Matthew Muller, a former Harvard-educated lawyer, is back in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Known for the chilling 2015 kidnapping of Denise Huskins in Vallejo—a case initially dismissed as a hoax—Muller now faces fresh charges for two disturbing assaults from 2009.
These new charges stem from DNA evidence recently linked to Muller, found on straps used to bind his victims. Authorities allege that in September 2009, Muller broke into a Mountain View woman’s home, tied her up, and threatened assault. The woman managed to talk him out of it, but the terror didn’t stop there. Just weeks later, in October, Muller reportedly broke into another home in Palo Alto. This time, he carried out a horrific assault, only stopping after being persuaded by the victim.
Fast forward six years to the infamous Huskins case, where Muller kidnapped and assaulted her in what police initially likened to a “Gone Girl” hoax. The case was so mishandled that Huskins and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, later won a $2.5 million settlement from Vallejo police.
Now 47, Muller is already serving 40 years for the Huskins case. If convicted of these new charges, his time behind bars could extend to life.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen summed it up best: “This nightmare is real, and we’re determined to ensure Muller never terrorizes anyone again.”
From a promising law career to a horrifying crime spree, Muller’s story is a tragic fall from grace.