Disclaimer: The article contains mention of violence and rape. Reader discretion is advised.
Netflix recently released a terrifying documentary about a kidnapping incident from 2015, titled, American Nightmare. On March 23, 2015, Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn, a couple from Vallejo, California were asleep in their home when a couple of scuba suit-wearing intruders entered their home.
They kidnapped Denise and revealed to the pair that they belonged to a group that collected financial debt. In addition, they said that Denise would only be returned only after Aaron paid up. Denise’s abductor then took her to a remote location where she was drugged and raped twice. The kidnappers released her on March 25, 2015, two days after the incident.
Even though nine years have passed since this incident, a recent story published by Tudum by Netflix stated that the victims may never see accountability from the detectives who worked their case. Furthermore, Denise and Aaron are still unaware of what exactly happened to them on that fateful night.
In a conversation with Tudum by Netflix, Huskins stated, “I don’t want to disappoint people. But the truth is, we don’t have all the answers. We’re never going to get the answers. We’ve had a long road of trying to accept that.”
The synopsis of American Nightmare on Netflix Media Center reads, “After a home invasion and abduction, a young couple’s recounting of the events is too far-fetched for the police to believe.”
It further reads, “Why did the victims seem so calm? Was it all a hoax? From the filmmakers behind The Tinder Swindler, this three-part docuseries unravels the consequences of our cultural rush to judgment, and the damage done when law enforcement decides the truth can’t possibly be true.”
The directors of American Nightmare are Bernadette Higgins and Felicity Morris.
American Nightmare: What was Aaron Quinn accused of?
According to Tudum by Netflix, authorities accused Aaron Quinn of killing in girlfriend, Denise Huskins. Furthermore, they were more certain about this when they learned Quinn was in contact with his ex, Andrea.
Quinn stated, “I never blamed the police for being suspicious or doubting my initial story. I was the last person with Denise. I could be looked at as a person of interest.”
He further said, “I foolishly believed they would follow the evidence. Even after saying I killed Denise, they made up a crazy story that we did it together. The mental gymnastics they had to go through are astounding. Even just following the basic evidence would have led them to the right conclusion, and they could have been heroes.”
The couple finally decided to attorneys and in the end, officials learned that Quinn was being truthful from the very beginning. However, they are also aware that not everyone is privileged enough to fight back. Huskins said, “We are the lucky ones. That’s a major reason why we continue to put ourselves out there. We are the ones that had the ability to hire attorneys who stayed by our side to help ensure that we were protected as victims. We were fortunate to have an understanding of a system that’s really confusing in the first place.”
The man who kidnapped Denise and Aaron was a Marine as well as a disbarred Harvard-educated immigration attorney named Matthew Muller. Authorities apprehended him in June 2015. However, in November 2020, he could not stand trial due to mental incompetency.
In 2018, Denise and Aaron sued the City of Vallejo for defamation. As a result, they were rewarded a $2.5 million settlement.
American Nightmare was released on Netflix worldwide on January 17, 2024.
