FROM SHERRI'S OWN 1126 01:05:05,939 --> 01:05:09,709 ACCOUNT. >> SHE DESCRIBED THAT THERE WAS 1127 01:05:09,709 --> 01:05:15,382 A POLE, YOU KNOW, THAT RAN UP AND DOWN 1128 01:05:15,382 --> 01:05:20,120 THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS TIED TO OR CHAINED TO 1129 01:05:20,120 --> 01:05:22,722 AND SHE MADE DIAGRAMS AND DRAWINGS, AND THAT WAS TURNED 1130 01:05:22,722 --> 01:05:27,427 OVER TO THE FBI. >> Reporter: WHEN INVESTIGATORS 1131 01:05:27,427 --> 01:05:29,629 SEARCHED JAMES'S APARTMENT, THEY FOUND THE POLE, LIKE THIS ONE, 1132 01:05:29,629 --> 01:05:36,870 ALONG WITH OTHER ITEMS THAT MATCHED SHERRI'S DESCRIPTION OF 1133 01:05:36,870 --> 01:05:38,405 >> WHEN THE FBI AGENT CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE, HE JUST LOOKED AT 1134 01:05:38,405 --> 01:05:41,074 ME UP AND DOWN SHOOK HIS HEAD AND SAID, "THIS IS THE HOUSE." 1135 01:05:41,074 --> 01:05:44,711 >> Reporter: ADD IT ALL UP AND INVESTIGATORS WERE CONVINCED 1136 01:05:44,711 --> 01:05:50,483 THAT SHERRI PAPINI HAD INDEED BEEN IN JAMES REYES' APARTMENT 1137 01:05:50,483 --> 01:05:52,085 WHAT THEY STILL DIDN'T KNOW WAS WHETHER SHE WENT THERE 1138 01:05:52,085 --> 01:05:56,256 VOLUNTARILY. MAYBE JAMES KNEW SO MUCH BECAUSE 1139 01:05:56,256 --> 01:05:59,192 HE WAS THE KIDNAPPER >> BASED ON THE INJURIES AND THE 1140 01:05:59,192 --> 01:06:05,732 INFORMATION, SHE COULD'VE JUST EASILY BEEN KIDNAPPED BY HIM 1141 01:06:05,732 --> 01:06:06,933 >> Reporter: IN AUGUST 2020, ALMOST FOUR YEARS AFTER SHERRI'S 1142 01:06:06,933 --> 01:06:12,038 MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE, INVESTIGATORS BROUGHT HER IN TO 1143 01:06:12,038 --> 01:06:13,940 TALK ONCE AGAIN. >> SO REALLY, GOIN' IN THE 1144 01:06:13,940 --> 01:06:16,710 INTERVIEW, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE HAD 1145 01:06:16,710 --> 01:06:19,312 AND SHE HAD ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BLAME IT ON HIM IF SHE WANTED 1146 01:06:19,312 --> 01:06:23,049 TO CHANGE HER STORY COMPLETELY IT COULD'VE BEEN A DIFFERENT 1147 01:06:23,049 --> 01:06:25,585 OUTCOME. >> Reporter: BUT SHERRI DID NOT 1148 01:06:25,585 --> 01:06:27,687 SAY JAMES REYES WAS HER KIDNAPPER. 1149 01:06:27,687 --> 01:06:29,289 >> SHE STUCK WITH IT BEIN' FEMALE 1150 01:06:29,289 --> 01:06:36,596 >> Reporter: SHERRI CONTINUED TO INSIST SHE'D BEEN ABDUCTED BY 1151 01:06:36,596 --> 01:06:37,731 TWO WOMEN. SHE SAID HER EX-BOYFRIEND HAD 1152 01:06:37,731 --> 01:06:38,698 NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. EVEN WHEN INVESTIGATORS 1153 01:06:38,698 --> 01:06:43,436 CONFRONTED HER WITH PICTURES OF THE COSTA MESA APARTMENT, SHE 1154 01:06:43,436 --> 01:06:45,705 DIDN'T BUDGE THE PRECISE THINGS THAT SHE HAD 1155 01:06:45,705 --> 01:06:47,574 BEEN TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WERE RIGHT THERE IN THE PICTURES. 1156 01:06:47,574 --> 01:06:53,346 >> SHE WAS DISMISSIVE OF THE INFORMATION. 1157 01:06:53,346 --> 01:06:54,447 AND WHEN WE SHOWED ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE -- THE CLOSET 1158 01:06:54,447 --> 01:06:57,517 THAT WAS VERY UNIQUE, SHE WANTED TO DISMISS IT BECAUSE IT WASN'T 1159 01:06:57,517 --> 01:06:59,619 THE SAME IT SEEMED DIFFERENT TO A HOLE IN 1160 01:06:59,619 --> 01:07:00,687 THE WALL THAT SHE DESCRIBED SPECIFICALLY 1161 01:07:00,687 --> 01:07:04,891 SHE WANTED TO DISMISS AND SAY IT WASN'T THE SAME. 1162 01:07:04,891 --> 01:07:08,528 >> Reporter: AS SHERRI BRUSHED OFF THIS EVIDENCE, THE RULES OF 1163 01:07:08,528 --> 01:07:13,266 ENGAGEMENT CHANGED INVESTIGATORS TOLD HER LYING TO 1164 01:07:13,266 --> 01:07:16,936 A FEDERAL AGENT IS A CRIME IF SHE WAS GOING TO COME CLEAN 1165 01:07:16,936 --> 01:07:21,641 ABOUT WHAT DID OR DID NOT HAPPEN TO HER, NOW WAS THE TIME 1166 01:07:21,641 --> 01:07:25,311 >> WHEN SHE WAS CONFRONTED BY DETECTIVE WALLACE AND THE F.B.I. 1167 01:07:25,311 --> 01:07:29,582 AGENT, SHE JUST WENT INTO A SHUT-DOWN MODE WHERE, YOU KNOW, 1168 01:07:29,582 --> 01:07:30,717 LOOKING DOWN, NONRESPONSIVE, EVEN AFTER THEY CONTINUED TO 1169 01:07:30,717 --> 01:07:34,187 TRY. SHE DIDN'T PROVIDE ANYTHING ONE 1170 01:07:34,187 --> 01:07:37,323 WAY OR THE OTHER, OTHER THAN BASICALLY SAYIN', "IT'S NOT 1171 01:07:37,323 --> 01:07:39,959 TRUE." >> Reporter: BUT ACCORDING TO 1172 01:07:39,959 --> 01:07:43,630 COURT DOCUMENTS, WHEN HER HUSBAND LEFT THE ROOM, SHERRI 1173 01:07:43,630 --> 01:07:46,733 ADMITTED THAT SHE AND HER EX-BOYFRIEND JAMES REYES DID 1174 01:07:46,733 --> 01:07:50,937 TALK A LITTLE BIT BEFORE AND SHE ALSO SAID, "I MADE A 1175 01:07:50,937 --> 01:07:55,642 MISTAKE, AND I TALKED TO OTHER MEN, AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE. 1176 01:07:55,642 --> 01:07:59,346 I AM HORRIBLE. >> Reporter: WHERE DID SHE CROSS 1177 01:07:59,346 --> 01:08:01,414 THE LINE, OR WHEN, OR HOW, INTO CRIMINALITY? 1178 01:08:01,414 --> 01:08:07,187 >> WELL, IT'S REALLY THAT "20/20" INTERVIEW. 1179 01:08:07,187 --> 01:08:08,755 >> AGENTS MADE SURE TO TELL HER, "SHERRI, IF YOU LIE TO US, 1180 01:08:08,755 --> 01:08:11,391 THAT'S A CRIME WE'RE JUST ASKING YOU TO BE 1181 01:08:11,391 --> 01:08:13,026 HONEST." >> Reporter: THAT GAVE YOU THE 1182 01:08:13,026 --> 01:08:14,828 OPPORTUNITY TO CHARGE HER WITH A CRIME? 1183 01:08:14,828 --> 01:08:19,232 >> YES IT OPENS THE AVENUE. 1184 01:08:19,232 --> 01:08:24,471 >> Reporter: AND THAT'S HOW IT CAME TO PASS THAT 5 1/2 YEARS 1185 01:08:24,471 --> 01:08:29,175 AFTER SHERRI PAPINI FIRST MADE HEADLINES, SHE WOUND UP MAKING 1186 01:08:29,175 --> 01:08:31,277 THEM ALL OVER AGAIN. >>> COMING UP -- 1187 01:08:31,277 --> 01:08:36,049 >> I CONTACTED MY NEWSROOM AND SAID, "YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A NEW 1188 01:08:36,049 --> 01:08:39,686 LEAD STORY, RIGHT? >> SHERRI PAPINI AT THE CENTER 1189 01:08:39,686 --> 01:08:43,656 OF A WHOLE NEW STORM >> PEOPLE FELT USED AND TAKEN 1190 01:08:43,656 --> 01:08:44,924 ADVANTAGE OF THEY GOT BAMBOOZLED. 1191 01:08:44,924 --> 01:08:45,458 THEY GOT BAMBOOZLED. >> WHEN "DATELINE" CONTINUES 1192 01:09:02,742 --> 01:09:07,447 MARCH 3rd, 2022 -- 5 YEARS 4 MONTHS, AND 1 DAY AFTER HER 1193 01:09:07,447 --> 01:09:10,083 HUSBAND CALLED 911 TO REPORT HER MISSING -- SHERRI PAPINI DROVE 1194 01:09:10,083 --> 01:09:17,924 HER KIDS TO THE MUSIC SCHOOL WHERE THEY TOOK PIANO LESSONS. 1195 01:09:17,924 --> 01:09:19,192 AS SHERRI WAITED FOR THE KIDS, A WOMAN CAME IN AND TOLD HER 1196 01:09:19,192 --> 01:09:23,163 THERE'D BEEN AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING HER CAR. 1197 01:09:23,163 --> 01:09:29,436 THAT WAS WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT CALLS, A "RUSE." 1198 01:09:29,436 --> 01:09:31,571 THE WOMAN WAS AN F.B.I. AGENT. AND WHEN SHERRI WENT OUTSIDE, AN 1199 01:09:31,571 --> 01:09:36,810 EYEWITNESS TOLD US THEY "TACKLED" HER, AND PLACED HER 1200 01:09:36,810 --> 01:09:37,844 UNDER ARREST >> I WAS AT THE GYM IN THE 1201 01:09:37,844 --> 01:09:41,514 AFTERNOON, PUT MY PHONE DOWN FOR JUST AN HOUR. 1202 01:09:41,514 --> 01:09:44,150 CAME OUT OF THE GYM, SHERRI PAPINI'S BEEN ARRESTED 1203 01:09:44,150 --> 01:09:49,356 I CONTACTED MY NEWSROOM AND SAID, "YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A NEW 1204 01:09:49,356 --> 01:09:50,924 LEAD STORY, RIGHT? >> TONIGHT, A NORTHERN 1205 01:09:50,924 --> 01:09:52,058 CALIFORNIA MOTHER IS UNDER ARREST, ACCUSED OF FAKING HER 1206 01:09:52,058 --> 01:09:54,861 OWN ABDUCTION. >> I WAS SHOCKED 1207 01:09:54,861 --> 01:09:58,264 >> Reporter: THE CHARGES LYING TO A FEDERAL OFFICER ABOUT 1208 01:09:58,264 --> 01:10:02,969 HER NON-EXISTENT KIDNAPPING, AND 34 COUNTS OF MAIL FRAUD. 1209 01:10:02,969 --> 01:10:07,173 >> AND THAT'S DEFRAUDING THE CALIFORNIA VICTIM COMPENSATION 1210 01:10:07,173 --> 01:10:11,411 FUND OF MORE THAN $30,000. AND BECAUSE SHE USED THE MAIL TO 1211 01:10:11,411 --> 01:10:14,514 DO SO, IT BECOMES A FEDERAL OFFENSE. 1212 01:10:14,514 --> 01:10:21,321 >> Reporter: SO NOW, A NEW SENTIMENT SPREAD AT THE SPEED OF 1213 01:10:21,321 --> 01:10:26,559 TWITTER. >> IT MAKES MY STOMACH HURT. 1214 01:10:26,559 --> 01:10:29,729 I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT ALL THE DONORS WHO DONATED ALL THOSE 1215 01:10:29,729 --> 01:10:33,900 FUNDS MUST FEEL LIKE -- EVEN HER FRIENDS, EVEN HER FAMILY 1216 01:10:33,900 --> 01:10:39,139 THE BETRAYAL >> THAT MAKES ME ANGRY 1217 01:10:39,139 --> 01:10:47,013 THERE'S THE $30,000 FROM CALIFORNIA'S VICTIM WITNESS 1218 01:10:47,013 --> 01:10:52,252 FUND, THAT IF THIS IS ALL A HOAX AND A LIE, THERE ARE REAL 1219 01:10:52,252 --> 01:10:56,990 VICTIMS WHO WON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE FUNDS BECAUSE THEY WERE 1220 01:10:56,990 --> 01:10:58,425 GIVEN TO HER >> THE COMMUNITY REALLY INVESTED 1221 01:10:58,425 --> 01:11:00,126 THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR TIME INTO FINDING THIS WOMAN 1222 01:11:00,126 --> 01:11:04,297 PEOPLE FELT USED AND TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF 1223 01:11:04,297 --> 01:11:09,536 AND THEY GOT BAMBOOZLED. >> Reporter: THE PAPINI FAMILY 1224 01:11:09,536 --> 01:11:13,206 ISSUED A STATEMENT, WHICH READ IN PART, "WE LOVE SHERRI AND ARE 1225 01:11:13,206 --> 01:11:16,876 APPALLED BY THE WAY IN WHICH LAW ENFORCEMENT AMBUSHED HER IN A 1226 01:11:16,876 --> 01:11:24,451 DRAMATIC AND UNNECESSARY MANNER IN FRONT OF HER CHILDREN." 1227 01:11:24,451 --> 01:11:25,585 LONGTIME PUBLIC DEFENDER MARY ELLEN ATTRIDGE HAS DEFENDED 1228 01:11:25,585 --> 01:11:27,354 MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLE OVER ABOUT 30 YEARS -- SOME HIGH 1229 01:11:27,354 --> 01:11:31,224 PROFILE TRIALS SHE'S BEEN FOLLOWING THIS CASE 1230 01:11:31,224 --> 01:11:34,694 AND SHE THINKS SHERRI PAPINI'S ARREST MIGHT HAVE BEEN HANDLED 1231 01:11:34,694 --> 01:11:37,831 DIFFERENTLY. >> IT'S UNFORTUNATE THEY DIDN'T 1232 01:11:37,831 --> 01:11:42,002 ALLOW HER TO SURRENDER, BECAUSE SHE HAD GONE IN FOR INTERVIEWS 1233 01:11:42,002 --> 01:11:44,104 VOLUNTARILY, SO SHE IS SOMEBODY THAT IS NOT A FLIGHT RISK AND 1234 01:11:44,104 --> 01:11:47,874 WOULD HAVE SURRENDERED >> Reporter: SO WHAT'S THE POINT 1235 01:11:47,874 --> 01:11:51,845 THEN, OF COMING TO HER SCHOOL AND, YOU KNOW, PULLING HER OUT 1236 01:11:51,845 --> 01:11:52,645 AND DOING IT THERE IN FRONT OF PEOPLE 1237 01:11:52,645 --> 01:11:54,581 >> IT'S WHAT'S CALLED THE PERP WALK 1238 01:11:54,581 --> 01:12:00,820 IT'S PUBLIC SHAMING. IT'S LIKE THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS 1239 01:12:00,820 --> 01:12:04,557 HIT THE DIGITAL AGE. >> SHERRI, HEY, SHERRI 1240 01:12:04,557 --> 01:12:08,228 >> Reporter: FIVE DAYS AFTER SHERRI PAPINI'S ARREST, A 1241 01:12:08,228 --> 01:12:16,069 FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERED HER RELEASED ON $120,000 BAIL, 1242 01:12:16,069 --> 01:12:18,672 PROVIDED SHE AGREED TO UNDERGO PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT AND 1243 01:12:18,672 --> 01:12:21,441 SURRENDER HER PASSPORT THE CHARGES AGAINST HER RAISED 1244 01:12:21,441 --> 01:12:24,944 OTHER QUESTIONS TOO. FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT THE ROLE OF 1245 01:12:24,944 --> 01:12:26,513 SHERRI'S EX-BOYFRIEND, JAMES REYES. 1246 01:12:26,513 --> 01:12:29,282 WHAT'S A SIMPLE WAY OF -- OF EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE WHY HE 1247 01:12:29,282 --> 01:12:31,484 WASN'T CHARGED >> I THINK THE EASIEST WAY TO 1248 01:12:31,484 --> 01:12:37,524 DESCRIBE IT, IS HE WAS DOIN' WHAT A FRIEND ASKED. 1249 01:12:37,524 --> 01:12:41,261 SHE ASKED TO BE HIT, SHE ASKED TO BE BURNED, AND HE JUST WENT 1250 01:12:41,261 --> 01:12:44,330 ALONG WITH WHAT SHE SAID -- IT'S TWO CONSENTING ADULTS. 1251 01:12:44,330 --> 01:12:47,100 >> AND AS FAR AS HIM NOT COMIN' FORWARD, YA KNOW, THERE'S NO LAW 1252 01:12:47,100 --> 01:12:48,234 THAT MAKES SOMEBODY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO REPORT WHAT THEY 1253 01:12:48,234 --> 01:12:50,103 KNOW SO, THAT'S WHY THERE'S NO 1254 01:12:50,103 --> 01:12:53,740 CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AGAINST HIM. 1255 01:12:53,740 --> 01:12:56,876 >> Reporter: JAMES REYES IS STAYING WITH FAMILY IN ARIZONA 1256 01:12:56,876 --> 01:12:59,479 WE WENT TO TALK WITH HIM THERE, BUT HE DECLINED OUR REQUEST FOR 1257 01:12:59,479 --> 01:13:01,581 AN INTERVIEW >> HE IS 1258 01:13:01,581 --> 01:13:02,615 >> HE IS HERE? >> HE'S JUST -- HE'S NOT 1259 01:13:02,615 --> 01:13:05,785 TALKING. >> OKAY. 1260 01:13:05,785 --> 01:13:09,422 >> Reporter: AND WHAT ABOUT SHERRI'S HUSBAND 1261 01:13:09,422 --> 01:13:12,058 ACCORDING TO THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, AFTER SHERRI 1262 01:13:12,058 --> 01:13:15,729 RE-APPEARED, KEITH PAPINI TOOK MORE THAN $31,000 FROM THE 1263 01:13:15,729 --> 01:13:22,535 GOFUNDME ACCOUNT AND PUT IT IN HIS PERSONAL CHECKING ACCOUNT. 1264 01:13:22,535 --> 01:13:24,337 THE COMPLAINT SAYS THE COUPLE USED GOFUNDME MONEY TO PAY 1265 01:13:24,337 --> 01:13:26,239 CREDIT CARD DEBT AND OTHER PERSONAL EXPENSES. 1266 01:13:26,239 --> 01:13:30,944 >> FUNDS THAT WERE USED FOR SHERRI AND KEITH'S PERSONAL 1267 01:13:30,944 --> 01:13:32,512 BENEFIT, TO PAY OFF CREDIT CARDS AND THE LIKE 1268 01:13:32,512 --> 01:13:35,648 THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DID HE KNOW 1269 01:13:35,648 --> 01:13:38,818 AND WHAT WAS THE EXTENT OF HIS PARTICIPATION IN ALL THIS? 1270 01:13:38,818 --> 01:13:42,956 >> Reporter: DETECTIVES REVEALED WHAT THEY THINK IS THE ANSWER TO 1271 01:13:42,956 --> 01:13:47,127 THAT QUESTION. THEY TOLD US ABOUT THAT FATEFUL 1272 01:13:47,127 --> 01:13:50,263 INTERVIEW IN 2020 -- THE ONE WHERE THEY SHOWED SHERRI 1273 01:13:50,263 --> 01:13:52,365 PICTURES OF JAMES REYES' APARTMENT. 1274 01:13:52,365 --> 01:13:57,637 KEITH, THEY SAID, WAS IN THE ROOM WITH SHERRI, AND WHEN HE 1275 01:13:57,637 --> 01:13:59,205 SAW THE PICTURES - >> JUMPING UP AND DOWN, DOING 1276 01:13:59,205 --> 01:14:03,576 JUMPING JACKS, TRYING TO CONTAIN HIS EXCITEMENT 1277 01:14:03,576 --> 01:14:04,811 >> Reporter: DID HE THINK THAT HERE WAS FINALLY PROOF THAT HER 1278 01:14:04,811 --> 01:14:07,147 STORY WAS TRUE THAT SHE WAS, INDEED, KIDNAPPED, 1279 01:14:07,147 --> 01:14:10,750 AND HERE'S THE EVIDENCE FOR IT >> HE THOUGHT WE FOUND THE 1280 01:14:10,750 --> 01:14:14,454 HOUSE, HE THOUGHT WE -- WE DID IT ALL, UNTIL WE STARTED DOIN' 1281 01:14:14,454 --> 01:14:18,058 THE CONFRONTATION PART AND ONCE THE CONFRONTATION 1282 01:14:18,058 --> 01:14:20,126 STARTED, OBVIOUSLY HE BECAME UPSET AND LEFT THE ROOM. 1283 01:14:20,126 --> 01:14:24,064 >> Reporter: WAS THAT THE MOMENT WHEN HE REALIZED HE'D BEEN LIED 1284 01:14:24,064 --> 01:14:26,433 TO HIMSELF ALL THIS TIME >> I THINK IT WAS THE FIRST TIME 1285 01:14:26,433 --> 01:14:30,370 THAT HE ACTUALLY REALIZED THAT WHAT WAS REPORTED WASN'T WHAT 1286 01:14:30,370 --> 01:14:33,239 OCCURRED, AND NOT ONLY HAS SHE LIED TO A LOTTA PEOPLE, BUT SHE 1287 01:14:33,239 --> 01:14:34,207 LIED TO HIM, HER HUSBAND >> Reporter: THROUGH A 1288 01:14:34,207 --> 01:14:39,079 SPOKESMAN, SHERRI AND KEITH PAPINI ALSO DECLINED TO BE 1289 01:14:39,079 --> 01:14:41,614 INTERVIEWED. BUT WE SHOULD NOTE DETECTIVES 1290 01:14:41,614 --> 01:14:44,784 TOLD US THERE IS NO EVIDENCE KEITH EVER HARMED SHERRI 1291 01:14:44,784 --> 01:14:49,489 THAT, APPARENTLY, WAS ANOTHER LIE SHE TOLD 1292 01:14:49,489 --> 01:14:53,159 IN THE CASE OF THE BIG LIE, ABOUT THE KIDNAPPING, THE 1293 01:14:53,159 --> 01:14:57,864 CHARGES AGAINST SHERRI PAPINI CARRIED A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 1294 01:14:57,864 --> 01:15:00,166 25 YEARS AND IT WAS TIME TO FACE THE 1295 01:15:00,166 --> 01:15:05,171 JUDGE. >> WHY DID YOU DO THIS 1296 01:15:05,171 --> 01:15:08,341 >>> COMING UP -- >> SHE HAD A BRAND 1297 01:15:08,341 --> 01:15:11,544 SHE HAD BURNS. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A 1298 01:15:11,544 --> 01:15:16,282 SYMPTOM OF A MENTAL DISORDER >> AN ILLNESS, OR A CRIME? 1299 01:15:16,282 --> 01:15:17,817 A NEW STORY AT LAST, FROM SHERRI PAPINI. 1300 01:15:17,817 --> 01:15:35,468 >> IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO DO THE >> Reporter: TO POLICE AND FBI 1301 01:15:35,468 --> 01:15:39,639 AGENTS WHO SPENT YEARS INVESTIGATING SHERRI PAPINI'S 1302 01:15:39,639 --> 01:15:45,412 DISAPPEARANCE, THE CASE WAS AS CLEAR CUT AS IT WAS INFURIATING. 1303 01:15:45,412 --> 01:15:48,581 >> THE COMMUNITY STOOD UP FOR HER AND OFFERED HER NOT ONLY 1304 01:15:48,581 --> 01:15:53,820 MONETARY FUNDS BUT EMOTIONAL, MORAL SUPPORT. 1305 01:15:53,820 --> 01:15:56,956 AND IT'S JUST A COMPLETE FARCE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FOR THE 1306 01:15:56,956 --> 01:16:00,160 NATION >> Reporter: VETERAN DEFENSE 1307 01:16:00,160 --> 01:16:02,362 ATTORNEY MARY ELLEN ATTRIDGE, WHO IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE 1308 01:16:02,362 --> 01:16:08,501 PAPINI CASE, HAS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. 1309 01:16:08,501 --> 01:16:12,172 >> IN MY VIEW, IT'S ABOUT WHAT WAS DRIVING THAT ONE PERSON, NOT 1310 01:16:12,172 --> 01:16:14,474 THE FACT THAT WE NEED REVENGE, BUT WHAT MADE HER SO UNFORTUNATE 1311 01:16:14,474 --> 01:16:20,046 TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS SERIES OF EVENTS. 1312 01:16:20,046 --> 01:16:21,381 >> Reporter: ATTRIDGE REVIEWED THE LENGTHY CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, 1313 01:16:21,381 --> 01:16:24,751 AND WE ASKED HER HOW SHE MIGHT DEFEND SHERRI PAPINI 1314 01:16:24,751 --> 01:16:27,053 SHE OFFERED HER OWN THEORY -- THAT THE CASE IS NOT SO MUCH 1315 01:16:27,053 --> 01:16:33,360 ABOUT A CRIME AS ABOUT AN ILLNESS. 1316 01:16:33,360 --> 01:16:34,761 >> IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A SYMPTOM OF A MENTAL DISORDER, 1317 01:16:34,761 --> 01:16:41,067 SPECIFICALLY SOMETHING CALLED FACTITIOUS DISORDER, WHERE YOU 1318 01:16:41,067 --> 01:16:43,069 EMBRACE THIS FALSE NARRATIVE AND ACT ON IT, AND YOU CONVINCE 1319 01:16:43,069 --> 01:16:47,273 YOURSELF THAT IT IS TRUE >> Reporter: ATTRIDGE IS NOT A 1320 01:16:47,273 --> 01:16:52,245 DOCTOR, AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST SHERRI HAS BEEN 1321 01:16:52,245 --> 01:16:54,581 DIAGNOSED WITH THIS DISORDER BUT IF SHE WERE, ATTRIDGE 1322 01:16:54,581 --> 01:16:59,819 BELIEVES IT COULD EXPLAIN THE DRASTIC LENGTHS SHERRI WENT TO 1323 01:16:59,819 --> 01:17:02,455 >> SHE HAD SELF-INJURED IN EXTREME WAYS 1324 01:17:02,455 --> 01:17:05,592 SHE HAD A BRAND. SHE WAS HIT WITH A HOCKEY PUCK 1325 01:17:05,592 --> 01:17:10,830 SHE HAD BURNS THAT SHE SELF-INFLICTED 1326 01:17:10,830 --> 01:17:14,034 IT MAKES ME SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT SHE DID IN ORDER TO SHOW 1327 01:17:14,034 --> 01:17:16,102 THESE INJURIES AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S 1328 01:17:16,102 --> 01:17:19,739 NORMAL BEHAVIOR. >> Reporter: BUT AS SHASTA 1329 01:17:19,739 --> 01:17:23,743 COUNTY SHERIFF MICHAEL JOHNSON POINTS OUT, SHERRI'S CONVINCING 1330 01:17:23,743 --> 01:17:26,579 ABDUCTION CLAIMS HAD A VERY PRICEY CHAIN REACTION. 1331 01:17:26,579 --> 01:17:29,716 >> FROM THE TIME THEY ACTUALLY ASSIGNED THAT PROJECT CODE TO 1332 01:17:29,716 --> 01:17:31,685 THE END, WE'RE IN EXCESS OF $150,000 INTO THIS 1333 01:17:31,685 --> 01:17:34,954 INVESTIGATION. >> Reporter: MY, MY. 1334 01:17:34,954 --> 01:17:38,625 >> FOR A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY'S BUDGET, THAT'S A HUGE 1335 01:17:38,625 --> 01:17:40,960 DENT >> Reporter: THE DEFENSE 1336 01:17:40,960 --> 01:17:43,863 ATTORNEY COUNTERED THAT SHERRI DID NOTHING ILLEGAL WHEN SHE 1337 01:17:43,863 --> 01:17:48,068 DISAPPEARED. >> AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT DOING 1338 01:17:48,068 --> 01:17:50,670 IT FOR NEFARIOUS REASONS, PEOPLE DISAPPEAR EVERY DAY. 1339 01:17:50,670 --> 01:17:53,306 >> YEAH. IF THE POLICE WANTED TO USE 1340 01:17:53,306 --> 01:17:56,976 RESOURCES TO GO LOOK FOR THEM, WELL, THAT'S - - THAT'S ON THEM. 1341 01:17:56,976 --> 01:18:01,114 YEAH AND I THINK THAT BRINGS ALSO UP 1342 01:18:01,114 --> 01:18:07,454 ANOTHER THING IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN AMERICA THAT IS 1343 01:18:07,454 --> 01:18:09,089 PROBLEMATIC, AND THAT IS THAT WHEN A WHITE FEMALE DISAPPEARS 1344 01:18:09,089 --> 01:18:13,226 AND SHE HAPPENS TO BE YOUNG AND BLONDE, THEN IT'S A PANIC. 1345 01:18:13,226 --> 01:18:16,396 SO I THINK THAT'S MORE A SYSTEMIC ISSUE BECAUSE THERE ARE 1346 01:18:16,396 --> 01:18:19,532 BLACK FEMALES. THERE ARE HISPANIC FEMALES 1347 01:18:19,532 --> 01:18:21,534 THERE ARE INDIGENOUS FEMALES WHO DISAPPEAR EVERY DAY. 1348 01:18:21,534 --> 01:18:24,904 >> Reporter: ALL THE TIME. >> I CAN DEFINITELY SEE PEOPLE'S 1349 01:18:24,904 --> 01:18:29,042 OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT CASE GETS MORE ATTENTION 1350 01:18:29,042 --> 01:18:30,643 BUT THAT'S -- I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN ACCURATE DEPICTION OF 1351 01:18:30,643 --> 01:18:34,381 HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL CONDUCTS CASES 1352 01:18:34,381 --> 01:18:35,515 >> Reporter: CAPTAIN JACKSON TOLD US HIS DEPARTMENT WORKS 1353 01:18:35,515 --> 01:18:39,285 EVERY CASE WITH THE SAME INTENSITY. 1354 01:18:39,285 --> 01:18:43,123 >> IT DOESN'T MATTER ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE PERSON 1355 01:18:43,123 --> 01:18:45,191 WE'RE GONNA INVESTIGATE THE -- THE MISSING PERSON CASE, OR 1356 01:18:45,191 --> 01:18:47,894 WHATEVER THE CASE IS, UNTIL WE CAN COME TO A RESOLUTION 1357 01:18:47,894 --> 01:18:49,462 >> Reporter: AND AS FOR THE SUGGESTION THAT THE SHERIFF'S 1358 01:18:49,462 --> 01:18:56,202 DEPARTMENT DIDN'T HAVE TO SPEND ALL THAT TIME AND MONEY 1359 01:18:56,202 --> 01:18:57,337 INVESTIGATING SHERRI PAPINI. >> THAT'S ANOTHER TACTIC, A 1360 01:18:57,337 --> 01:18:59,339 DIVERSION TACTIC, TO GET US AWAY FROM THE REAL ISSUE. 1361 01:18:59,339 --> 01:19:03,510 AND THE REAL ISSUE IS HERE THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO TRIED TO 1362 01:19:03,510 --> 01:19:06,146 DECEIVE EVERYBODY AND COST EVERYBODY A LOT OF EMOTIONAL, 1363 01:19:06,146 --> 01:19:10,350 TIME, AND RESOURCE EFFORTS >> Reporter: ATTRIDGE NOTED THAT 1364 01:19:10,350 --> 01:19:15,055 AFTER SHERRI RETURNED, SHE SPOKE WITH A THERAPIST FOR SEVERAL 1365 01:19:15,055 --> 01:19:16,756 YEARS. >> NOT ONLY IS IT, YOU KNOW, 1366 01:19:16,756 --> 01:19:18,191 EMOTIONALLY DISTURBING TO GO TO THERAPY, BUT IT'S TIME 1367 01:19:18,191 --> 01:19:23,430 CONSUMING. THAT'S A LOT OF THERAPY. 1368 01:19:23,430 --> 01:19:28,268 SO I FIND THAT TO BE A FACT IN FAVOR OF HER BEING MENTALLY ILL. 1369 01:19:28,268 --> 01:19:30,236 >> Reporter: ACCORDING TO THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, THE 1370 01:19:30,236 --> 01:19:37,043 THERAPIST WHO SPENT HOURS AND HOURS WITH SHERRI DIAGNOSED HER 1371 01:19:37,043 --> 01:19:40,714 WITH PTSD. TO THE SHERIFF, THOSE THERAPY 1372 01:19:40,714 --> 01:19:42,816 SESSIONS WERE JUST ANOTHER WAY SHERRI BILKED THE SYSTEM 1373 01:19:42,816 --> 01:19:44,584 AND SHE PAID FOR THAT OUT OF MONEY THAT SHE GOT FROM THE 1374 01:19:44,584 --> 01:19:46,486 STATE. >> THAT'S CORRECT. 1375 01:19:46,486 --> 01:19:48,588 YES. >> Reporter: WELL -- 1376 01:19:48,588 --> 01:19:50,123 >> WHICH ALL COMES BACK DOWN TO YOU AND I. 1377 01:19:50,123 --> 01:19:53,793 RIGHT? WE ALL PAY INTO THAT THOSE TYPE 1378 01:19:53,793 --> 01:19:56,930 OF -- OF MONIES ARE SET ASIDE FOR REAL VICTIMS, REAL 1379 01:19:56,930 --> 01:19:58,498 WITNESSES. AND WE WERE DEFRAUDED THAT WAY 1380 01:19:58,498 --> 01:20:02,268 AS WELL. >> Reporter: OF COURSE, FRAUD 1381 01:20:02,268 --> 01:20:06,906 IMPLIES THAT THE SUSPECT KNEW SHE WAS LYING. 1382 01:20:06,906 --> 01:20:11,111 DEFENSE ATTORNEY ATTRIDGE ASKED, "WHAT IF SHE DIDN'T? 1383 01:20:11,111 --> 01:20:12,379 BUT SURELY SHE WOULD'VE KNOWN AS SHE WAS DOING THESE THINGS THAT 1384 01:20:12,379 --> 01:20:13,847 SHE WAS GOING TO PUT AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE OUT, TERRIFY HER 1385 01:20:13,847 --> 01:20:18,651 FAMILY, CAUSE ALL KINDS OF DISRUPTION AND HARM. 1386 01:20:18,651 --> 01:20:20,020 >> WELL, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS THINKING 1387 01:20:20,020 --> 01:20:22,655 I MEAN, MAYBE SHE WASN'T THINKING ABOUT THAT AT ALL 1388 01:20:22,655 --> 01:20:26,326 MAYBE SHE WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT HER OWN NEEDS, HER NEED 1389 01:20:26,326 --> 01:20:28,428 FOR ATTENTION. >> Reporter: SHE GOT PLENTY OF 1390 01:20:28,428 --> 01:20:34,267 THAT >> HEY, SHERRI 1391 01:20:34,267 --> 01:20:35,735 >> Reporter: WAS SHERRI PAPINI A SICK WOMAN OR A CRIMINAL 1392 01:20:35,735 --> 01:20:41,508 AND HOW COULD SHE PAY FOR WHAT SHE HAD DONE 1393 01:20:41,508 --> 01:20:43,076 FIVE WEEKS AFTER SHE WAS ARRESTED, SHERRI PAPINI MADE A 1394 01:20:43,076 --> 01:20:46,212 PLEA AGREEMENT WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTORS. 1395 01:20:46,212 --> 01:20:49,382 >> IT'S NICE THAT SHE DID FINALLY DO THE RIGHT THING 1396 01:20:49,382 --> 01:20:51,985 >> Reporter: WE WERE WITH SHERIFF'S DETECTIVES WHEN THE 1397 01:20:51,985 --> 01:20:54,688 NEWS CAME DOWN >> AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE 1398 01:20:54,688 --> 01:20:59,859 KNOW WE DID A GOOD JOB AND WE'RE GLAD FOR THE OUTCOME 1399 01:20:59,859 --> 01:21:03,063 >> Reporter: SHERRI PAPINI ISSUED A FORMAL STATEMENT 1400 01:21:03,063 --> 01:21:06,132 APOLOGIZING FOR WHAT SHE'D DONE. "I AM DEEPLY ASHAMED OF MYSELF 1401 01:21:06,132 --> 01:21:10,837 FOR MY BEHAVIOR AND SO VERY SORRY FOR THE PAIN I'VE CAUSED 1402 01:21:10,837 --> 01:21:15,241 MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, ALL THE GOOD PEOPLE WHO NEEDLESSLY 1403 01:21:15,241 --> 01:21:17,844 SUFFERED BECAUSE OF MY STORY." >> Reporter: AT PAPINI'S FIRST 1404 01:21:17,844 --> 01:21:21,348 COURT APPEARANCE AFTER THE PLEA AGREEMENT WAS ANNOUNCED, SHE AND 1405 01:21:21,348 --> 01:21:23,650 HER ATTORNEY WADED THROUGH A CROWD OF REPORTERS AND THE 1406 01:21:23,650 --> 01:21:25,552 ATTORNEY SAID HOW SORRY HIS CLIENT WAS 1407 01:21:25,552 --> 01:21:28,688 >> IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. 1408 01:21:28,688 --> 01:21:33,293 AND, OF COURSE, WE THANK EVERYONE FOR ALL THE WORK THEY 1409 01:21:33,293 --> 01:21:40,200 DID. BUT WE'RE SORRY AND WE'RE GONNA 1410 01:21:40,200 --> 01:21:42,002 TRY TO FIX THIS THING. >> Reporter: AND THOUGH THE 1411 01:21:42,002 --> 01:21:45,472 APOLOGY HELPED, SAID ELIZABETH PARKER, IT ALL STILL STINGS A 1412 01:21:45,472 --> 01:21:48,108 BIT AROUND REDDING >> IT'S MIXED FEELINGS 1413 01:21:48,108 --> 01:21:50,176 YOU WANT HER TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, ABSOLUTELY. 1414 01:21:50,176 --> 01:21:56,116 BUT AT THE SAME TIME, FOR HER CHILDREN, HER HUSBAND -- THERE 1415 01:21:56,116 --> 01:21:57,117 WAS A LOT OF UNNEEDED VICTIMS THROUGH ALL OF THIS. 1416 01:21:57,117 --> 01:22:01,187 AND HOPEFULLY WITH A PLEA AGREEMENT, IT WILL KIND OF HELP 1417 01:22:01,187 --> 01:22:04,858 HEAL SOME WOUNDS >> Reporter: ON MONDAY, JUST A 1418 01:22:04,858 --> 01:22:08,228 FEW DAYS AGO, PAPINI PLEADED GUILTY TO REDUCED CHARGES. 1419 01:22:08,228 --> 01:22:13,767 ONE COUNT OF MAIL FRAUD AND ONE COUNT OF LYING TO A FEDERAL 1420 01:22:13,767 --> 01:22:20,073 AGENT. SHE AGREED TO PAY AT LEAST 1421 01:22:20,073 --> 01:22:21,207 $300,000 IN RESTITUTION. SHE ALSO FACES FINES THAT COULD 1422 01:22:21,207 --> 01:22:22,409 RUN INTO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AS WELL AS PRISON 1423 01:22:22,409 --> 01:22:28,415 TIME HER SENTENCING IS SCHEDULED FOR 1424 01:22:28,415 --> 01:22:29,582 JULY WHEN THE JUDGE ASKED SHERRI HOW 1425 01:22:29,582 --> 01:22:34,187 SHE FELT, SHE RESPONDED, "VERY SAD. 1426 01:22:34,187 --> 01:22:35,388 YOU DON'T SEE THIS AS SOMEBODY WHO'S GENUINELY SORRY FOR WHAT 1427 01:22:35,388 --> 01:22:39,292 SHE DID? >> ABSOLUTELY NOT. 1428 01:22:39,292 --> 01:22:41,528 I DON'T THINK THAT IF THAT WAS TRUE, THIS WOULD'VE 1429 01:22:41,528 --> 01:22:45,165 COME A LOT EARLIER >> Reporter: TWO DAYS AFTER 1430 01:22:45,165 --> 01:22:48,835 SHERRI PAPINI PLEADED GUILTY, KEITH PAPINI FILED FOR DIVORCE 1431 01:22:48,835 --> 01:22:52,505 THE NEXT DAY, CITING A NEED TO "PREVENT IRREPARABLE HARM," A 1432 01:22:52,505 --> 01:22:56,743 JUDGE ISSUED A TEMPORARY EMERGENCY ORDER GIVING KEITH 1433 01:22:56,743 --> 01:23:02,449 CUSTODY OF THE CHILDREN AND SAID VISITATION BY SHERRI WAS TO BE, 1434 01:23:02,449 --> 01:23:07,253 "WITHIN FATHER'S DISCRETION. KEITH SENT US A STATEMENT THAT 1435 01:23:07,253 --> 01:23:08,455 READS IN PART, "I AM ASKING THAT THE COURT HELP ME PROTECT MY 1436 01:23:08,455 --> 01:23:15,061 CHILDREN FROM THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF THEIR MOTHER'S 1437 01:23:15,061 --> 01:23:19,232 NOTORIETY. WITH ALL THE ATTENTION 1438 01:23:19,232 --> 01:23:20,900 SHERRI PAPINI GOT, THE PARENTS OF TERA SMITH COULDN'T HELP BUT 1439 01:23:20,900 --> 01:23:23,436 WONDER ABOUT THE STONE COLD CASE OF THEIR DAUGHTER. 1440 01:23:23,436 --> 01:23:26,539 >> THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME SERIOUS INVESTIGATION GOING ON 1441 01:23:26,539 --> 01:23:36,483 FOR SIX YEARS TO PROVE THAT SHE TOLD A LIE 1442 01:23:36,483 --> 01:23:37,550 OUR CASE GOT MAYBE A YEAR AND A HALF OF SCRUTINY 1443 01:23:37,550 --> 01:23:39,652 THAT -- THAT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT. >> Reporter: AS SHERRI PAPINI 1444 01:23:39,652 --> 01:23:42,789 PAYS THE PRICE FOR THIS CHAOS SHE CONJURED, WE FINALLY KNOW 1445 01:23:42,789 --> 01:23:50,663 WHAT HAPPENED TO HER BUT WHY IT HAPPENED? 1446 01:23:50,663 --> 01:23:54,334 MAYBE SOMEDAY WE'LL FIND OUT AND THEN AGAIN, MAYBE NOT. 1447 01:23:54,334 --> 01:23:58,505 >>> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF "DATELINE." 1448 01:23:58,505 --> 01:24:01,107 WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY AT 9:00, 8:00 CENTRAL. 1449 01:24:01,107 --> 01:24:03,710 AND, OF COURSE, I'LL SEE YOU EACH WEEK NIGHT FOR "NBC NIGHTLY 1450 01:24:03,710 --> 01:24:05,812 NEWS." I'M LESTER HOLT.