Twisted Tale

0:00The details are so crazy, I couldn't make sense of it. A successful young couple ambushed, they said, in the dead of night. Attacked. Abducted. We're like, wow, where is she? I didn't have a clue what happened. But the real question, was their story even true? We were not able to substantiate any of the things that he was saying. They branded the couple as liars. Could this be some kind of hoax? Who was really behind it all? Normal people don't do things like this. This whole story could take another crazy turn. He said, I know that I need to pay for what I did. I'm Lester Holt and this is Dateline.

0:40Here's Josh Mankiewicz with Twisted Tale.

0:49I was asleep in bed. It was about 5 o 'clock in the morning. Frightening doesn't begin to describe what she went through. And the next thing I knew, there was someone laying on top of me. She was instantly the losing player in someone else's game of power and control. Their hand was over my mouth. If you're wondering, there was no way to fight back. I must have been screaming. This woman doesn't want us to use her real name. We're calling her Samantha. And she's sharing with us things she's told to very few people. This was a man. Man. Bigger than you? Felt very big and strong. I couldn't move.

1:35September 29, 2009. The sun wasn't up yet. And in Samantha's bedroom, a masked intruder was holding her down. She had no idea who the man was or what he was planning. He said, well, this is going to take a couple hours. I was, you know, I was, I think, just in shock. The details of what happened to Samantha are not only frightening, but also deeply strange. She's come forward because she believes her long night of terror may shed light on a different case in a different town with victims she's never met. It's a bizarre mystery that riveted California's Bay Area, then rippled across the country and around the world.

2:20March 24, 2015, a young woman was missing. Ms. Huskin stands at 5 '7", 150 pounds. She's got blonde hair and blue eyes. Her abductors wanted money in exchange for her return. We are treating this as a kidnap for ransom, and we're requesting the public's help in locating her. It happened 30 miles north of San Francisco in the city of Vallejo. Henry Lee was then a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. I immediately was struck with the fact that you don't see these kinds of cases too often, and this crime victim did not strike me as someone who would usually be targeted. The kidnapped victim, Denise Huskins, had been staying with her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, at his house in Vallejo.

3:05At the time, both were physical therapists at a nearby hospital. Aaron was the one who reported Denise missing. We're doing everything that we can, and then some, to ensure her safe return. Police dogs and dive teams were soon part of a huge search for Denise Huskins. Across the country, Denise's good friend Ashley saw the news. There was an article posted online. Someone sent it to me and said, oh my God, this is Denise. But I started just texting everybody. Including Denise. I tried to text her. I figured better than not doing anything. There was no reply. she texted another friend, Danica. I couldn't even believe what I was reading.

3:49It didn't even seem real. That was pretty much the reaction the Vallejo cops had to the story Denise's boyfriend was telling them. We have a lot of information still to sift through. We don't have all of the facts in yet. The story Aaron told the cops that night, eventually spelled out in an FBI affidavit, would seem frankly preposterous. Something invented by someone with too much imagination and too much free time. Aaron said he and Denise were asleep at his house when, at about 3 a.m., he was awakened by a bright light and an electrical noise that sounded like a stun gun, then a man's voice telling them to lie face down on the bed.

4:35Aaron said the man told Denise to bind Aaron's hands and feet. Then he said his eyes were covered with swim goggles, which had been blacked out so he couldn't see. He's been blindfolded, zip-tied. Aaron said the intruder demanded his private banking and email information, and then put headphones on him that played calming music, along with instructions to use Denise's phone to text her work and say she'd be out for a couple of days, and to let his work know the same. him. Aaron also claimed he was given a mixture of NyQuil and Valium to knock him out, and told to stay in one spot in his living room that was outlined in red duct tape and monitored by a webcam.

5:25Then, he said, the intruders left with Denise. His story sounded so implausible, police wondered if he'd made it up to hide something even more sinister. At first blush, when a woman is missing and her husband or boyfriend says, oh yeah, she was abducted, well, certainly the first thing I think, maybe because of what I do for a living, is the guy had something to do with this. In these kinds of situations, we always look at the significant other. Is he a suspect? Is he making it up? What is going on here? What's the real story? Police treated Aaron less like a victim and more like a murder suspect.

6:03They confiscated his cell phone and read him his rights. They were suspicious about why he waited 11 hours before calling 911. Aaron Quinn, it took him hours. It wasn't until that afternoon that the Vallejo police were able to talk to him after he came forward. Aaron's mother later told us police polygraphed him five times. He was put in jail clothing, given little food or water, and held in a small interrogation room for hours. Across the country, Denise's friends didn't know any of this. But they knew enough to be worried. I mean, someone being kidnapped, to be honest, a lot of those stories don't end well.

6:42And you don't want to think about those things, but you think maybe they're not going to be alive. Then, about 33 hours after Denise Huskins disappeared, reporter Henry Lee was standing outside Aaron's home when his phone buzzed. An email. And what was chilling was that this email came attached with an audio file. In this audio file, there was a woman's voice. Okay, my name is Denise Huskins. The soft-spoken woman on the recording said she was Denise. This very strange tale was about to get much stranger. What had happened to Denise? When we come back... We still don't know where Denise Huskins is.

7:26That cryptic recording. Exactly what kind of message was it? She sounded absolutely calm, not terrified, not distressed at all. Not like someone in fear for their life. Right, as if she was talking to a friend over coffee. When Dateline continues.

7:49Denise Huskins' boyfriend said she'd been kidnapped. But his story seemed hard to believe. Police wondered if he'd murdered her. and was now trying to cover it up. Then, a day and a half after Denise disappeared, reporter Henry Lee received a mysterious email, with an audio file attached. Okay, my name's Denise Huskins, and I'm getting much. Otherwise, fine. She talked about the day's biggest news. A German airliner had gone down. Earlier today, there was a plane crash in the Alps. 150 people died. She shared obscure biographical details. My first concert with Ethnie and her mom was inquiring to that religion.

8:41It's a proof of life audio trying to prove that A, she's Denise and B, yes, she is the kidnapped victim. And she's aware of events that have happened that day. And she's aware of events that have happened to prove that she was in fact alive. So clearly this wasn't a murder case. But was it a kidnapping, as Aaron claimed? Lee found it odd that Denise didn't sound at all frightened. She sounded absolutely calm, not terrified, not distressed at all. Not like someone in fear for their life. Right, as if she was talking to a friend over coffee. I shared it with my editors and colleagues working the story, and I think the subject line was like, WTF, what is this?

9:19The recording soon hit the web, where Denise's friend Ashley heard it. It was sort of reassuring that she was making an audio that clearly dated that day, but also still scary because you still have no idea if the person is safe, how they're being treated, you know, people are putting her through. And if Denise didn't sound panicked, her friends say that made perfect sense. After all, the three of them had already lived through what should have been the most traumatic event of their lives. Ashley, Danica and Denise went to watch the Boston Marathon in 2013. They say it was Denise who remained calm that day.

10:06We were all scared and we were all sort of rocked by it, but I think of all of us, she was probably the best equipped to keep her cool. She was the one who kind of was my rock. She grabbed my hand and she's like, let's go. But where was Denise now? This was a bizarre case with a lot of twists. Very bizarre, Raj. Cheryl Hurd covered the story for NBC station KNTV. So day two, we still don't know where Denise Huskins is. We're really not sure what her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, is telling police. All we know is they can't find her. But then the story took another whiplash turn. About 45 hours after Denise was reported missing, police made a dramatic announcement.

10:56Approximately 10.30 this morning, Ms. Denise Huskins was located safely. It seemed over. Denise's cousin told KNBC how thrilled everyone was. You hear these stories all the time and you watch TV about them and you never know. And I just was happy to hear that she was alive and safe and home. But to police and reporters, all professional skeptics, this story hadn't smelled right from the start. And Denise's sudden reappearance did nothing to change that. She was alive, she was well, and they found her. That was great. But there was still something funny going on because no one had all the answers.

11:36For one thing, Denise turned up in Huntington Beach, which was 400 miles south of Vallejo, and which was also her hometown. She was dropped off right by her mom's house. She wasn't released out of state. She was not released in the desert. She was not released in the middle of California. Where did she show up? Right near her parents' house. That seemed too convenient. Another thing, the ransom the kidnappers supposedly demanded had never been paid. Denise told police in her hometown the same story her boyfriend had told up north, about the swim goggles, the NyQuil, the threat of electric shock.

12:14But then, when Vallejo police wanted to question her... Denise Huskins disappeared and wouldn't cooperate, would not fly up in a plane offered by the FBI to talk to the police. After she was released? After she was released. Suspicion was building. Neither Denise nor Aaron made any public statement. But they did hire separate attorneys. Everyone's thinking, why are they doing that? Lots of questions and not many answers. But then, less than 12 hours after Denise reappeared... Then we get a tip that police are holding a news conference. So I jump in the car, photographer and I, and we haul ass back to Vallejo to be a part of this news conference.

13:01Let me know when you guys are ready. And that's when the bombshell came down. Coming up. We were not able to substantiate any of the things that he was saying. Was this all some kind of prank? Was there some chance that Denise and her boyfriend were going to be prosecuted? It was a very strong possibility. Emails, photos, some strange new clues are about to emerge from the shadows when Dateline continues.

13:34I didn't have a clue what happened. Even Denise Huskins' friends had to admit her sudden disappearance and reappearance seemed almost unbelievable. The details of the story are so crazy. I just, you know, I really couldn't, I couldn't make sense of it. Neither could the Vallejo Police Department. A day after Denise came home, spokesman Kenny Park held a remarkable news conference. First, he spoke about Denise's boyfriend, Aaron Quinn. The statement that Mr. Quinn provided was such an incredible story. we initially had a hard time believing it, and upon further investigation, we were not able to substantiate any of the things that he was saying.

14:21Then about Denise herself. Ms. Huskins indicated that she would be happy to meet with our police detectives and provide us a full detailed statement on what had occurred. As of right now, we have not heard from Ms. Huskins. And then finally, this. Mr. Quinn and Ms. Huskins has plundered valuable resources away from our community while instilling fear amongst our community members. So if anything, it is Mr. Quinn and Ms. Huskins that owes this community an apology. After a search and about 54 hours of investigation, Vallejo police had concluded that the whole kidnapping story was phony, that all of this was one of those made-for-California dramas, not so much Shakespearean as Kardashian.

15:13Police seemed to think Denise and Aaron were, for some reason known only to them, seeking publicity and telling an elaborate lie. Left unanswered was why anyone would want to become famous for fooling the police. The stranger-than-fiction kidnapping story involving a young California couple. Remember, no ransom was ever paid. Aaron told police the kidnappers took his bank information, but no one tried to access his accounts. Someone did try to call Aaron's cell phone a couple of times while Denise was missing from a blocked number. According to Aaron's mother, police suspected Aaron had somehow programmed another phone to call his own cell while he was with investigators.

15:55Was there some chance that Denise and her boyfriend were going to be prosecuted? It was a very strong possibility based on those public pronouncements. Denise's friends didn't know Erin, but they had every confidence Denise was telling the truth. Everyone that knew or that knows her personally and actually cares about her believed her. The day after police branded the kidnapping a hoax, Denise finally did show up at Vallejo PD to tell the cops they were wrong. She said that not only had she been kidnapped, she had also been raped. That same day, reporter Henry Lee received another email, a long message, soon followed by more, supporting Denise's claim that this was no hoax, from a person claiming to have been one of the kidnappers.

16:44They were very articulate, clearly written by someone who's extremely intelligent. Ms. Huskins was absolutely kidnapped. We did it. we will provide incontrovertible proof. The writer claimed to be part of a group, more than two and fewer than eight in number. They go into extreme length about a series of crimes that they say they pulled, including car thefts, break-ins, home invasions, you name it. Some of us have a tech background and are very good at overcoming electronic anti-theft measures, stealing late model cars. According to the email, the group decided to try kidnapping because we wanted something with a high payout that we only had to do once or a few times.

17:32What is going on? Why are you apparently confessing? The writer admitted that the reality of the kidnapping was much more upsetting than expected. We fancied ourselves a sort of Ocean's Eleven, gentlemen criminals, who only took stuff that was insured from people who could afford it. the horrifying reality of what we had become and what we were doing did not set in until being confronted directly with Denise's suffering and humanity. At least one of the abductors seemed to, you know, sympathize with Denise. And now the email said they were angry that Denise was being accused of making the whole thing up.

18:12We will not stand by and see the life of a really good person ruined. Attached to the emails were photos. One showed a water gun, spray-painted to look more threatening, at least in the dark, with a laser pointer and flashlight duct taped to it. Another showed a room, with cardboard partially covering a window where Denise was supposedly held. Was this visual proof of Denise and Aaron's story, or an elaborate deception? You thought legit or more hoax? I thought it was certainly part of a prank. In fact, the emails were so cleverly written, Henry Lee wondered if they might have been sent by an attorney, hired by Denise or Aaron.

18:57That so-called Gone Girl mystery... The reporters started referring to the case as the Gone Girl kidnapping, after the book and movie about a young blonde who fakes her own disappearance. That reference infuriated Denise's friends. But when, you know, it's not accurate, it makes you mad. It was sort of like a fictional character created out of a good person. So then suddenly you stop being Denise Huskins and you start being... Labeled as Gone Girl. The Gone Girl. That wasn't Denise at all, they said. But to the rest of the world, Denise and Aaron were portrayed as liars, schemers. maybe even criminals themselves.

19:41That is, until the next big twist. Coming up... He said, we have your daughter. Another story as strange and eerie as Denise and Aaron's. Terrifying. Yes, they were terrified. Had the mysterious kidnapper struck again when Dateline continues.

20:10This began as a high-tech kidnapping that sounded like a TV movie. We were not able to substantiate any of the... Then police announced it was really an elaborate hoax. Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn, branded as liars or attention addicts, retreated from sight. Thank you. And that might have been the end of it. until a little over two months later. This story took another unbelievable turn. June 5th, 2015, 3.34 a.m. She thinks that they possibly have her daughter. Police were called to a house in Dublin, California. Locked herself in the bedroom. An intruder was inside. Husband possibly has a head injury.

20:56We're having medical started. By the time police arrived, the man was gone, leaving behind a shaken family with a frightening story. The woman told police that she and her husband woke up in the early morning hours to find a man standing at the foot of their bed, a flashlight shining in their faces. He told them that face down, get face down on your bed and don't look at me. Terrifying. Yes, they were terrified. Dublin police detectives Miguel Campos and Rafael Alvarez led the investigation. He said, we have your daughter, and she's okay. The couple's 22-year-old daughter had been sleeping in the next room.

21:36He tells the parents that, I'm going to tie you up. Father jumps on him, says, you know, I'm not going to let you tie me up. You know, something's going on with my daughter. A struggle ensues on the ground. His wife grabbed her cell phone and locked herself in the bathroom to call 911. The husband yells out at her, honey, go get the gun, go get the gun. Now, this was very smart on the father's part because they have no gun, but he had to say anything to try to scare this guy away. The father continued to fight until finally the intruder fled. But in the struggle, he left some things behind. Zip ties, for one, and what turned out to be the key to the case, a cell phone, which led the Dublin detectives to a home near Sacramento.

22:21They called the family there and the woman who answered said the phone belonged to her adult son, a man named Matthew Muller. And they said he told me he lost it this morning. And then we said, OK, where is he? We'd like to give it to him. They told us, well, he's on his way to South Lake Tahoe to our cabin. The Dublin cops knew their next stop was South Lake Tahoe. First, they put in a call to the local sheriff to ask if there had ever been trouble at the cabin. There hadn't, but... A stolen car had just been found right near it, and in the car was a driver's license for 38-year-old Matthew Muller.

22:58I said, okay, you just kind of made my day now. Now we have some more information to go on. With a search warrant and an arrest warrant, the Dublin cops went to find Matthew Muller. The neighbors watched it happen. You know, I'm just peeking out my window, trying to get an idea what's happening. More cars are coming. My whole front area is filled with dark sedans, like something out of the movies. The neighbors were surprised, but maybe Matthew Muller was not. When we broke down the front door, it didn't open all the way because it was barricaded with chairs and just various household items. And upon entry, I could hear my detectives, you know, screaming, you know, get on the ground, get on the ground.

23:47And, you know, your heart rate kind of jumps up. OK, he's there. This is Muller, just after he was arrested. He did not put up a fight. In the house, detectives found a room with cardboard on the windows, blocking out the light. They searched that stolen car and found a few more items of interest. One was a BB gun. One was a super soaker that was painted black with a flashlight duct tape to it with a laser pointer. So these have been made to look like real guns. If you were in the dark and all you saw was the shape and the bulkness of it, then absolutely. There were also swim goggles with tape covering the lenses.

24:26A long blonde hair stuck to the tape. And when they traced the stolen car... That vehicle comes back stolen out of Vallejo. So the Dublin cops called Vallejo PD and started comparing notes. We're showing pictures of everything we've recovered at the search warrant, and they're showing us pictures that, you know, had been sent to them. Those would be the photos emailed to reporter Henry Lee from that anonymous address. Shots of spray-painted water pistols and a room with cardboard on the windows. That's kind of when the light really clicked on. And we all kind of went, uh-oh, here we go. Coming up, Ivy League, former Marine, respected attorney.

25:11I would much more have suspected Matt to be sitting behind the desk in some elected capacity. Who was this guy? When Dateline continues.

25:32When the strange tale of Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn first made headlines... Another bizarre twist in a kidnapping case we've been following out of California. Dublin police detectives Miguel Campos and Rafael Alvarez found it just as puzzling as everyone else did. There were a lot of reasons to sort of think that the Vallejo story at first blush was a very strange story. It was. Yeah, it does sound like it could be fabricated. But now they found themselves working a home invasion that seemed to link the man they'd arrested, Matthew Muller, to the alleged kidnapping of Denise Huskins. Not just the photos of toy guns painted to look real, or the room in the suspect's home they saw during the arrest that matched the photo sent to Henry Lee.

26:22There was more, significant clues pointing to a real kidnapping that Vallejo cops seemed to have overlooked or ignored from the start. Window screens at Aaron's house had been slit and the window locks drilled. And the missed calls made to Aaron Quinn's cell phone while he was being interrogated that first night. Calls of the Vallejo cops suspected Aaron had somehow faked. Turns out they were placed from this intersection right near Muller's cabin in Tahoe, where Dublin police later found that stolen car. When law enforcement hacked into the car's navigation history, they found this address in Huntington Beach, the exact spot where Denise said she'd been left by her kidnapper.

27:08As they continued to investigate, detectives learned their suspect was just as unusual as the crimes he was implicated in. Maybe more so. I haven't dealt with somebody like him. You know, this is the kind of stuff that you typically see in movies. A California native, Mueller served in the U.S. Marine Corps where he was a trumpet player. He then attended Pomona College. Alex Volberding was a classmate. I would much more have suspected Matt to be sitting behind the desk in some elected capacity as opposed to be sitting in a jail cell right now. Mueller married in 2002 and graduated from Pomona, summa cum laude, a year later.