Sherri Papini’s Brand Was A ‘Message,’ Not A Symbol, Says Sheriff As Keith Papini Talks ‘Race War’ Rumors In ‘Surprise’ Statement [Video]

The ABC News video below shows Keith Papini, husband of Sherri Papini, in tears when Keith begged Sherri’s captors to bring her home.

Now, more details about the horrific suffering endured by Sherri are making their way to the public. According to ABC News, Papini experienced unimaginable torture after Sherri was kidnapped on November 2, and she wasn’t reunited with her loved ones until nearly three weeks later on Thanksgiving Day.

Keith issued the statement below to the press, with further details about Sherri’s plight, in a statement that Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said “blindsided” him, as reported by KRCRTV. Whereas authorities understood Keith’s need to defend himself against rumors floating around on social media that Sherri had perpetrated a hoax, they were reportedly unprepared to answer questions about the extent of Sherri’s injuries, including the fact that Sherri only weighed 87 pounds when found.

The fact that Sherri was branded was also released, with the above news video featuring the Sheriff’s Department stating the Papini’s brand wasn’t a symbol, but more like a message. The fact that Keith released such details about branding and Sherri’s blonde hair being cut off was disappointing to authorities, who wanted to keep such matters quiet as part of their investigation.

Keith’s full statement involved Mr. Papini thanking all the people who helped bring Sherri home. However, Keith also addressed the rumors about Sherri’s kidnapping case after experts stated that the case had plenty of odd and unique circumstances.

Keith called the untruths and rumors about Sherri’s disappearance exhausting, and he said that those spreading falsehoods should be “ashamed of their malicious, subhuman behavior.” He spoke of a “race war” rumor due to the previous comments discovered online that were written by Sherri. Keith went on the call the Papini Family a very private family that didn’t use social media prior to Sherri’s kidnapping. Papini made these statements despite the fact that Sheriff Tom Bosenko confirmed that Papini published comments about Hispanics 13 years ago under her maiden name, Sherri Graeff, as reported by ABC News,

In Keith’s statement, he said that nothing could have prepared him for how Sherri would appear, even though authorities did, in fact, tell Papini to brace himself for his wife’s battered appearance.

“The officers warned me to brace myself. My first sight was my wife in a hospital bed, her face covered in bruises ranging from yellow to black because of repeated beatings, the bridge of her nose broken. Her now emaciated body of 87 pounds was covered in multicolored bruises, severe burns, red rashes and chain markings. Her signature long blond hair had been chopped off. She has been branded, and I could feel the rise of her scabs under my fingers. She was thrown from a vehicle with a chain around her waist, attached to her wrists and a bag over her head. The same bag she used to flag someone down once she was able to free one of her hands. Sherri was taken from us for 22 days and suffered incredibly through both intense physical agony and severe mental torture. My reaction was one of extreme happiness and overwhelming nausea as my eyes and hands scanned her body. I was filled with so much relief and revulsion at once. My Sherri suffered tremendously, and all the visions swirling in your heads of her appearance, I assure you, are not as graphic and gruesome as the reality.”

Sherri’s husband begged for privacy as the family heals from the tragedy.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Bosenko reported that Sherri had indeed been interviewed once more on Tuesday, and the Papini case should bring about another press conference on Wednesday, November 30, in order to inform the public about the two Hispanic females who held Sherri captive.

[Featured Image by Shasta County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook]