American Nightmare viewers spot “unexplained” details about case

American Nightmare has arrived on Netflix, and while the documentary series provides a resolution to Denise Huskins’ kidnapping, there are still questions about a number of “unexplained” details in the case. 

We might only be at the start of 2024 but Netflix has already added numerous entries to its documentary library, with the likes of You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment and Bitconned going down well with viewers. 

This week, the streamer dropped its next big true crime saga: American Nightmare. The three-part series from the makers of The Tinder Swindler centers on the kidnapping of Denise Huskins. When she and her partner Aaron Quinn told police what happened, they refused to believe her, leading to their case being dubbed the “Gone Girl hoax.”

As stated in the synopsis, the docuseries “unravels the consequences of our cultural rush to judgment, and the damage done when law enforcement decides the truth can’t possibly be true.” With American Nightmare out now, some viewers have spotted a number of “unexplained” details about the case. 

American Nightmare viewers spot “unexplained” details about case

In American Nightmare, Quinn explains that after Huskins was kidnapped, the perpetrators ensured he wouldn’t contact the police by fitting a camera in his home, telling him that he wasn’t to move out of eyeshot or call 911 or they would hurt Huskins. But the camera, which was found by the police, never gets explained in full. 

Quinn says that he was given a series of instructions by the kidnappers, who demanded a ransom. He agreed to pay the ransom and messaged the perpetrators, but when he didn’t hear back, he decided to risk it and call the police. Other than these details, little is revealed about the camera, leaving some viewers with questions. 

“In the new series American Nightmare, Aaron talks about waking up in his living room with red tape around the couch and is told he cannot leave the taped-off area and that he is being watched on a camera in the corner of the living room,” wrote one Redditor. 

“They never discuss the details of the camera. Was it Aaron’s camera that he already had hanging there? Did the kidnapper hang it up? Did they try and pull the footage? Could they not see who was registered to the app that had that camera registered to? Could they not reach out to the manufacturer and pull the footage?”

However, others believe there’s a reasonable explanation: it was a dummy camera set up to intimidate Quinn. “I wondered about the camera,” replied another viewer. “Although looking at the kidnapper’s props it wouldn’t surprise me if it was just a dummy camera that he used to scare Aaron. Totally sus case. How did he know their names? The police should’ve investigated better but I can fully see why they thought it was a hoax.”

“I also assumed a dummy camera was set up to coerce him,” added a third, although they highlighted a number of other unexplained details. This includes the fact that the kidnapper told Huskins and Quinn that they’d made a mistake and their real target was Quinn’s ex-fiancée Andrea.

Additionally, Quinn and Huskins were convinced there were numerous perpetrators, and the key kidnapper – later revealed to be ex-militant and lawyer Matthew Muller – allegedly said he worked for part of a crime group. 

“I do think it’s weird he kept saying it was meant for Andrea… and they kept saying there were three men,” the Redditor continued. “I find it hard to believe they didn’t find any evidence on his phone. If she didn’t hear people speaking I wouldn’t believe there was more than one person. If these are all ex-military surely they can figure out who he used to be connected to?”

Andrea’s name has come up numerous times after the documentary series revealed that she had been dating David Sesma, the lead FBI agent on the Huskins case. Another point of contention is the CCTV footage showing the moment Huskins arrived at her family’s home after being dropped off by the kidnapper – notably, she was holding a bag, although it’s never revealed what was inside.  

The OP added: “What was in the duffle bag that Denise was carrying when she was dropped off in Huntington Beach? In the camera footage, she is carrying a huge green duffle bag. Did the kidnapper give her that bag to take with her when he dropped her off? Did he let her pack a bag before he kidnapped her from her house? Did I somehow miss these two holes be explained?”

As is explored in American Nightmare, Huskins and Quinn were treated as suspects by the authorities until Dublin police officers stepped in with overwhelming evidence to suggest Muller – who is now in prison – was behind it. But taking these unexplained details into account, viewers are suspicious of the original investigators. 

One Redditor posted: “I wondered all the same above. So many questions, more so about the investigators. The statistical probabilities that the FBI agent assigned dated the ‘Intended Target’? And then not removed from the case? How has Andrea not been fully investigated/questioned ad nauseam herself? Two previous law enforcement boyfriends? Three perpetrators mentioned? Ex-military and law degree background. 

“Sounds like investigators did not want to chase a spider web of details that are lacking on too many levels. What’s in the duffle bag? Why were they not working off of Aaron’s phone more? If Aaron said he was scared of being watched on the camera, why not trace all the camera details (install, purchase, footage, streaming/IPs)?? I need a Part 4, 5, and 6 of this documentary please.”

Whether there will be a follow-up to American Nightmare is yet to be seen, but for now, the series is available for streaming where you can form your own opinion on the case – and you can read more about Andrea and David Sesma here.