Matthew Muller, a former immigration lawyer and Marine veteran from the United States gained notoriety for his involvement in the kidnapping that occurred in Vallejo, California. This widely publicized case, dubbed the ‘Gone Girl’ kidnapping, was later featured in the Netflix documentary series American Nightmare.
Who is Matthew Muller?
Matthew Daniel Muller was raised on the outskirts of Sacramento. His mother, Joyce, worked as an English teacher at a middle school, while his father, Monty, was a school administrator and also coached wrestling. He has a younger brother named Kent. During his final year of high school, his parents divorced due to his father’s infidelity.
Muller, who was often described as introverted, faced bullying due to his weight during his childhood. However, he was also recognized for his strong sense of justice and standing up for those who were marginalized.
In high school, he was a member of the band where he played the trumpet and the computer club. Despite taking challenging courses, he maintained an impressive GPA of over 3.8. Fluent in English, Spanish, Russian, and German, Muller graduated from Bella Vista High School in 1995.
The Denise Huskin’s Kidnapping
In the early hours of March 23, 2015, Matthew Muller forcibly entered the home of Aaron Quinn armed with a water gun equipped with a flashlight and laser. He then drugged Quinn and his girlfriend and colleague, Denise Huskins, and instructed Huskins to restrain Quinn with zip ties.
Throughout the incident, Muller was observed whispering and potentially communicating with other individuals. He also left voicemail messages demanding two ransom payments of $8,500 each, which were never fulfilled.
During the event, Muller revealed to the couple that his original plan was to kidnap Quinn’s ex-girlfriend, Andrea Roberts, and not Huskins.
He also played a recording that suggested that the break-in was orchestrated by skilled individuals to collect outstanding debts. The message contained threats of electric shock and demanded that the victims provide Quinn’s financial details and passwords.
Matthew Muller took Quinn’s car and laptop without his permission. He also tricked him into thinking he was being watched on camera, which stopped him from asking for help. Muller then put Huskins in the trunk of Quinn’s car, moved her to a stolen Mustang, and kept her at a cabin in South Lake Tahoe. He sexually assaulted Huskins twice.
On March 25, 2015, Muller drove Huskins 400 miles to Huntington Beach, California. She was dropped off at 10:00 am near her family’s home. She and her father went to the police.
Later that day, the Vallejo police said the incident was a hoax by Huskins. Authorities and the media called it a “real life ‘Gone Girl’,” referring to the film adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel.
In 2018, it was revealed that the Vallejo police department possessed evidence that could have led them to Matthew Muller. He was captured on camera buying a TracFone at a Target store in Pleasant Hill, California, which was used to contact Quinn while Huskins was being held.
Their story was featured on the Netflix series American Nightmare. They sued the police department for slander and were granted a sum of $2.5 million.
Matthew Muller’s Arrest & Conviction
After being arrested for a separate offense, Matthew Muller was linked to Huskins’s case by the police. This connection was made in June 2015, when Muller committed a burglary in Dublin, California, which is located 40 miles away from Vallejo. During this burglary, the homeowner was able to scare Muller away, causing him to leave his phone behind at the scene.
After tracing the phone, authorities discovered that it was owned by Muller’s mother, who disclosed that her son was currently residing at her cabin in South Lake Tahoe. As a result, Muller was apprehended at the cabin on June 8th, 2015 for his involvement in the burglary.
Sergeant Misty Carausu of the Dublin PD found a piece of evidence at the scene – blacked-out swim goggles with blonde hair. This linked Muller to Huskins’s case. In 2016, Muller admitted to the kidnapping. He expressed regret and said he was ready for any punishment.
In 2022, Muller was finally given a sentence for his crimes. He admitted to two charges of forcible rape and confessed to robbing a home, breaking into a residence, and unlawfully restraining someone, resulting in a 40-year federal sentence.
Matthew Muller will also spend an extra 31 years in state prison, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons predicts that he will be released in 2049, as both sentences will be served at the same time.
