Netflix has released a new true crime documentary series called ‘American Nightmare’, which tells the incredible story of a Vallejo, California couple who were victims of a bizarre kidnapping in 2015. What should have been treated as a traumatic crime was instead dismissed as an elaborate hoax by the Vallejo Police Department, leading to severe injustice against the victims.
The Kidnapping of Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn
In March 2015, Aaron Quinn awoke one morning to find a masked intruder in his home pointing a stun gun at him. The man tied up Aaron and blindfolded him, before doing the same to Aaron’s girlfriend Denise Huskins, abducting her from the house. Denise was held captive for over 40 hours by her kidnapper, Matthew Muller, before being released near her family home in Southern California.
Meanwhile in Vallejo, detectives immediately suspected the entire ordeal was made up by Aaron and Denise. Instead of investigating the crime, they accused the couple of lying and wasting police resources. Aaron and Denise were wrongfully villified in the media and online as having committed an unthinkable ‘Gone Girl’ style hoax.
| Victims | Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn |
|---|---|
| Kidnapper | Matthew Muller |
| Date of Kidnapping | March 23, 2015 |
| Length of Captivity | Over 40 hours |
Incredibly, it was only months later when overwhelming evidence proved Matthew Muller was indeed the kidnapper, and he was arrested for Denise’s abduction and other crimes. But the damage to Denise and Aaron’s lives and reputations had already been done by the false allegations.
Police Incompetence and Negligence
Most shocking in this story is the gross mishandling of the investigation by the Vallejo Police Department (VPD), headed up by Detective Mat Mustard. Even after irrefutable evidence proved Denise had been kidnapped, the department continued to treat the victims with skepticism and disrespect.
The documentary closely examines the flimsy basis the police had for calling Aaron and Denise’s story a hoax:
- A lack of signs of struggle at the house
- Aaron not sounding emotional enough in the 911 call
- Denise not contacting police upon release
However, as the series shows through expert analysis, these judgments exhibited ignorance about victim behaviour in extremely traumatic situations.
Ongoing Trauma for the Victims
Being accused of making everything up added tremendously to Denise and Aaron’s trauma. They were threatened and harassed even after the truth came out. Aaron’s car was vandalised with graffiti saying ‘gone girl’.
Denise was abused at her workplace and online, with people calling her a liar and trying to get her fired. Even Detective Mustard still seemed suspicious of her while filming an interview for the documentary in 2021. The police have never apologized or acknowledged their failures in any meaningful way.
Netflix’s thorough investigation into the story finally allows Denise and Aaron’s voices to be heard. While acknowledging they will never get justice, both express hope the documentary helps prevent such incompetence and mistreatment of others in future.
Themes Around ‘Gone Girl’ and Victim Blaming
Denise’s experience being disbelieved is very reminiscent of themes from the novel and film ‘Gone Girl’, which feature a woman staging her own abduction.
The documentary explores how the huge popularity of this work of fiction actually influenced real attitudes to Denise’s very real kidnapping. Her treatment highlighted societal tendencies to view women more suspiciously and critique their behaviour, revealing systemic problems around gender biases and victim blaming.
These issues struck a chord with many viewers:
Twitter reactions to the victim blaming displayed in ‘American Nightmare’.
The parallels drawn with ‘Gone Girl’ also meant the case captured public attention around the world. While the story was hugely controversial at the time, the documentary has led to greater understanding of the failings that led to Denise and Aaron’s further suffering.
What Is Matthew Muller’s Situation Now?
Now some years on from these events, where are the key figures in this story?
For Matthew Muller, his kidnapping of Huskins was far from his only crime. It transpired he was also the ‘NorCal Rapist’ responsible for assaults across Northern California between 1991 and 2006. He is currently serving a 40 year prison sentence for sexual assault crimes.
Remarkably though, Muller too expresses sympathy for how Denise and Aaron were failed by police. While not apologizing for his own behavior, he says “Of all the harm that I did to [Denise Huskins], by far the greater harm was done to her by the Vallejo police… and she deserves better than what happens in this world.”
Impact and Future Significance
Netflix likely chose to profile this case because it embodies such universal and meaningful issues around innocence, justice, truth and human suffering.
At its core, ‘American Nightmare’ brings much needed scrutiny to the ways trauma victims are disbelieved and mistreated in the very systems designed to protect them. It has prompted reflection on failures in police training, interrogation procedures, media reporting standards and societal prejudices.
The huge audience and discussion sparked by Netflix’s series will hopefully prompt authorities in Vallejo to commit to necessary reforms and accountability. If some good can come from all she has endured, Denise Huskins hopes her story will prevent others from enduring the same nightmare.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
