California

New Video Released in Shasta County Mother Sherri Papini Kidnapping Case

Sherri Papini disappeared on Nov. 2, 2016, while jogging near her home and was found on Thanksgiving Day with a broken nose, a chain restraint and a brand burned into her shoulder

A year later new information is being released in connection to the disappearance case of a Shasta County, California, mother that has baffled authorities.

Video released Tuesday by the Shasta County Sheriff shows a person running near a church along Interstate 5 in Yolo County. Investigators said the person in the video is Sherri Papini and was recorded moments before she was found on Thanksgiving morning.

Papini at the time of the video had been missing for 22 days. Her disappearance made national news.

On Nov. 2, 2016, Papini dropped her children off at daycare in the morning and disappeared later while jogging about a mile from her home in Shasta County, about 215 miles north of San Francisco.

Her husband found her phone and earphones near their home after she failed to pick up the children at daycare, and he later called police. He was initially a suspect, but the Shasta County sheriff said that the husband passed a lie detector test and offered to take another.

Papini was found on Thanksgiving Day when she flagged down a car along Interstate 5 in Yolo County, about 100 miles from her home. Her nose was broken and she was wearing a chain restraint around her waist. Her blonde hair had been cut to shoulder length and she had a “brand” burned into her right shoulder. Papini has said she was not sexually assaulted and has described her abductors as two women who took her at gunpoint.

Last month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced a reward of up to $10,000 for any information leading to the identification of the two suspects reported to be driving a dark-colored SUV.

One suspect is described by the FBI as a Hispanic female, between 20 and 30 years old, approximately 5'5", with a medium build, coarse, curly, dark brown hair, thin eyebrows, and pierced ears. The second suspect is described as a Hispanic female, between 40 and 50 years old, approximately 5'7", with a large build, long, straight black hair with some gray in it, thick eyebrows, and pierced ears.

The department also said that investigators collected male DNA from the clothing that Papini was wearing when she was found and female DNA was discovered on Papini's body.  

The bizarre case — with many of the most sensational details initially released by her husband in an exclusive interview with ABC — has set social media buzzing. 

Armchair detectives have scoured the internet's darkest corners for clues and others argue the case is a twisted hoax akin to the movie "Gone Girl." 

Keith Papini said in a statement last month that he hoped the newly released information will lead to an arrest. 

"This has been an extraordinarily difficult time for our entire family," he said. "We ask that the media please respect our need for privacy as Sherri continues to heal and we work towards putting our lives back together."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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