Summary

• Denise and Aaron wrote a book about their experiences titled "Victim F: From Crime Victims to Suspects to Survivors," which came out in 2021.
• Matthew Muller, the kidnapper, was charged again in 2018 for rape and kidnapping, in addition to his federal charges.
• The Vallejo Police Department has faced massive social media backlash, with angry comments, death threats, and negative reviews on their social media pages.

Netflix's documentary series, American Nightmare, did not include several major details about the Denise Huskins case. From multiple police chiefs being hired since 2015 to new charges for the kidnapper, Matthew Muller, the case affected many lives both in front of the camera and off camera. It has also affected the City of Vallejo and the public's opinion on botched police investigations as well as the treatment of sexual assault and kidnapping victims by the police.

The series covers a 2015 incident when Denise Huskins and her now-husband Aaron Quinn were assaulted in their home, with Huskins later kidnapped. Despite calling the police and reporting the incident, the Vallejo Police Department accused Huskins and Quinn of faking the crime in a Gone Girl-inspired hoax. Police later learned the crime was real and faced backlash, including a lawsuit from Huskins and Quinn that was eventually settled out of court. The documentary, currently streaming on Netflix, leaves out several key details about the story.

7 Denise & Aaron Wrote A Book Together About What Happened

The Book Went On Sale In 2021

In the years following the 2015 incident, both Aaron Quinn and Denise Huskins moved on and got married in 2016. In 2021, the couple published a book about their experiences titled Victim F: From Crime Victims to Suspects to Survivors. Similar to the documentary, the book talks about the couple's experiences during and after the incident and their lives as parents. The book currently has a 4.7 rating on Amazon and has been praised by several other authors.

Elizabeth Smart, another kidnapping victim turned advocate, and Scott Berkowitz, president of RAINN, both praised the book and the couple's story. The famed TV addiction specialist, Dr. Drew Pinsky, also commented on the book, calling it, "A testament to the importance of understanding the struggle to heal from trauma." The book contains several details not in the documentary — both about their personal lives and the ordeal itself. It also includes the news that a whistleblower in the Vallejo PD stepped forward.

6 Muller Has Some Additional State Charges

He Was Charged Again In 2018 For Rape

Matthew Muller was finally arrested for his crimes in 2015, both for what he did to Denise and Aaron and for a failed attempt at a second home invasion at someone else's house. He was indicted in 2017 on federal charges of rape and kidnapping, all mentioned in the credits of the docuseries. The docuseries also mentioned the additional crimes that Muller committed. What wasn't mentioned in the series was that in 2022, Muller was also sentenced to 31 years in jail on state charges of rape and kidnapping, among other charges.

This will run concurrently with the current 40-year sentence that he is serving for the federal charges. Muller, a Harvard University graduate and a former U.S. Marine, will serve his time in prison until July 8, 2049. He still claims he is not guilty of any charges leveled against him. According to Muller, he only pleaded guilty because he felt sorry for Quinn and Huskins because of how the Vallejo Police Department treated them, saying he didn't care what happened to him (via NBC).

5 The Social Media Backlash For The Vallejo Police Department

Social Media Users Used Platforms To Voice Their Anger

In the years following the case, the social media backlash against the Vallejo Police Department has been massive. Angry social media users took to Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and more to express their disgust towards the Department. Current and past Facebook posts by the Vallejo Police have angry comments from users and even death threats. Posts on Twitter are dated back to July 2022, albeit with multiple comments asking the department to fire Detective Mat Mustard (via X).

Yelp has also seen an increase in angry reviewers to the point of the platform temporarily shutting down new posts on the Department's page (via Yelp). It would have been nice to hear Mustard's reasoning for ignoring the victims but American Nightmare directors Bernadette Higgins and Felicity Morris said he refused to participate. "We basically just got the standard formal response saying that they were declining the invitation to take part," they said (via Mirror). "We think that's a real shame because it's kind of just turning their backs on the situation."

4 Whether Muller Acted Alone

Denise Recalled Seeing Two People During The Break-In

In emails sent to a reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle, Matthew Muller claimed that he had acted with a group when he broke into Denise and Aaron's house in 2015 (via DOJ). The docuseries rarely mentioned the kidnapping group theory, focusing primarily on Muller's actions. Eventually, it was proven that he acted alone and that the emails were sent during the police's public statements against the couple.

Even though no one else has been arrested in connection to the break-in, the couple still firmly believes that there may have been someone else involved and Denise noticed two pairs of legs in the room during the incident, which she accounts to there being two different people in the bedroom (via ABC News). Denise also said she heard multiple male voices. Finally, Aaron said they stole his car, but Denise was put into a Mustang, meaning there were two different possible drivers.

3 Denise's Testimony In Court

The Documentary Leaves Out Parts Of Her Testimony In Court

American Nightmare also did not mention that Matthew Muller fired his attorney and represented himself in court against the couple or Denise's testimony in both federal and state courts. During the court proceedings and testimony, Denise Huskins testified in both federal and state court about what she endured during her kidnapping and assault. She mentioned how Muller made her wear blacked-out goggles to blindfold her.

Denise also disclosed having nightmares over what happened and fearing for her life, as well as having to pretend that Muller was Aaron during her ordeal. The docuseries mentions the testimony but only briefly and not in complete detail. This makes sense from a storytelling point of view for the documentary, as many of the things that Denise testified about in court were added into the series in the reenactments and the telling of the story of the kidnapping. However, Denise reliving these moments in court added more trauma to her life.

2 New Police Chiefs Took Over the Department

The City Has Been Through Several Police Chiefs Since 2015

Attention to the Vallejo Police Department was not just on social media, but also on the numerous police chiefs who have come and gone since 2015. The current interim police chief, Jason Ta, has been with the department since 2021 and has an extensive background in police work. Andrew Bidou, the chief involved with the case, retired in 2019 after facing criticisms about police misconduct and use of force (via CBS). Bidou was accused of changing the written sergeant’s exam to lower the standards, so Mat Mustard could get promoted.

In 2019, Shawny Williams took over as Police Chief of the City of Vallejo. Williams also issued a public apology (via ABC7 News) to Denise and Aaron on June 5, 2021, for the department's mishandling of their case, promising to "[make] sure survivors are given compassionate service with dignity and respect". Williams said a public apology from Bidou and the Department following Muller's indictment did not occur, despite letters to the couple claiming otherwise. Williams resigned as chief in 2022 after multiple scandals, as well as a no-confidence vote from the police union.

1 What Happened to Detective Mat Mustard

He Ended Up Getting A Promotion

Despite being blasted on social media for calling Denise and Aaron liars, lead detective Mat Mustard remains employed with the Vallejo Police Department. The end of American Nightmare mentions that he received an award for Officer of the Year in 2015 when he bungled the original case. The docuseries never mentions that Detective Mustard never got a reprimand or demotion for his botched investigation. Mustard even got promoted to Detective Sergeant in 2018, even after he failed the exam in 2017.

Mustard went on to lose his role as union president in late 2019. As a result of Mustard and the Department's negligence in the case, he has been blasted in comments written on the Vallejo Police Department's social media pages by fans after watching the documentary. The Vallejo Police Officers Association even sued the city of Vallejo for $10 million, claiming VPOA President Lt. Michael Nichelini and Mustard were "targeted." They lost when a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in April 2024 (via Vallejo Sun).