When a man called 911 in 2015 to report his girlfriend had been kidnapped and he’d been drugged and tied up, police didn’t believe him. The story was too strange, too cinematic — bearing uncanny resemblance to the plot of the movie “Gone Girl.” But the real twist was how wrong law enforcement got it. This episode of the Policing Matters podcast revisits the harrowing true story of Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn, and how Lieutenant Misty Carausu of the Alameda County (California) Sheriff’s Office helped expose the truth buried beneath doubt, missteps and missed connections.

Lieutenant Carausu recounts how a routine assignment to assist with a home invasion investigation in Dublin, California, led her to a suspect whose belongings – from ski masks to zip ties – raised red flags. But it was a strand of blonde hair tucked inside a pair of blacked-out goggles that shifted the course of the case. That single piece of evidence, paired with Carausu’s determination, ultimately linked the suspect, Matthew Muller, to the high-profile kidnapping of Denise Huskins. PLUS, Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges joins the conversation to share how his outreach to the victims and renewed investigation helped uncover new crimes linked to the suspect.

This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.