Was Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn lying? American Nightmare victims' details explored 

Netflix's American Nightmare, a crime documentary, has caused quite a stir since its release on January 17, 2024. The show documents the lives of Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn following Huskin's abduction from Quinn's (her then-boyfriend) home in California.

The audience's reaction to the mini-series does not come as much of a surprise, as it is quite similar to the reaction to the actual incident. As the show's name, American Nightmare, suggests, it was one of the worst "nightmares" coming true for those involved. Amid all the hullabaloo surrounding the event, what was even worse was the authorities and media's disbelief regarding the entire incident.

During the unfolding of the actual event, when Quinn contacted the police regarding Huskins' abduction, the blame was initially placed on the couple for orchestrating the entire incident. Authorities refused to believe their account, instead accusing them of making up the story for their personal gains. The turning point came when one of the miscreants confessed to carrying out the abduction, only then did the authorities and the media begin to believe in the couple's story.

Disclaimer: The following article includes spoilers for American Nightmare. The article also mentions r*pe and abduction, which may be triggering for a few.

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What is the story of American Nightmare?

American Nightmare, a three-episode mini-series released by Netflix, narrates the story of Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn and a tragedy that unfolded on one particular night. The show consists of first-hand accounts of those involved, live footage of the actual events, and re-enactments of specific events.

In an exclusive with ABC News back in 2021, Huskins and Quinn recounted the night of the tragedy. Huskins said:

“I remember being asleep and hearing a voice and thinking it was a dream. … But the voice kept talking and I just remember my eyes shot open and I could see the walls illuminated with a white light that was flashing and I could see a couple of red laser dots crossing the wall, and I could hear, ‘Wake up, this is a robbery. We’re not here to hurt you.”

After this initial encounter, the protagonists of American Nightmare recall being held back and threatened with grave consequences on account of retaliation. The night of horror ended with the kidnapping of Denise Huskins from Quinn's home, and the assailants threatened to kill Huskins if Quinn reported the incident to the police.

Huskins was then taken away in Quinn's car by the kidnappers, where she was held for 48 hours before being released. During her stay, she was r*ped on multiple accounts, some of which were even filmed. Moreover, Huskins faced threats of releasing videos if she chose to contact the police.

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How did the police react when Aaron Quinn reported the incident?

American Nightmare tells the story of Aaron Quinn and Denise Huskins following an unfortunate incident (Image via Instagram)

Despite receiving strict advice against contacting the police, Aaron Quinn went ahead and contacted them. However, instead of investigating the case and trying to find the kidnappers, the police started suspecting Quinn. Recounting the incident in the interview with ABC News, Quinn says:

“He starts asking if I’d been partying. I tell him no. He points to some beer bottles that were neatly placed in the box next to the garbage, and I said, ‘I put them there to take them out for recycling all at once.’”

He was subsequently taken into custody, where he was interrogated for hours. Even after insisting that he had no part in the abduction, he was constantly put to the test. After the interrogations, Quinn remembers Detective Mathew Mustard saying to him:

“I don’t think you’re being truthful, and I don’t think anybody came into your house.”

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Authorities' react after Denise Huskins' release

On March 25, 2015, Huskins was released by her captors. Later on, she was able to get in touch with the Huntington Beach police, who yet again refused to believe the story. At that time, authorities and the media were under the impression that Quinn and Huskins were involved in an incident similar to the movie Gone Girl.

On the day Huskins was released by the kidnappers, Lt. Kenny Park, a spokesperson from Vallejo police, organized a press conference and said:

“Mr. Quinn and Ms. Huskins have plundered valuable resources away from our community and taken the focus away from the true victims of our community while instilling fear among our community members. So, if anything, it is Mr. Quinn and Ms. Huskins that owe this community an apology."

The authorities also rejected Huskins' allegations of r*pe and subjected her to all sorts of mistreatment.

It was only when Matthew Muller, a man with a history of crime, came forward and admitted to the kidnapping that the blame was redirected. Mueller pleaded guilty to his crimes and is now serving time in jail.

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All three episodes of American Nightmare can now be streamed on Netflix.