'American Nightmare' kidnapper gets another life sentence in separate case
'American Nightmare' rapist Matthew Muller convicted of 1993 Folsom kidnapping, sexual assault
Matthew Muller, the man whose kidnapping and raping of a Vallejo a couple was highlighted in a Netflix crime documentary, has been convicted and sentenced again for kidnapping and sexual assault in Sacramento County.
SAN RAMON, Calif. - The man behind the 2015 kidnapping and sexual assault of Denise Huskins was handed another life sentence in a separate case.
San Ramon kidnapping
What we know:
Matthew Muller, 48, appeared in a Contra Costa County courtroom in Martinez on Thursday, where he was convicted in a 2015 home invasion in San Ramon in which he kidnapped a family for ransom.
He changed his plea from not guilty to no contest.
A judge sentenced Muller to seven years to life in prison. That sentence will be served consecutively to three previous life sentences for similar crimes across Northern California.
Prosecutors said the San Ramon victims initially didn’t report the kidnapping, fearing retaliation.
"They indicated that they were too afraid, even 10 years later, to come forward even after hearing that Muller was in custody on these other cases back in 2015, because they believed he had coconspirators that would get them if they were to cooperate," said prosecutor, Satish Jallepalli.
Muller is currently serving a 40-year federal prison sentence for the kidnapping of Huskins, a case later featured in the Netflix docuseries American Nightmare.
‘American Nightmare’ case
The backstory:
On March 23, 2015, Muller broke into Huskins’ Vallejo home, tied up her and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, and took Huskins to a cabin in South Lake Tahoe. He sexually assaulted her and held her captive for two days before releasing her near her family’s home in Southern California.
In 2022, Muller was sentenced to 31 years in state prison in Solano County, to be served concurrently with his 40-year federal sentence.
Huskins and Quinn, now married, later sued the city of Vallejo and were awarded $2.5 million.
Convictions in Santa Clara and Sacramento counties
The Netflix series, released in 2024, reignited investigations into Muller in multiple counties. In January, authorities said Muller confessed to additional crimes during conversations with law enforcement, including the San Ramon case.
According to prosecutors, Muller held two men and one woman for ransom in the 2015 home invasion and demanded one of the victims withdraw money from a bank account to secure the others’ release.
Muller obtained the ransom and fled.
The victims’ identities have not been released.
Muller has been convicted of similar crimes in several Northern California counties, including Santa Clara County, where he was sentenced earlier this year for home invasions in Palo Alto and Mountain View in 2009. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two consecutive life terms, to begin after his federal sentence ends in 2049.
Just last month, Muller was sentenced in Sacramento County for a 1993 case in which he kidnapped and sexually assaulted campers near Folsom Lake when he was 16. He received a sentence of 11 years to life, to be served consecutively with his current prison terms.