Sherri Papini Update: Police Say Video Shows Abducted Mom Running Near Freeway After Captors Release Her
Northern California mom, Sherri Papini, mysteriously vanished in November 2016 while out on an afternoon jog. Three weeks later she was found alive by the side of a highway after flagging down a passerby. Authorities now say that they have surveillance footage of Sherri running after her captors released her.
In a press release, law enforcement indicates the surveillance video is from a church and shows Sherri running up to an Interstate 5 onramp after being dropped off by her abductors, according to the Record Searchlight. The report notes that the video footage “was not immediately available.”
On Wednesday, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office released information about DNA found on Sherri’s body and clothing, noting that it belonged to two people – a man and a woman. The DNA samples did not belong to either Sherri or her husband, Keith Papini.
Sherri, 34 at the time, went missing during an afternoon jog around 2 p.m. near her Redding residence on November 2, 2016. Her husband, Keith Papini, became alarmed when he arrived home from work and no one was there, which he found unusual.
After he learned Sherri had failed to pick up their two children from daycare, he panicked and tracked Sherri’s cell phone with a phone app. Keith found the phone on the side of a rural road not far from the family home.
Revealed: Cops have footage of Sherri Papini fleeing kidnappers https://t.co/JQZbHlxghz pic.twitter.com/R5rqBpJihY
— news.com.au (@newscomauHQ) October 29, 2017
Sherri was found on Thanksgiving Day at around 4:30 a.m. on the side of a Yolo County highway about 140 miles from where she was last seen jogging.
Sherri Papini's husband says he's optimistic kidnapping suspects will be arrested https://t.co/JlnkL2LzqF
— CBS Sacramento CBS13 (@CBSSacramento) October 27, 2017
Authorities say when found, Sherri was wearing a dark gray sweatshirt and light gray sweatpants. Her waist was chained and her left wrist was connected to it with a zip tie. Sherri also had “hose clamps around her ankles,” which are thought to be for “pain compliance,” reports the Record Searchlight.
In addition, Sherri’s long hair had been cut to shoulder length, she had been beaten and branded, and had multiple bruises on her body.
Sherri informed authorities her captors kept their faces covered most of the time so she was unable to offer many details about them. She did tell law enforcement they were two Hispanic women with Spanish accents. Sherri said that one was younger with curly hair, thin eyebrows, and pierced ears, and the other was an older female having thick eyebrows and black hair with gray in it, reports the Los Angeles Times.
The Sherri Papini case remains unsolved, thus, anyone with information about her mysterious abduction can call 530-245-6540, or the Major Crimes Unit at 530-245-6135. Tips can also be emailed to mcu@co.shasta.ca.us.
[Featured Image by the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office]
