Inside the 'Gone Girl' Kidnapping: Zip-Ties, Nyquil and More Details From the California Break-In
— -- An alleged victim in the mysterious California "Gone Girl" kidnapping case says one of the suspects claimed to be wearing a "wet suit" while he allegedly terrorized his victims by threatening to drug them, cut them and shock them, according to an FBI arrest warrant released Monday.
The lengthy warrant details the hours-long ordeal that took place in the early hours of March 23 in Vallejo, California, where a couple was sleeping.
The victims are not named in the documents, identified instead as Victim M and Victim F, but they have identified themselves publicly as Aaron Quinn and Denise Huskins. Police have identified the suspect as Matthew Muller, a Harvard-educated lawyer who has since been arrested and is in police custody.
The couple told police multiple suspects were involved in the alleged kidnapping and abduction, though they have not been named. Neither of them got a look at any of the alleged suspects' faces, police say. Because of claims of multiple suspects, it was unclear what role Muller allegedly played in the crime.
The victims did not say which suspect was ordering them around throughout the ordeal, and the warrant describes how one of the suspects awoke the couple when they say they heard a noise similar to a "stun gun."
The boyfriend says the suspect demanded that both of the victims lie face down and then forced the woman to bind the man with zip ties, according to the arrest warrant.
The male victim says he was forced into the closet with swim goggles that had been taped up over his eyes and headphones over his ears, the warrant said.
Recorded instructions played, telling him he would be drugged with about "1/4 of a bottle of Diazepam and Nyquil," and if he "did not comply with any instructions the other [victim] would be hurt, first by electric shock, then by cutting their face," the warrant said.
The recording said the suspect was a member of "a professional group there to collect financial debts," according to the warrant. The man was told he'd need to give $15,000 for his girlfriend's safe return, according to the warrant.
The suspect then got financial account numbers and passwords from the male victim, as well as the Wi-Fi router and some Internet accounts, the FBI said in the warrant.
After that, the male victim was placed on a couch and told not to move because he was being watched on camera.
When he complained about being cold, the suspect told him that he couldn't feel the temperature because he was wearing a "wet suit," the FBI said.
'Victim M' then fell asleep and when he awoke later that day, he freed himself, the FBI said.
He noticed that the woman, his laptop and car were missing.
Upon looking at his cell phone, the boyfriend noticed an email with demands for two payments of $8,500, and was instructed that "if asked about the withdrawals, he was to explain that the money was to purchase a ski boat," according to the warrant.
The female victim was released two days later in Huntington Beach, California, not far from a relative's home.
On March 25, police in Vallejo said that they found "no evidence to support the claims" that Huskins was abducted, but another crime several months later led authorities to arrest suspect Muller in connection with the Huskins case. Because of their claims of multiple suspects, it was unclear what role Muller allegedly played in the crime.
On June 5, deputies in Alameda County, California, responded to a home invasion, the warrant said, where another couple was targeted.
In this second alleged crime, when the suspect leaned in to zip-tie the man, the victim fought back, the warrant said. The suspect fled and the victims called 911, according to the warrant. A phone was left behind that connected Muller to the crime, according to the warrant.
After Muller was arrested in connection with the Alameda County break-in, investigators said there were similarities with the Huskins case.
Muller, of Orangevale, California, is being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, California, according to Dublin Police.
His lawyer, Thomas Johnson, denied the kidnapping claim and said he and Muller are looking forward to defending themselves. He also said that he and his client were not made aware of what the FBI was investigating.
Johnson said that Muller suffers from bi-polar disorder and has a history of mental illness.
