Sherri Papini Latest Update: Is Keith Papini Involved In Abduction? Police Have Not Ruled Out Husband As Suspect

Sherri Papini's husband, Keith Papini, has not been ruled out as a suspect in the kidnapping case of his wife, the New York Post reported Wednesday. The California mother was kidnapped, tortured and starved for three weeks following which her captors released her.

Initially, Keith was a suspect in the case, and later underwent a lie detector test and provided a verified alibi. However, Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko told the Post that Keith still remains under the watch.

Keith “has been cooperative and even volunteered for a polygraph, which he passed,” Bosenko reportedly said. “We are keeping an open mind and looking at all avenues.”

Papini disappeared on Nov. 2 while out jogging near her home in Redding, California. Keith filed a missing complaint after his wife failed to pick up her children from daycare. The 34-year-old was found heavily battered on Thanksgiving morning after being spotted by a motorist on Interstate 5 in Woodland, more than 150 miles from her home.

Just after Papini went missing, rumors spread about Keith being somehow involved in the abduction. One of Papini's relative defended Keith on social media, saying he was being defamed by a baseless speculation.

“We recognize that in 80 percent of the disappearance cases the spouse is responsible,” Rod Rodriguez III, Sherri’s father-in-law, wrote on Facebook on Nov. 8. “But conversely, that means in 20 percent of the cases the spouse is not involved. This case falls into the latter category.”

“He never once ‘lawyered up’ and has cooperated fully without hesitation,” he said, adding that Keith allowed police to search the family’s cars and home, and also turned over laptops, iPads, phones and other items to help with the investigation.

Police are still searching for the suspects in the case, believed to be two Hispanic women — one with curly hair, and the other with straight hair — who had covered their faces and spoke mostly Spanish.