Sherri Papini has reportedly skipped town. Photo / Supplied
Sherri Papini has reportedly skipped town. Photo / Supplied
After Keith Papini explained in graphic detail how his wife was abducted, it seems the couple have unexpectedly left their home - without their dogs.
According to the New York Post, Sherri and Keith Papini have left their family home along with their two children, a friend said.
Sherri, a mother of two, was found 22 days after she was reported missing in the town of Mountain Gate, California after she had gone for a run and failed to return home.
A "buddy of Keith's" was found at the Papini's home in Redding, midday on Saturday, who told a Post reporter he was there to "walk the dogs".
The friend did not expand on the Papini's whereabouts, explaning he "couldn't answer any questions" and was "just helping out".
A neighbour, who has lived next to Mr Papini since he was five years old, said "I don't think they're ever coming back here again".
Another neighbour claims the couple have met with wealthy relatives that are "way up north, in cold country," who have given the family a place to stay.
Mr Papini was seen driving a new truck on Thursday, which a neighbour claims he borrowed from a friend, so he could remain unseen by others.
Over the weekend, members of the Redding community gathered to welcome home Mrs Papini, by meeting at the Redding Civic Auditorium on Saturday dressed in pink, her favourite colour. The community took a Christmas card photo to send to the family as a gift.
Mayor Missy McArthur thanked the residents of Redding for their help.
"We never lost hope. We kept working. We made it happen. We're so proud of our community, and thank you so much," Ms McArthur told KRCR.
Mrs Papini went missing November 2 allegedly while going for a jog, and claims two Hispanic women forced her into a car at gunpoint.
Mrs Papini was found "chained" and "branded" but alive more than 200km from her home on a freeway on Thanksgiving morning, and has not been seen in public since.
Mr Papini gave his first televised interview over the weekend with America's ABC 20/20 program, going into graphic detail about his wife's alleged abduction and her subsequent recovery.
During the interview, Mr Papini broke down while recounting what his wife endured.
"It was my wife screaming in the background, yelling my name," he said, describing the first time he heard Mrs Papini's voice over the phone after she was found almost 220km away from home in Yolo County on Interstate 5 freeway.
Sherri Papini went missing while out on a jog, and was found three-week's later 200km from where she was last seen. Photo / AP
Mr Papini admitted that his wife would coil up a piece of cloth, and nurse it as if it were one of their children.
"[Sherri] told me she took a piece of cloth and rolled it up like it was Violet and she rocked it," Mr Papini added. "She was so strong."
"I'm panicked but I'm happy because at this point, this is the first time I've heard her, I know she's alive," he added.
"I ran past everybody [at the hospital] and I throw open the curtain and she was there in her bed, and her poor face.
"I just hugged her, I just held her, I felt like I held her for 20 minutes. I was so happy that she was there, just kissing her all over. I got nauseated just looking at her. It's so hard for me to see her like that."
Mr Papini said that his wife was constantly chained to objects so that she could not escape and tried desperately to stop passing vehicles once she was free.
"She literally lived through hell," he told reporter Matt Gutman.
Police investigating Mrs Papini's alleged abduction admit they were "blindsided" by Mr Papini being so vocal about his wife's ordeal.
