A Bay area kidnapper is now charged in 15-year-old attacks, reopening a case filled with mystery and left without full closure.
Matthew Muller, the man infamous for the abduction of Denise Huskins in Vallejo, has recently been charged by Santa Clara County prosecutors in connection with home invasions that took place over 15 years ago.
This development sheds new light on a case that once saw police wrongfully accuse Huskins of staging her own kidnapping.
New Charges Arise from Past Crimes
Muller, now 47, was named in a complaint filed by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office in November.
The DA’s office requested that the Mountain View and Palo Alto police departments return all evidence from the earlier cases to the DA crime lab for additional testing.
Forensic experts revealed that Muller’s DNA was found on straps he used to bind one of the victims during the home invasions.
Following this discovery, Muller was transferred to Santa Clara County Jail in San Jose, where he is scheduled for arraignment on Monday afternoon.
Details of the 2009 Incidents
In September 2009, Muller allegedly broke into a woman’s home in Mountain View.
Reports indicate that he assaulted her, tied her up, and forced her to consume a mixture of medications while threatening to rape her.
Remarkably, the victim managed to persuade Muller against committing the assault. Before leaving, he offered her advice on getting a dog for protection.
Just a month later, in October 2009, Muller is accused of breaking into a Palo Alto residence, where he bound and gagged another woman, forcing her to drink Nyquil.
Again, the victim was able to convince him not to proceed with the assault, after which he provided her with similar crime-prevention advice before departing.
Both incidents had remained unsolved until recently, when new evidence prompted a fresh investigation.
Breakthrough in the Investigation
In light of recent developments, the District Attorney’s Office worked closely with local police to send all evidence back to the DA crime lab for re-evaluation.
The forensic analysis yielded crucial results: Muller’s DNA was identified on items used to bind one of the victims, leading to the current charges against him.
As a result of this renewed investigation, Muller now faces two felony counts of sexual assault during a home invasion related to the 2009 incidents.
His arraignment is set to take place at the Hall of Justice in San Jose.
The Infamous Huskins Case
Muller’s notoriety escalated following the high-profile case involving Denise Huskins in March 2015.
Huskins’ then-boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, reported that an intruder clad in a wetsuit had broken into their Vallejo home, tied him up, and abducted Huskins.
During the incident, both were compelled to consume a substance that rendered them drowsy.
Initially, police expressed skepticism about Quinn’s account, and a detective even insinuated that he may have harmed Huskins.
However, Huskins resurfaced days later near her family’s home in Southern California, leading Vallejo police to label the incident a hoax.
They accused the couple of orchestrating a fabricated story, resulting in a wild goose chase for authorities.
Eventually, Muller—a former Marine and disbarred attorney—was apprehended and convicted for kidnapping and raping Huskins in a Lake Tahoe cabin before releasing her in Orange County.
In 2022, he received a 31-year prison sentence for state charges related to the rape and an additional 40-year federal sentence for the kidnapping.
Ongoing Legal Consequences
The case took a pivotal turn thanks to the efforts of Dublin police, who identified Muller as a suspect while investigating a similar home invasion.
Following their ordeal, Huskins and Quinn pursued legal action against Vallejo, culminating in a $2.5 million settlement.
Currently, Muller is incarcerated in a federal prison in Tucson, Arizona, facing new charges that highlight the serious and long-lasting impact of his actions.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the victims of his past crimes continue to seek justice and closure.
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