48 Hours Post Mortem | Denise and Aaron Quinn Get the Last Word
Mar 31, 2026
Tracy Smith, CBS News correspondent who investigated the Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn case. She walks through the intruder Matthew Muller’s background and confessions. She recounts meeting Muller's first alleged victim and describes investigative failures, long interrogations, and the couple’s push to change policing. Short, intense scenes and surprising developments drive the conversation.
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Denise And Aaron's Kidnapping And Initial Disbelief
- Denise Huskins was kidnapped in March 2015, held two days, raped, and released near her childhood home.
- She and Aaron Quinn reported the attack but initially felt police and media treated their story as a hoax, deepening their trauma.
Respectable Background Masked Escalating Criminality
- Mueller presented as a Harvard-educated former Marine and lawyer, which complicated perceptions and allowed authorities and media to misjudge the threat.
- That outward profile contributed to initial disbelief despite his escalating criminal behavior.
Investigation Missteps Deepened Harm And Lost Evidence
- Vallejo police mishandling compounded harm: they delayed a sexual assault exam and put Aaron's phone on airplane mode, missing calls from the attacker.
- These procedural errors likely obstructed evidence collection and reinforced public skepticism.