HOAX: The Sherri Papini Story

Episode 3: Who Is Sherri Papini?

Episode Summary

As investigators continue to look into Sherri’s case, new details emerge about her life before she went missing. Her past includes a first husband, problems with her parents over the years, and a shocking rumor that she once posted on a white supremacist message board. With this new information, will investigators be able to track down her captors? Or will they conclude that the whole thing was made up?

Episode Notes

As investigators continue to look into Sherri’s case, new details emerge about her life before she went missing. Her past includes a first husband, problems with her parents over the years, and a shocking rumor that she once posted on a white supremacist message board. With this new information, will investigators be able to track down her captors? Or will they conclude that the whole thing was made up? 

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Audio clips featured in this episode can be found here:

  1. Inside Edition interview with Sherri’s ex-boyfriend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0gjVZRtKBU

00:06-00:16, 00:41-00:57, and 1:01-02:35

Sources for this episode:

  1. People Magazine: https://people.com/crime/sherri-papini-missing-racist-letter-online/
  2. Department of Justice / United States District Court: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/press-release/file/1479901/download
  3. The Sacramento Bee: ​​https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article141599034.html
  4. City of Redding: https://www.cityofredding.org/about-us/living-in-redding
  5. TIME https://time.com/6729/10-cities-where-violent-crime-is-soaring/
  6. Courier-Journal: https://www.courier-journal.com/in-depth/news/crime/2021/12/17/mexican-drug-cartels-move-in-on-californias-shadow-marijuana-industry/6036056001/
  7. Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3980270/Sheriff-s-office-investigating-bizarre-blog-spewing-hatred-against-Latinos-purportedly-written-kidnapped-mom-two-Sherri-Papini-ex-husband-says-malicious-prank-isn-t-racist.html
  8. Inside Edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0gjVZRtKBU
  9. ABC News: https://abcnews.go.com/US/mother-super-mom-sherri-papini-told-police-daughter/story?id=46477176
  10. The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/the-long-american-history-of-missing-white-woman-syndrome
  11. New York Post: https://nypost.com/2020/11/18/convicted-killer-susan-smith-could-be-free-in-2024/

Credits:

Created by: 

Jessica Devine and Abby Schreiber

Written and hosted by:

Abby Schreiber

Executive produced by:

Elena Murdock

Sound design and editing by: 

Gus Hurteau

Original art by: 

Keitha McClocklin

Graphics by: 

Katherine Deck