CRIME Vallejo kidnapping originally called hoax wasn't; FBI makes arrest

[Housecarl]

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.ibtimes.com/denise-huski...charged-gone-girl-case-police-doubted-2007053

Denise Huskins Kidnapping: Ex-Harvard Professor Charged In 'Gone Girl'-Like Case That Police Doubted Was Hoax

By Sneha Shankar †y@SnehaShankar30 on July 14 2015 5:50 AM EDT

The FBI announced Monday that Matthew Muller, a disbarred Harvard-trained lawyer and former marine, has been arrested in the "Gone Girl"-like kidnapping case of Denise Huskins, who was abducted in March from her house in Vallejo, California, but returned safely later. Local police earlier believed the case -- registered as a complaint by Huskins¡¦ boyfriend Aaron Quinn -- was a hoax.

Quinn had told Vallejo police officials that the two were forcibly drugged on March 23, after which Huskins was taken to an unknown location in Quinn's car by the kidnapper, CNN reported. Huskins¡¦ kidnapper had demanded $8,500 as ransom but two days later she was seen at her father¡¦s house in Huntington Beach, 400 miles away. When police officials reached the place to talk to her, she reportedly went missing again.

Police officials initially called the case a ¡§wild goose chase¡¨ that wasted department resources, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. The authorities even threatened the couple that they could face legal charges if they were found lying.

"We know that the statement Mr. Quinn provided was such an unbelievable story we initially had a hard time believing it and, upon further investigation, were not able to substantiate any of the things he was saying," Vallejo Police Lt. Kenny Park said at the time, according to CNN.

The case looked very similar to the movie ¡§Gone Girl,¡¨ which showed character Amy Dunne, played by Rosamund Pike, faking her own kidnapping. Huskins had initially claimed that she was not harmed or sexually assaulted, but in later interviews with detectives, she said she was sexually assaulted and filmed twice, the New York Daily News reported. Her medical tests, however, did not show any evidence of physical non-consensual sex.

Muller, 38, is also a suspect in a June home robbery in Dublin, located in California¡¦s East Bay region. Authorities have found similarities between the two cases, the FBI reportedly said. The victims in Dublin fought back, forcing the attacker to flee. However, the person reportedly left behind a cellphone that had an address linked to Muller.

"Today is a fabulous day. Nearly four months ago, we told you that Denise Huskins' was right -- that she was not only innocent of perpetrating a hoax, but that she was a victim of a very serious and violent crime. And today there is vindication," Douglas Rappaport, Huskins¡¦ attorney, said Monday at a press conference, according to CNN. "The Vallejo Police Department owes an apology to Ms. Huskins and Mr. Quinn."

Muller, who is currently being held for $380,000 bail, faces charges of first-degree burglary, assault with a deadly weapon and felony robbery, the New York Daily News reported.

 

[Housecarl]

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2015...ping-part-of-suspects-grand-oceans-11-scheme/

The Hoax That Wasn¡¯t: FBI Says Denise Huskins Kidnapping Part Of Suspect¡¯s Grand ¡®Ocean¡¯s 11¡ä Scheme

July 13, 2015 5:53 PM

VALLEJO (CBS13) ¡ª It started as a kidnapping investigation, then police called it a hoax. Now the FBI is saying the kidnapping of Denise Huskins was a real event, and that a man has been arrested in connection with the case.

A 59-page criminal complaint was released on Monday with the news of Matthew Muller¡¯s arrest. It details him as a Harvard-educated former attorney who once taught at the prestigious school, but was disbarred earlier this year.

The 38-year-old is from Orangevale, and is a former Marine who suffers from Gulf War Syndrome and is bi-polar.

The FBI says Huskins¡¯ kidnapping was meant to be a trial run for much larger operations for a criminal group made up of highly educated men, targeting young couples in Vallejo, specifically on Mare Island.

The criminal complaint details the day Huskins and her boyfriend Aaron Quinn were allegedly drugged, and Huskins was kidnapped. Police were notified of Huskins¡¯ disappearance on March 23 by Quinn. The complaint says the couple was told ¡°They would not be harmed and that it was only financial.¡±

But Denise Huskins wasn¡¯t supposed to be the target. The affidavit says Muller¡¯s actual target was Quinn¡¯s former fiancee, but when the kidnappers realized their mistake, they decided to carry out the crime anyway.

The kidnappers allegedly demanded two payments of $8,500, a small amount as far as ransoms go. The report says the suspects didn¡¯t want to financially devastate the young couple, saying ¡°the amount was chump change, but it was the training we were after. We needed a live fire exercise before taking on a hard target, to learn how people react and iron out all of the wrinkles.¡±

Huskins was released, because the suspects were impressed by her strength in the face of adversity, the report states, quoting an email to the San Francisco Chronicle that reads:

¡°We feel feel deep remorse and horribly regret our slide into criminality. In particular, we are mortified of the impact it has had on victim F (Huskins). In what I suppose would be a case of reverse Stockholm syndrome, we were very impressed with the strength she showed and who she was as we passed the time talking to her.¡±

The suspects also expressed outrage at the Vallejo Police Department for calling the crime a hoax. Vallejo Police released few details the day after her disappearance, culminating with a March 24 press conference where spokesman Lt. Kenny Park answered most questions with some variation of ¡°I can¡¯t go into those specifics,¡± with visible frustration building with each answer.

On March 25, Huskins was found safe at her father¡¯s home in Huntington Beach, more than 400 miles from Vallejo. The Chronicle reportedly received an email from the kidnappers detailing where Hukins was released, and a voice recording of a woman believed to be Huskins.

Later that day, Park announced Vallejo Police were treating the incident as a hoax, with the threat of criminal charges looming for Huskins and Quinn. He said Huskins agreed to fly on a jet to Vallejo to answer questions, but they hadn¡¯t received contact from her in the hours since she was found.

Park called the incident ¡°a wild goose chase¡±, saying, ¡°Mr. Quinn and Ms. Huskins have plundered valuable resources away from our community, and have taken focus away from the true victims of our community while instilling fear amongst our community members,¡± he said. ¡°So if anything, it¡¯s Mr. Quinn and Ms. Huskins that owe this community an apology.¡±

EXCLUSIVE: Denise Huskins¡¯ Uncle Blasts Police Handling Of Alleged Kidnapping Hoax

On Monday, lawyers for Huskins and Quinn made their own demand for an apology, saying the Vallejo Police Department rushed to judgement. They went on to say because police didn¡¯t take their story seriously and search for kidnappers, the suspects were able to stay on the streets and commit another violent act on a different couple in Alameda County months later.

¡°Had the Vallejo PD fulfilled their obligation to protect public safety, not to re-victimize a victim, that they would have prevented the violence that occurred to this couple in Dublin,¡± said Huskins¡¯ attorney Douglas Rappaport.

The case the lawyers referred to was the one Muller was originally arrested for in June.

Police called that a invasion in Dublin where Muller allegedly entered the home and fought with the homeowner for about four minutes and ran away. He reportedly left his cell phone at scene, which allowed detectives to track him down to South Lake Tahoe, where he was arrested. Police also found Huskins¡¯ stolen vehicle that had evidence inside from the kidnapping and a GPS device that showed a trip to Huntington Beach.

The couple did not speak to reporters on Monday to preserve the integrity of the case, their lawyers said.

Asked about a possible lawsuit against Vallejo Police, the lawyers said it would be up to their clients and that would be handled by different attorneys.

This wasn¡¯t the first time that attorneys had spoken out vociferously about the Vallejo Police Department¡¯s handling of the case. On March 26, Quinn¡¯s attorney Dan Russo said his client had been drugged and submitted to tests to verify it. Later that day, Rapport held his own press conference, saying Huskins ¡°was a victim of a very serious assault.¡± He said the incident made her to come forward, but ¡°has fully cooperated with law enforcement with the hope of clearing her name.¡±

Huskins¡¯ uncle echoed in a March 26 text message what he told CBS13 in an exclusive interview the night before: ¡°I predict that by tomorrow the police will have changed their tune entirely and maybe even apologize if they have any professionalism whatsoever.¡±

The Vallejo Police Department declined to comment on Monday¡¯s developments, referring all questions to the FBI.

Monday¡¯s report describes the suspects refer to themselves as ¡°Ocean¡¯s 11-type gentlemen criminals.¡± They also claim they never used a gun, but instead a water pistol painted black with a laser attached.

Evidence gathered in the Muller arrest included goggles in his South Lake Tahoe home with blonde hair still attached. Huskins, who has blonde hair, says she was forced to wear goggles the entire time she was being held.

Emails in the affidavit detail the number of crimes the suspects¡¯ allegedly committed against people living on Mare Island. They had several exceptions for targets, including those with children, medium to large dogs, those who are over 55, a member of the military or a military veteran.

Anyone with information is urged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

 

[mzkitty]

FBI Makes Arrest in Vallejo Kidnapping Case Once Considered Possible 'Hoax'

A pair of swimming goggles found in the suspect’s Ford Mustang connected 38-year-old Matthew Muller, a former Marine, to the crime, according to the FBI.


Updated 51 minutes ago

The FBI on Monday announced it had arrested a California man — a former Marine and Harvard University graduate who suffers from bipolar disorder — in the kidnapping of a Vallejo woman that was once considered a possible hoax.

"Today is a fabulous day for Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn," said Huskins' attorney Doug Rappaport, standing next to his client and her boyfriend at a press conference Monday afternoon. "Nearly four months ago we told you she was innocent, that she was the victim of a violent crime ... Today there is vindication," he said, calling the alleged kidnapper a "psychopath."

More here:

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...-From-California-Police-Report-314649641.html

 

[Melodi]

That police department's insurance better start offering a really large settlement to the family now as it will save a long and protracted civil suit, possibly including libel charges...

 

[Roscoe's Daddy]

I'd stay tuned as there is a lot more to this story that's not being told. As I recall, the "victim's" family lawyer-ed up very early. Something else going on here, just not sure what right now.