California

Alleged Vallejo Kidnapping Victims Demand Apology From Officials Who Dismissed Reports As ‘Hoax'

Matthew Muller’s alleged victims are demanding an apology from police, who deemed the kidnapping a "hoax," but what Vallejo city officials said Tuesday is unlikely to calm any of the criticism.

The city’s police department and other officials are refusing to backpedal or apologize to Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn for dismissing initial reports of her alleged abduction in March.

"We can't comment beyond the fact that this is an investigation the FBI is conducting and we're working with them," Vallejo City Manager Dan Keen said. 

That, despite the FBI now announcing they've arrested Muller. Federal prosecutors charged the 38-year-old suspect with the kidnapping of Huskins after authorities determined his arrest in the robbery in Dublin had similarities to the abduction, the FBI said in an affidavit unsealed Monday.

Since then, a search warrant has also led investigators to a storage unit in Vallejo — registered to Muller — in which they uncovered drones, a wireless video camera and duct tape among other belongings.

Meanwhile, Vallejo officials continue to get flak for past statements and the way they handled the case. And now, the couple's attorneys and friends are demanding an apology as well.

“Just to call it a hoax I felt was never appropriate,” said neighbor Dana Vandeweg.

Matthew Muller’s alleged victims are demanding an apology from police, who deemed the kidnapping a “hoax,” but what Vallejo city officials said Tuesday is unlikely to calm any of the criticism. Jodi Hernandez and Chuck Coppola report.

Muller, of Orangevale, is also accused of trying to rob two people while they slept in June and assaulting one of them. He also is suspected of committing two home invasions in 2009 — one in Mountain View and the other in Palo Alto, authorities said.

At first glance, however, Muller had a resume built for success — a U.S. Marine veteran, Harvard Law School graduate and member of the California bar.

His bright future began to unravel over the past several years, when he was fired from his job as an immigration attorney, filed for bankruptcy and lost his law license over allegations that he took a $1,250 advance from a client then failed to file a green card application.

“This is just a shock," said Bruce Day of San Mateo, whose daughter Erin is married to Muller's stepbrother.

Day recalled meeting Muller once about four years ago at his daughter's house for Christmas and said he was engaging and “seemed like a very nice young man."

Meanwhile, Muller's attorney, Thomas Johnson, has said his client suffers from bipolar disorder and will plead not guilty to the kidnapping charge. He has already entered that plea to the attempted robbery and assault charges, according to Johnson.

The Vallejo Police Department called the alleged, bizarre kidnapping a hoax. They’ve softened their stance a bit, but not enough to avoid even more criticism. Jodi Hernandez reports.

Quinn reported that kidnappers broke into the couple's home on March 23, abducted Huskins and demanded $8,500. His lawyers have said that he awoke to a bright light in his face, and that two kidnappers bound and drugged him.

The FBI affidavit said Huskins turned up safe two days later in her hometown of Huntington Beach, where she says she was dropped off. She showed up hours before a ransom was due.

Huskins and Quinn appeared at a news conference Monday but didn't talk to the media as their attorneys urged authorities to set the record straight and apologize to the couple.

Muller was linked to the kidnapping after his arrest in the June robbery and the discovery of evidence, including a water pistol equipped with a flashlight and laser pointer, authorities said.

The kidnapping and attempted robbery showed similarities to a 2009 home invasion in Palo Alto, police Lt. Zach Perron said. Investigators had considered Muller a suspect but did not have enough evidence to recommend charges.

Palo Alto detectives plan to go through evidence collected during Muller's arrest in June for any potential links to the home invasion.

“Crimes like these are exceptionally rare in any city but especially in a small city," Perron said. “It was a very troubling case for us from the get go."

Mountain View police spokeswoman Shino Tanaka also told NBC Bay Area that the department was able to collect evidence after the 2009 incident — just not enough to identify or arrest a suspect.

The FBI has said Muller may be responsible for additional crimes, but spokeswoman Gina Swankie, citing an ongoing investigation, declined to elaborate.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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