Matthew Muller, the man convicted of the 2015 kidnapping that gained national attention for being falsely labeled as a hoax, is now facing charges for two violent home invasions dating back to 2009. Prosecutors allege Muller sexually assaulted two women in separate attacks that carry the possibility of a life sentence.
Details of the 2009 Home Invasions
Authorities say Muller, 47, broke into a home in Mountain View, California, in September 2009. He allegedly tied up a woman in her 30s, made her drink medication, and threatened to rape her. The woman convinced him to stop, and Muller left, advising her to get a dog.
The following month, Muller reportedly broke into another home in Palo Alto, California. Prosecutors say he gagged and bound a woman, forced her to drink Nyquil, and began assaulting her. She too managed to persuade him to stop.
Muller now faces two felony counts of committing sexual assault during a home invasion.
DNA Evidence Links Muller to New Charges
The new charges come after testing evidence tied to a “new lead,” according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. Muller’s DNA was reportedly found on straps used to bind one of the victims.
“The details of this person’s violent crime spree seem scripted for Hollywood, but they are tragically real,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “Our goal is to make sure this defendant is held accountable and will never hurt or terrorize anyone ever again.”
Ties to the 2015 “Gone Girl” Kidnapping
Muller, a disbarred Harvard-educated attorney, is currently serving a 40-year federal prison sentence for the 2015 kidnapping of Denise Huskins in Vallejo, California. In that case, Muller broke into Huskins’ boyfriend’s home, drugged and restrained both victims, and demanded an $8,500 ransom.
Huskins was released two days later, but Vallejo police initially accused her and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, of staging the kidnapping, likening it to the plot of the movie Gone Girl.
It wasn’t until Muller was arrested for a similar home invasion that investigators linked him to Huskins’ kidnapping. He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to an additional 31 years in state prison for raping Huskins during the abduction.
Prosecutors Vow to Ensure Justice
Muller’s attorney, public defender Agustin Arias, has declined to comment on the new charges. Meanwhile, prosecutors say they are determined to bring closure to his earlier victims.
“Our hope is that this nightmare is over,” Rosen said.
Muller’s alleged crime spree, which spans over a decade, has left a trail of trauma for his victims and sparked widespread criticism over law enforcement’s handling of the Huskins case. The latest charges may finally bring justice for his earlier crimes.
