The creators of Netflix’s latest hit series American Nightmare have disclosed how Detective Mat Mustard reacted to the show’s release.
The series, which premiered last week, delves into the harrowing case of 29-year-old Denise Huskins, who was abducted in 2015. Her ordeal became widely known as the “real-life Gone Girl” after police dismissed her and her boyfriend Aaron Quinn’s account of the crime, suspecting it was an elaborate hoax. The authorities made this assumption due to the striking similarities between their story and Gillian Flynn’s novel, in which a woman fakes her own kidnapping.
Despite clear evidence of Denise’s traumatic experience, law enforcement accused both her and Aaron of fabricating the event and wasting police resources. Detective Mat Mustard specifically targeted Aaron, treating him as a suspect rather than a victim. However, the truth emerged when Matthew Muller was eventually caught and convicted for kidnapping and assaulting Denise. The Dublin Police Department played a key role in proving that the couple had been telling the truth all along.
Speaking about the police’s response to the series, director Bernadette Higgins revealed that both the Vallejo Police Department and the FBI were approached for interviews during production. However, their request was denied.
“We reached out to the Vallejo PD and the FBI, informing them that we were working on the series and inviting them to participate in interviews,” Bernadette explained. “But we received a standard formal response declining the opportunity to be involved.”
She expressed her disappointment at their refusal, calling it a missed chance for accountability. “It’s a real shame because this could have been an opportunity for them to show humility,” she continued. “They could have acknowledged the mistakes that were made and demonstrated how they’ve changed their approach to handling crime victims since then.”
Bernadette further suggested that by speaking publicly, the authorities could have reassured the public that lessons had been learned. “They could have explained why they jumped to those conclusions, helping us understand their reasoning. It would have been beneficial to everyone. But that hasn’t happened.”
Fortunately for the documentary, archival footage from the investigation provided an unfiltered look into the events that unfolded in the interrogation rooms. “We didn’t need them to give interviews to understand what happened,” Bernadette noted. “It’s all very clear just from watching the tapes.” However, she admitted it would have been encouraging to see some acknowledgement from the authorities. “It would have been helpful for them and for us to know that something had been learned from this. We have to hope that’s the case, but we haven’t heard anything.”
Felicity Morris, another key figure behind the documentary, found the police’s treatment of both Aaron and Denise deeply disturbing. “Watching those tapes was shocking,” she said. “With Aaron, it was obvious—they were solely focused on getting a confession. They weren’t really listening to his account, even though he repeated it multiple times. They weren’t thoroughly investigating the facts. It just became about forcing a confession out of him.”
She revealed that Aaron nearly broke under the relentless pressure. “He started doubting his own reality,” she said. “And then, seeing that the same tactics were used on Denise—it was incredibly difficult to watch.”
The footage revealed that during Denise’s interrogation, Detective Mat Mustard took barely any notes, seemingly uninterested in what she had to say. “It was clear they had already made up their minds,” Felicity concluded. “They weren’t searching for the truth; they were looking for someone to blame.”
The Netflix series has reignited discussions about police handling of victims and wrongful accusations, leaving many viewers questioning whether any real changes have been made in the years since Denise and Aaron’s ordeal.
