Matthew Muller, the convicted kidnapper and rapist whose crimes were spotlighted in the Netflix documentary American Nightmare, has now admitted to a long-unsolved attack dating back to 1993.
Authorities announced this week that Muller pleaded guilty to kidnapping and sexually assaulting a young woman in a violent incident near Folsom Lake more than 30 years ago. At just 16 years old at the time, Muller targeted a couple camping in the Sierra foothills—holding them at gunpoint, tying up the man, and abducting and assaulting the woman. The case went cold for decades until recent advancements in forensic science helped link Muller to the crime.
This latest conviction is just the newest addition to Muller’s extensive record of violent sexual offenses. He is currently serving a 40-year federal sentence for the 2015 kidnapping of Denise Huskins in Vallejo, a case that initially drew national attention when police falsely accused Huskins and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, of staging the crime. That misjudged investigation and the traumatic fallout were detailed in American Nightmare.
Before the Vallejo case, Muller had already been sentenced to life in prison for two 2009 kidnappings in Santa Clara County. Now, with his guilty plea in the 1993 assault, he’s been handed an additional sentence of 11 years to life—set to be served consecutively with his other convictions, all but guaranteeing he will never be released.
Court records show that Muller used a mix of prescription sedatives and over-the-counter drugs to incapacitate victims, refining his methods over time. Despite outward appearances—including degrees from Harvard and a background as a Marine—he lived a secret double life driven by control, manipulation, and predatory violence.
Investigators say Muller confessed to the 1993 crime during renewed questioning, providing long-overdue answers in one of Sacramento County’s oldest unsolved assaults. The breakthrough came through the efforts of the district attorney’s Cold Case and Forensics team, which reopened the investigation with new evidence.
“This is a moment of long-awaited justice,” said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. “For the survivors of this attack, the wounds never truly healed. But now, at least, they know the truth is no longer hidden.”
Muller’s history continues to send shockwaves through the public, revealing not only the disturbing extent of his crimes, but also the institutional failures that delayed justice for so many of his victims.