The Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office announced Matthew Muller has been sentenced in a Contra Costa County case that occurred in San Ramon.
On Thursday, Matthew Daniel Muller, the “American Nightmare” kidnapper, appeared in a Martinez courtroom to change his plea to no contest in a 2015 kidnapping for ransom case in the San Ramon area—a case that went unreported for nearly a decade. The crime only came to light through Muller’s 2024 confession while he was serving a 40-year prison sentence for the kidnapping and rape of Denise Huskins, a case that drew widespread media attention and became the focus of the 2024 Netflix true crime series “American Nightmare.”
In spring 2015, Muller unlawfully held two John Does and one Jane Doe for ransom, demanding that one of the captives withdraw over $30,000 from their bank account to secure the release of the others. After obtaining the money, Muller fled the residence. Fearing retribution, the victims never reported the crime and have chosen to remain anonymous to this day. The District Attorney’s Office will continue to shield their identity to prevent retraumatization.
In court today, Judge David Goldstein sentenced Muller to seven years to life under a negotiated disposition. The sentence adds additional time to Muller’s existing 40-year federal sentence, as well as sentences for offenses committed in Santa Clara and Sacramento counties. Muller, now 48 years old, will not be eligible to petition a parole board until he is in his late 80s or early 90s.
District Attorney Diana Becton said, “The seriousness of Muller’s offenses was indeed nightmarish for the victims. The investigative work by law enforcement and our coordinated efforts with the El Dorado County District Attorney, Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office show that being resolute in the pursuit of justice can bring a measure of closure for the victims and reinforce our commitment to public safety.”
Case No. 01-25-00037 | The People of the State of California v. Matthew David Muller
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Jan 6, 2025 – Contra Costa DA Files Additional Charges Against Infamous Convicted Kidnapper
The new charges filed today by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office stem from a previously unreported 2015 kidnapping for ransom at a residence in an unincorporated area of San Ramon. The crime came to light over the course of 2024 through correspondence between law enforcement and Muller, during which he confessed to multiple crimes in Northern California, including the 2015 incident in Contra Costa County.
After learning of Muller’s confession, detectives from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation, despite the lack of a reported crime in 2015. The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office joined the investigation on December 13th, 2024, which included a meeting with Muller.
In the spring of 2015, Muller unlawfully held two John Does and one Jane Doe for ransom, demanding that one of the captives withdraw tens of thousands of dollars from their bank account to secure the release of the others. After obtaining the money, Muller fled the residence. Fearing retribution, the victims never reported the crime. To this day, they have chosen to remain anonymous.