The Netflix documentary “American Nightmare” sheds light on the 2015 mysterious disappearance of Denise Huskins in Vallejo, California, and the flawed investigation led by Detective Mat Mustard from the local police department. Mustard’s actions, as portrayed in the documentary, have raised concerns about his competence and conduct during the case.
In the documentary, Aaron Quinn, Huskins’ boyfriend, provided Mustard with an unusual story about the night of her disappearance. Despite the complex and seemingly unbelievable nature of Quinn’s account, Mustard, along with other law enforcement officers, failed to consider the possibility that he might be telling the truth. Mustard accused Quinn of murder and subjected him to a lie detector test. Meanwhile, when Huskins reappeared two days later, Mustard was criticized for making sexist assumptions about women who have experienced sexual trauma.
Despite the controversy surrounding his handling of the case, Mustard faced no disciplinary action and was even named Officer of the Year in 2015. He served as the president of the Vallejo Police Officers Association from 2009 to 2019. In 2018, Mustard was accused of lowering promotion standards to secure his promotion to sergeant after reportedly failing the written exam.
In 2019, Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn settled their lawsuit against the Vallejo police related to the 2015 investigation for $2.5 million. Mustard reportedly continues to serve as a detective sergeant for the Vallejo police department.
The release of “American Nightmare” led to viewers expressing their dissatisfaction on the Vallejo Police Department’s Yelp page, with several complaints targeting Detective Mat Mustard for his actions during the investigation. The documentary has brought attention to the alleged misconduct and incompetence related to the case, prompting criticism and calls for accountability.
“American Nightmare” is available for streaming on Netflix.
