Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini chronicles Sherri Papini’s 2016 disappearance, alleged abduction, and the role that James Reyes played in helping her, leading many to wonder what happened to Reyes following the wild ordeal. The Hulu true crime documentary series, directed and produced by Michael Beach Nichols, tells the story of Papini’s kidnapping hoax, including her going missing and reappearing three weeks later, over the course of three episodes. As Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini progresses, the police (and viewers) learn of Papini’s lies and how Reyes helped her carry out her devious ploy.

Papini went missing on November 2, 2016, in Redding, California, after leaving her home to go for a run. Her husband, Keith Papini, reported her disappearance when he discovered her abandoned cell phone on the road by using Apple’s Find My iPhone application. Three weeks later, on November 24, Papini resurfaced and claimed to have been kidnapped by two Hispanic women. She had wounds and injuries, but Papini’s statements surrounding her abduction were incongruent with the evidence, and it soon became clear that she had lied about everything, as detailed in Hulu’s haunting true crime docuseries Perfect Wife.

James Reyes’ Role In Sherri Papini’s Fake Kidnapping Explained

Reyes Was Papini’s Ex-Boyfriend

One crucial piece of evidence that helped break the case revolving around Sherri Papini’s disappearance wide open was the male DNA found on her clothes. Since she had claimed to have been abducted by two women, police were confused as to why Papini had male DNA on her that didn’t match her husband. Investigators later traced the DNA to Papini’s former boyfriend, James Reyes, and once they questioned him about the alleged kidnapping, the truth finally came out.

As the Hulu true crime television show Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini details, the FBI interviewed Reyes in August 2020 once they confirmed that the DNA found on Papini’s clothes matched him. Although he lied at first and claimed not to have seen his ex-girlfriend since the 2000s, Reyes soon came clean about helping her fake her abduction. Papini stayed at Reyes’ apartment during the three weeks she was missing. The two had previously reconnected and Papini had told Reyes that her husband was abusive. So, Reyes agreed to help her escape and fake her injuries.

James Reyes Was Never Charged For His Role In Helping Sherri Papini

Only Papini Was Charged For Her Role In The Kidnapping Hoax

Even though he lied to law enforcement officials and aided Sherri Papini, James Reyes was never charged for his crimes. It’s unclear why the police never went through with trying to convict Reyes for helping Papini hide and hurt herself to make it seem as if she had been abducted. According to Oxygen, he admitted to using prepaid cell phones to communicate with Papini before her disappearance and picking her up on November 2 using a rental car. Perhaps Reyes’ cooperation with the FBI (and potential status as a witness) resulted in them being lenient concerning his role in the kidnapping hoax.

Meanwhile, Sherri Papini went to prison after being arrested on March 3, 2022, for mail fraud and making false statements to the FBI. More than a month later, Papini pleaded guilty as a part of a plea deal. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison and was given a $300,000 fine. However, Papini was ultimately released from prison in August 2023 and is now divorced from her husband.

Where Is James Reyes Now?

Reyes Declined To Take Part In Hulu’s Perfect Wife Alongside Keith Papini

Unlike Sherri Papini’s ex-husband Keith Papini, James Reyes declined to be involved with Perfect Crime: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini. So, his whereabouts and what he has been up to since the kidnapping hoax are mostly unknown. Nevertheless, the Daily Mail reported in 2022 that Reyes was living in Arizona. As those who watched Hulu’s Perfect Crime: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini know, Reyes resided in Southern California during Papini’s fake abduction in 2016, which is where the two hid out until Papini decided to return home a few weeks later. Some time afterward, Reyes moved to Arizona.

Source: Oxygen, Daily Mail