A new television series is set to revisit one of the most notorious criminal deceptions in recent memory, promising to present a perspective the public has never heard.
The documentary, titled Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie, investigates the 2016 case where a California mother fabricated her own abduction. According to the series’ director, Nicole Rittenmeyer, the project aims to move beyond the established narrative, which was largely shaped by law enforcement and Papini’s then-husband.
“Typically, the full story emerges during a trial, but this case was resolved with a plea deal,” Rittenmeyer noted. “Our goal was to thoroughly vet her account and allow viewers to draw their own conclusions.”
The case began when Papini, then 34, was reported missing after a jog. She was found 22 days later, approximately 150 miles from her home, showing signs of physical trauma and claiming to have been held captive by two Hispanic women. The story later unraveled, revealing she had voluntarily stayed with a former boyfriend. In 2022, Papini pleaded guilty to making false statements and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, along with a substantial restitution order.
The docuseries delves into Papini’s personal history and features reenactments of her disappearance. It also presents her new claim that the former boyfriend was involved in her abduction against her will—an allegation he has not addressed publicly.
Rittenmeyer acknowledged the challenge of presenting Papini’s story, given her admitted history of deception. “She is an unreliable narrator, which required our team to scrutinize every detail,” she said. The director also addressed public speculation about Papini’s mental state, stating that multiple psychiatric evaluations concluded she does not have sociopathic or narcissistic personality disorders, but rather a different, diagnosed personality disorder where lying can be a defense mechanism.
Since her release, Papini’s ex-husband has been granted sole custody of their children, though she has visitation rights. The documentary chose to protect the children’s privacy by obscuring their faces. The former boyfriend declined to participate in the project.
The series premieres this week across two nights on the Investigation Discovery network and will be available for streaming thereafter.
