American Nightmare dives deep into Denise Huskins’ kidnapping and the next occasions that adopted. The three-part docuseries dropped on January 17 and options surprising twists and turns. Denise, her boyfriend Aaron Quinn, and extra communicate out in regards to the jaw-dropping collection of occasions that had many pondering this was a hoax impressed by the film Gone Lady.

So, what precisely occurred to Denise? Who’s answerable for her kidnapping? Hollywood Life is breaking down the surprising case that’s explored in American Nightmare.

What Occurred to Denise Huskins?

Denise was kidnapped in Vallejo, California, on the evening of March 22, 2015. The subsequent morning, Denise’s boyfriend Aaron referred to as 911 to report her kidnapping. He informed police that kidnappers tied him and Denise up, after which took Denise. They gave him a sedative, so he didn’t get up till the following morning.

Throughout his dialog with police, Aaron mentioned that the abductors informed him that the kidnapping was meant for Andrea, Aaron’s ex-fiancee. She had been residing on the home earlier than Denise moved in. The abductors had been nonetheless planning on taking Denise and wished $15,000 from Aaron. One of many kidnappers stole Aaron’s automotive and drove away with Denise.

After Denise had been lacking for 31 hours, Henry Lee, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, obtained an audio file of Denise. “Hello, my identify is Denise Huskins. I’m kidnapped. In any other case, I’m superb,” she mentioned.

Three days after her kidnapping, Denise resurfaced at her dad’s home in Huntington Seaside, California, over 400 miles from the place she was initially kidnapped. Denise may very well be seen in safety footage strolling to her dad’s place.

Whereas police had been interrogating Aaron and believed that he had harmed Denise, she was combating to remain alive. Within the second episode of the docuseries, Denise recalled her terrifying ordeal. She was put into the trunk of Aaron’s automotive after which transferred to a different automobile.

Like Aaron, Denise was drugged, tied up, and had her eyes coated with blacked-out swim goggles. She was delivered to a home, and her kidnapper mentioned this was “meant for Andrea.” He claimed to be “a part of this black market firm that kidnap individuals for cash.”

The kidnapper informed Denise that there wasn’t any collateral to make sure that she wouldn’t speak to the police as soon as she was launched. He raped Denise and threatened to launch the footage on the web if she talked.

The subsequent day, the kidnapper revealed to Denise that his associates had been on their approach. He later mentioned that she wanted to report a proof of life, and that’s when she recorded the audio. He claimed his associates didn’t assume the earlier footage of the primary rape was sufficient. He informed Denise that they needed to report them having intercourse once more and it needed to look consensual. Denise was raped a second time.

After being lacking for almost 48 hours, Denise’s kidnapper informed her that she was being launched. She was given one other sedative and brought to Huntington Seaside, California. Earlier than he let her go, the kidnapper informed her that she couldn’t inform the police that “considered one of us was within the navy” and that that they had intercourse. “We’ll all the time be watching you,” the kidnapper warned earlier than threatening Denise and her household. She was dropped off in Huntington Seaside and walked to her dad’s home.

Who Kidnapped Denise Huskins?

Matthew Muller kidnapped Denise Huskins. Nonetheless, police didn’t discover Denise’s kidnapper and rapist till months after the kidnapping. In June 2015, there was a break-in in Dublin, California, about 40 miles from Vallejo. The proprietor of the home fought off the intruder who was making an attempt to rape his daughter. The intruder left his cellphone behind. The subscriber of the cellphone revealed that the cellphone belonged to her son Matthew Muller.

Matthew is a former Marine and a Harvard Regulation graduate. He had labored as an immigration lawyer however was disbarred. He had been a suspect in sexual batteries and tried rapes. Matthew’s mother informed police that he was staying at her cabin in South Lake Tahoe.

Matthew was arrested at his cabin for the Dublin housebreaking. Sgt. Misty Carausu, a detective for the Dublin PD, discovered a pair of blacked-out swim goggles with a single strand of blonde hair.

In the meantime, Aaron and Denise had been accused of constructing up the complete kidnapping story by the police and the media. Sgt. Carausu started investigating Matthew and circumstances that he was presumably related to previous to the house invasion. She finally stumbled onto Denise’s kidnapping case. Sgt. Carausu put the proof collectively and related Matthew’s stolen Mustang to Denise’s case.

Within the affidavit about Denise’s kidnapping, it was revealed that Aaron informed Vallejo police that the abductors had been going to contact him. Police put his cellphone on airplane mode and didn’t flip his cellphone on till the following night. Throughout that point, Matthew had referred to as Aaron’s cellphone twice, and people calls had been traceable to inside 200 meters of the South Lake Tahoe cabin. Within the ultimate episode of the docuseries, Denise mentioned that she may have been “saved” from the second rape if police hadn’t turned Aaron’s cellphone off.

In court docket, it was revealed that Matthew had used a “remote-controlled drone” to spy on Denise and Aaron earlier than the kidnapping, based on CBS Information. He additionally performed a pre-recorded message that made it seem as if there was multiple kidnapper.

Are Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn Nonetheless Collectively?

Sure, Denise and Aaron are nonetheless collectively. After the horrific ordeal, Denise and Aaron received married. They moved to the coast and “began a brand new life.”

They welcomed their first youngster, a daughter named Olivia, in 2020. They’ve since welcomed their second youngster, a daughter named Naomi. “It looks like our household is full,” Aaron mentioned within the docuseries.

Denise and Aaron sued town of Vallejo for defamation in 2016. They settled out of court docket for $2.5 million.

What Occurred to Matthew Muller?

In 2017, Matthew was sentenced to 40 years in jail for a federal kidnapping cost. He was not charged with the tried rapes in Palo Alto and Mountain View or the peeping tom incidences on Mare Island that Sgt. Carausu investigated.

In 2022, Matthew was sentenced to a further 31 years in state jail after pleading no contest to 2 counts of forcible rape, based on CBS Information. He additionally pleaded responsible to theft of an inhabited dwelling, residential housebreaking, and false imprisonment. Matthew mentioned he was “sick with disgrace” for the “ache and horror” he inflicted on Denise and Aaron.