Houston & Alexander - October/November 2023

The Shocking Truth Behind Sherri’s Kidnapping Revealed

Sherri Papini vanished out of thin air in November 2016. The day she went missing, her husband, Keith Papini, came home expecting to see his wife and kids but found the residence eerily empty. Keith called the children’s day care to ask when his wife picked them up, but they informed him she never did. While the kids were safe, Sherri was missing. Three weeks passed before Sherri was finally found alone on a freeway nearly 146 miles from her home on Thanksgiving Day. She was cut and bruised, her long hair chopped short, and her back branded with a Bible verse. When the police questioned Sherri, she was hesitant and frightened. She claimed two Hispanic women abducted her, took her to an unknown location, chained her up, and tortured her before planning to traffic her. The story horrified the community and made many Hispanic women fear wrongful persecution.

If you’re feeling ambitious, add a second vacuum pass before the baking soda and use a mixture of baking soda, salt, and water to lift stains. Let the concoction sit on the stain for 30 minutes, then wipe it away. Your Kitchen Backsplash — You probably wipe down your counters regularly, but have you deep-cleaned your backsplash? If not, it’s probably coated with years of grease and food particles. Start with a quick soap and water rinse to get rid of the ick. Then, use a mixture of lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda in a 1:1:2 ratio to dissolve the grease. Sponges are excellent for scrubbing tile surfaces, and you can tackle the grout with a toothbrush. Your Basement Drain (Or Any Unused Drain) — If you have a basement or garage with a drain in the floor or even a seldom-used guest bathroom shower drain, you should take a few minutes every month to pour a bucket of water into it. This will keep your drain from drying out and prevent nasty sewage odors and pests. Your Throw Pillows — Remove the covers from your throw pillows monthly and toss them in the wash to keep them from becoming smelly or discolored. Every other month, you should also wash the inside of the pillow in your washing machine or by hand, depending on its material. If you have down-filled or highly decorated pillows, take them to the dry cleaner for a refresh. later, in 2020, the authorities used genetic DNA technology to track down the man, Sherri’s ex-boyfriend, James Reyes. This was when Sherri’s tale began to fall apart. Reyes was questioned by police, who exposed the truth about Sherri’s vanishing act. He revealed that Sherri told him her husband, Keith, was abusing her, and she needed his help to escape. She convinced him to brand her, but all her other injuries were self-inflicted. Reyes had no idea about Sherri’s fabricated story involving two Hispanic kidnappers. At first, Sherri stuck with her story when questioned again but eventually admitted it was all a hoax. In 2023, Sherri Papini was charged with false statements and mail fraud and sentenced to 18 months in prison for her long- winded lies that wasted police resources and federal financial assistance. Her story resulted in numerous innocent Hispanic women being wrongly questioned by authorities. But now, these women can rest easy knowing the case is finally closed.

At the time, male DNA was found on Sherri’s clothing, despite her insistence no men were involved in her kidnapping. Years

4 ITEMS IN YOUR HOME THAT NEED MORE MAINTENANCE THAN YOU THINK

If you wash your sheets more than once or twice a month, you already have better bedroom hygiene than 60% of Americans. But according to experts, even weekly washing isn’t enough! To get a completely hygienic night’s sleep, you should clean your mattresses every six months. Who knew? Here’s how to do it, along with tips for maintaining three other household items you’ve probably overlooked. Your Mattress — You can use dozens of methods and products to clean your mattress, but the old-fashioned way only requires two things: baking soda and a vacuum cleaner. After you’ve stripped your sheets, peel back your mattress protector and dust your entire mattress with baking soda. Wait 10 minutes, then vacuum the powder up!

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