The harrowing kidnapping case behind Netflix's American Nightmare docs
Warning: This post contains spoilers for American Nightmare. Viewer discretion advised.
Denise Huskins explains that after her release on March 25, 2015, by one of the men who had kidnapped her two days earlier, her immediate thoughts were not focused on developing a credible narrative of her ordeal. Soon after receiving protection, however, Huskins, 29, began to grasp the reality of being back in the media frenzy. Additionally, she finds herself under scrutiny by a group of law enforcement officials determined to establish the veracity of her experience, which is similar to the real-life scenario of “Gone Girl.” .
American Nightmare Trailer
Denise Huskins explains that after her release on March 25, 2015, by one of the men who had kidnapped her two days earlier, her immediate thoughts were not focused on developing a credible narrative of her ordeal. Soon after receiving protection, however, Huskins, 29, began to grasp the reality of being back in the media frenzy. Additionally, she finds herself under scrutiny by a group of law enforcement officials determined to establish the veracity of her experience, which is similar to the real-life scenario of “Gone Girl.
What happened to Denise Huskins ?
The opening pair of episodes in “American Nightmare” are narrated individually by Quinn and Huskins. Each recounts the events of the night of Huskins’ kidnapping and the days that followed, offering their own unique perspectives.
Both men recall being awakened in the night by a flashing light and a man’s voice informing them of the presence of at least one intruder in Quinn’s residence.
I remember being asleep and hearing a voice and thinking it was a dream,” Huskins told ABC News. “But the voice kept talking, and I remember opening my eyes. I could see the walls lit up with a white light that glowed, and I could see some red laser dots crossing the wall. I could hear, ‘Wake up, it’s a robbery. We are not here to hurt you.’ In that moment, I just thought, ‘Oh my God. This is not a dream.”
The couple found themselves bound, blindfolded and naked. Huskins was then driven from the house in the trunk of Quinn’s car, while Quinn remained inside, instructed to await further instructions to deliver the ransom. He was also warned about a camera monitoring his actions, with threats that contacting the police would harm Huskins.
In “Part One: The Boyfriend”, Quinn examines the circumstances that led to her being treated as a suspect in the case. He details how the police became suspicious of his account of Denise’s disappearance. Footage of Quinn’s conversation with Vallejo detective Matthew Mustard shows that Mustard expresses doubt in Quinn’s narrative. Mustard suggests that Quinn may have killed Huskins and disposed of his body in a domestic violence dispute. After 18 hours of police questioning, Quinn’s brother Ethan hired attorney Dan Russo, who secured Quinn’s release from police custody and legal representation.
While Quinn was in custody, the kidnappers, as he had predicted to police, tried to reach him by both email and phone regarding the ransom. However, the police had activated the airplane mode on his phone.
Also, as detailed in “Part Two: Gone Girl”, Huskins was held in isolation by her captors. One individual he spoke to claimed to be a former soldier and part of a criminal gang with three other members. He also asserted that the intended target of the kidnapping was in fact Quinn’s ex-fiancée Andrea Roberts. Roberts lived at Quinn’s home until last September and resembled Huskins. Over the next 48 hours, Huskins was sexually assaulted twice by her captor, who recorded the attacks.
He was eventually released 400 miles from Vallejo, near the Huntington Beach neighborhood to be raised — without ransom. Afterwards, she went to her father’s residence, where, finding her father missing, she took refuge in a neighbor’s house. On the same day he was released, Vallejo police asserted that his abduction appeared to be a coordinated incident and not a kidnapping. As a result, Huskins had to get his own legal representation, enlisting defense attorney Doug Rappaport.
Mr. Quinn and Mrs. Huskins have diverted valuable resources from our community and distracted attention from the real victims of our community, causing fear among its members,” Vallejo police spokesman Lt. Kenny Park said at a press conference. remarked during the . “So, if anything, it’s Mr. Quinn and Mrs. Huskins who owe this community an apology.
Faced with guilt over the mistreatment of Huskins by law enforcement and the media, the kidnappers sent multiple emails to the San Francisco Chronicle confirming that the pair were real. The emails included images that corroborated aspects of Huskins’ account.
“We cannot stand by and witness two innocent people being unfairly targeted by the police and the media, when Miss Victim F (Huskins) and Mr Victim M (Quinn) should have received nothing but support and sympathy,” a Read the email. “We acknowledge our responsibility for the suffering of the victims, and at least we can move forward to prove that they are not making up their story.
What led to the resolution of the case ?denise huskins
After months of unsubstantiated allegations that one or both of them had committed the kidnapping and sexual assault of Huskins, and fears that their assailants might still be on the run, the kidnapping in Dublin, Calif. An effort, about 40 miles south of Vallejo, provided a breakthrough in the case. The June 5, 2015 incident bears striking similarities to Huskins and Quinn’s narrative, except that this time, the targeted couple successfully fended off the intruder, who left his phone behind during the struggle. gave
Dublin police tracked the phone of a woman who identified it as her son, Matthew Mueller, a former U.S. Marine and Harvard Law School graduate. After searching Mueller’s cabin in South Lake Tahoe, Misty Carauso, one of the arresting officers, began to piece together the pieces of the puzzle.
Considering the evidence, Misty Carauso told ABC News, “Looking at all the evidence, there’s no denying that this wasn’t his first offense. I just had to find out that it was another one. Where are the crimes committed?
Mueller, previously involved in similar home invasions and assaults in the Bay Area, faced kidnapping-for-ransom charges in federal court in Sacramento. Although he never explained why he targeted Roberts, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Subsequently, in Solano County, he was charged with robbery, theft, and false imprisonment of Quinn, as well as sexually assaulting Haskins, resulting in a 31-year state prison sentence. His state sentence runs concurrently with the federal sentence.
Despite Haskins and Quinn’s claim that multiple suspects were involved, Mueller is the only person charged in the case.
Where are denise huskins and Aaron today?
In March 2016, denise huskins and Quinn filed a defamation lawsuit against the City of Vallejo and its police department, accusing Vallejo officers of engaging in “a vicious and shocking attack” that caused Bay tarnished his reputation through base and baseless campaigning.
The case was settled in a $2.5 million out-of-court settlement, though the couple insisted on speaking out against the department’s conduct. In a 2021 campaign ad for Open Vallejo, Quinn claimed the Vallejo police should be disbanded because of the misconduct of its officers.
Six years ago, my wife Denise Huskins and I endured the malice of the department when she was kidnapped from my home,” he wrote. “Without evidence, Detective Matt Mustard and others falsely accused me of murder. , ignoring leads that could lead them to Dennis. . When she was released alive, we were immediately accused of abducting and sexually assaulting her.”
In a 2021 statement, Vallejo Police Chief Shani Williams, who assumed the role in 2019 before resigning in 2022, acknowledged that what happened to Huskins and Quinn was “horrific and evil.”
“I am dedicated to ensuring that families receive compassionate services with dignity and respect,” the statement said. I would like to apologize. for the treatment they endured during this ordeal.
On a personal level, the couple has expressed that the painful ordeal ultimately created a stronger bond between them. They married in 2018 and celebrated the arrival of their first daughter, Olivia, exactly five years after Huskins’ release. Their second daughter, Naomi, joined the family in 2022.
Reflecting on the emotional pain, Huskins shared with ABC News, “You can go through any kind of trauma where it destroys you and a place where you just think, ‘Get over it. It’s impossible to grow. What do I do? He emphasized his experience as an example that there is hope, acknowledging that it may take time and a lot of effort, but hope remains.
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