Prosecutors announce terrifying twist in ‘Gone Girl’ kidnapping case

Prosecutors announced new charges against a man who kidnapped and sexually assaulted a Northern California woman, which was originally thought to be a hoax, and has become known as the “Gone Girl” kidnapping.

Matthew Muller, 47, the man who abducted Denise Huskins in Vallejo in 2015, is now being charged in two home invasion cases from 15 years ago.

Muller broke into women’s homes in Palo Alto and Mountain View in 2009, with the intent to rape them, according to the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office.

Thanks to a new lead and advances in forensic DNA testing, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, along with Palo Alto and Mountain View Police, were able to ID Muller in the cases. 

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Muller’s DNA was found on straps he used to bind one of the victims in one of the 2009 cases, the DA’s office said. 

Muller now faces two felony counts of committing sexual assault during a home invasion for the 2009 crimes. If convicted, he faces life in prison, officials said. 

“The details of this person’s violent crime spree seem scripted for Hollywood, but they are tragically real,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “Our goal is to make sure this defendant is held accountable and will never hurt or terrorize anyone ever again. Our hope is that this nightmare is over.”

In the early hours of Sept. 29, 2009, officials said Muller broke into a woman’s Mountain View home, attacked her, tied her up, made her drink a concoction of medications, and said he was going to rape her. After the victim, who officials said was in her 30s, persuaded him against it, he suggested the victim get a dog, then fled.

Less than a month later, on Oct. 18, officials said Muller broke into a Palo Alto home, where he performed the same routine and bound and gagged a woman in her 30s. He then made her drink Nyquil and began to assault her, before being persuaded to stop. Muller gave the victim crime prevention advice, then fled.

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Both cases were investigated at the time and went unsolved.

Muller gained national attention six years later as the subject of “American Nightmare,” a Netflix documentary series that chronicles his 2015 “Gone Girl Hoax” kidnapping of Denise Huskins from Vallejo and her harrowing 48 hours in captivity. 

On March 23, 2015, Muller broke into a Vallejo home, where he drugged, and tied up Huskins and her boyfriend. He kidnapped Huskins, brought her to a cabin in South Lake Tahoe, and sexually assaulted her. Two days later, Muller drove his victim to Southern California and released her. 

The Vallejo Police initially believed the invasion and kidnapping were a hoax orchestrated by her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, a twist that the media deemed a “real-life ‘Gone Girl’,” referring to the hit Ben Affleck thriller and novel “Gone Girl,” in which a small-town wife stages her own murder to get back at her cheating husband. 

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Although they said in a press conference that they were treating the case as a kidnapping, KRON4 reported, the Vallejo Police Department suspected Quinn of murdering his girlfriend and fabricating his account. He endured 18 hours of questioning, according to the docuseries. 

The couple sued the Vallejo Police Department for $2.5 million, but not before enduring months of public scrutiny.

Huskins and Quinn told filmmakers Misty Carausu, a rookie detective who solved the case, was their hero. On June 5, 2015, a couple woke in the middle of the night to a near-identical home invasion. 

After reaching out to police departments in the Bay Area, NBC Bay Area reported, Carausu learned that Muller had been a suspect in a 2009 Palo Alto home invasion. Also at the scene were a pair of swimming goggles blacked out with duct tape that had a blonde hair attached. 

While the wife hid in a bathroom and called police, her husband managed to fight off the attacker. But he left crucial evidence behind: zip-ties, duct tape, a glove and a cellphone. 

Carausu traced the phone to the stepfather of a man named Matthew Muller, a Harvard-educated immigration attorney and Marine veteran. 

At that point, Carausu contacted the FBI, and Muller was arrested for the Dublin, California, home invasion on June 8.

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Evidence in his home, including Quinn’s laptop, finally linked him to Huskins’ kidnapping. Muller’s confession matched Quinn and Huskins’ stories perfectly, down to the audio recordings, blacked-out goggles and liquid sedatives. 

Muller pleaded guilty to one count of federal kidnapping in September 2016 and was sentenced to 40 years behind bars. Muller also faced state charges for burglary, robbery, kidnapping and two counts of rape by force.

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But he was deemed incompetent to stand trial for those charges in November 2020, according to the documentary. Muller allegedly suffered from “Gulf War illness” after his military service, and his attorney claimed he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, NBC News reported. 

Muller was then sentenced in 2022 to 31 years in state prison after pleading no contest to two counts of forcible rape of Huskins.

He is currently incarcerated in federal prison in Tucson, Arizona. 

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Huskins and Quinn previously told People magazine they have no idea why Muller targeted them.

“Like many victims, or many people who have gone through tragedy, you don’t get all the answers,” Quinn told the magazine. “And that can be a sticking point to recovery. So, for us, we don’t rely on finding those answers, but what we have to do is move forward in the unknown and focus on things that matter the most to us, like our family, our kids, our work. Those are sustainable things. And having the answers of why they targeted us doesn’t change what we do as far as moving forward.”

The pair married in 2018, released a book on their ordeal in 2021 and welcomed daughters in 2020 and 2022.

Several injured as balloon drop at New Year’s Eve party goes horribly wrong

A New Year’s Eve celebration was cut short for families after a Lego display holding balloons for a drop collapsed into a crowded Massachusetts arcade.

The Peabody Police Department confirmed in a post on Facebook that multiple people were injured when a plastic Lego display fell from a mezzanine level at the In the Game arcade in Peabody.

According to the arcade’s Facebook page, they were hosting a “Noon Year’s Eve celebration” on Tuesday afternoon. 

Peabody Fire Chief John Dowling told Fox News Digital that they received a call about a partial ceiling collapse at the arcade just after noon.

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After arriving at the scene, Dowling said crews discovered it was not a ceiling collapse but rather a display of Legos, which was 12 feet tall, collapsed onto a group of people during a failed New Year’s Eve balloon drop.

Dowling said the balloons were supposed to be released from the display during the party and that it appeared a person pulled too hard on the display, causing it to fall over. 

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Dowling said 10 individuals sustained minor injuries. Eight were transported to the hospital for treatment, while two refused medical transport.

Of those eight who sought treatment, Dowling said three were adults and five children, sustaining mostly cuts and scrapes.

Lawren Turco, who was in attendance at the event with her family, told WBZ-TV that it was “pure chaos.” 

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“We watched the entire balloon drop and had no idea anything happened until we were going to leave promptly following the balloon drop,”Turco described to WBZ-TV.

“Large LEGO pieces were everywhere, kids were crying, there were tons of people all in the office, some with ice packs over their heads and people allowing their children to steal the Lego pieces like souvenirs. It was pure chaos. I had no idea of the true events until after the incident,” Turco continued. 

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The arcade was closed as a precaution for a brief period after the incident but reopened a short time later.

A spokesperson for the arcade told Fox News Digital that they are working with the authorities as the situation is being assessed.

Jimmy Carter fondly remembered for travel ritual ‘every time’ he boarded plane

Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died at age 100 on Sunday.

Many Americans are paying tribute to the farmer and former one-term governor of Georgia, highlighting his integrity and devotion to humanity. 

During his presidential bid, Carter could be seen flying in “Peanut One” while campaigning — a nod to his humble days as a peanut farmer.

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Delta Air Lines posted a tribute to the late president along with a video on X.

“Every time Jimmy Carter flew Delta, he shook hands with each person on the plane. Because that’s who he was. Someone who treated people as people,” the post read.

Video shot by a Delta passenger shows President Carter greeting fellow flyers, shaking hands with everyone on the plane. 

“Today we celebrate his life – a great friend, family man, Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader who showed us all how to properly treat those around us,” Delta’s post added.

Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to find peaceful solutions when dealing with international conflicts, brokering peace between Israel and Egypt and humanitarian work.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian posted a tribute to President Carter on LinkedIn, highlighting Carter’s “life in service to others.”

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“While the world will long remember his many contributions to democracy, I will also remember the countless days he spent at Habitat for Humanity International builds around the world, and the time he took to shake the hands of every single Delta customer and employee when he flew with us,” said Bastian’s post.

He added, “There is much we can learn from his kindness, compassion and humility. He and [his wife] Rosalynn meant a great deal to all of us at Delta Air Lines and will be sorely missed.”

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“Their legacy lives on through the incredible work of The Carter Center and in the hearts of all those they’ve impacted,” wrote Bastian. 

Israel takes out Hamas commander who led heinous Oct. 7 attack on kibbutz

A top Hamas commander responsible for the heinous Oct. 7 attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz has been killed by a targeted drone strike, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) announced.

Abd al-Hadi Sabah, who led the infiltration into Kibbutz Nir Oz, which ravaged the community near the Gaza border on Oct. 7, was killed on Tuesday local time in the Western Khan Yunis Battalion.

The IDF said in a release on social media Tuesday that they conducted the intelligence-based strike alongside the Israeli Security Agency (ISA). 

The agencies said that Sabah was hiding in a shelter in the designated humanitarian area in Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza.

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The agencies noted that Sabah was one of the leaders of the infiltration into Kibbutz Nir Oz during Oct. 7 and had been a leader in “numerous terrorist attacks against IDF troops.”

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“The IDF and ISA will continue to operate against all of the terrorists who took part in the murderous October 7th Massacre,” the agencies said.

The IDF said that they took “numerous steps” to mitigate harm to civilians by using “precise munitions, intelligence, and aerial surveillance.”

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Sabah’s leadership on the destruction of Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel left nearly half of the 400 residents murdered or taken captive during the Oct. 7 attack.

Bruce Willis’ wife shares emotional message as actor battles devastating diagnosis

Bruce Willis’ wife Emma Heming Willis opened up about her “unconditional love” for the actor as he battles frontotemporal dementia. 

On , the 46-year-old model shared an emotional post on Instagram to mark the couple’s 17th anniversary.  The post featured a throwback photo of Willis, 61, and Emma beaming and holding each other as they posed while standing in the ocean as the sun set behind them. The image that she shared was taken at Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos Islands, where the pair tied the knot in 2009.

“17 years of us,” Emma began her caption, adding a red heart emoji. “Anniversaries used to bring excitement — now, if I’m honest, they stir up all the feelings, leaving a heaviness in my heart and a pit in my stomach.” 

She continued, “I give myself 30 minutes to sit in the ‘why him, why us,’ to feel the anger and grief. Then I shake it off and return to what is. And what is… is unconditional love. I feel blessed to know it, and it’s because of him. I’d do it all over again and again in a heartbeat.”

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In March 2022, Willis stepped away from Hollywood after being diagnosed with aphasia. His family announced in February 2023 that the actor’s aphasia had progressed to frontotemporal dementia. 

The “Die Hard” star and Emma first met in 2007 and went public with their romance in January 2008 when the “Perfect Stranger” actress accompanied Willis to the premiere of his movie “What Just Happened?” at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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In a December 2022 Instagram post, Emma shared a throwback video in which she and Willis were seen having fun in the snow during a winter vacation. 

“It was that winter, 15 years ago I fell head [over] heels in love with him #loveofmylife,” Emma wrote in the caption.

In a December 2020 interview with People magazine, the pair reminisced about their first meeting.

 “I’d do it all over again and again in a heartbeat.”

— Emma Heming Willis

“When we first met, I was surprised at how charming and how funny he was – and extremely handsome,” the former Victoria’s Secret angel said. “That was my first thought of you.”

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“I was already in love with her,” “The Sixth Sense” actor said.

They tied the knot on March 21, 2009 at their home in Turks and Caicos and married again six days later in Beverly Hills. The couple welcomed daughter Mabel in 2012 and daughter Evelyn in 2014.  

On Dec. 22, Emma shared a glimpse into Willis’ life as a family man ahead of the holidays.

In a series of Instagram stories, Emma posted family photos of Willis spending time with Mabel and Evelyn.

Among the images was a black and white picture of Heming and Willis with their daughters, which she captioned, “Them. Always.”  In the photo, the couple are smiling as they lovingly look each other in the eyes, with Mabel and Evelyn sitting on their laps.

In addition to his two children with Heming, Willis also shares three adult daughters, Rumer, 36, Scout, 33, and Tallulah, 30, with his ex-wife, Demi Moore. The former couple finalized their divorce in 2000. They have remained close friends and co-parents.

The blended family has celebrated holidays and vacationed together. Moore, Emma and their daughters with Willis have also put on a united front regarding Willis’ dementia battle.

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In an interview with Town & Country in October, Heming shared that the early symptoms of his dementia were dismissed since he struggled with stuttering as a child.

“He had a severe stutter as a child,” she explained. “Bruce has always had a stutter, but he has been good at covering it up. As his language started changing, it [seemed like it] was just a part of a stutter, it was just Bruce.”

According to the National Institute on Aging, frontotemporal dementia occurs as a “result of damage to neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain,” and the symptoms include “unusual behaviors, emotional problems, trouble communicating, difficulty with work, or difficulty with walking.” 

At the 2024 Hamptons International Film Festival, Moore addressed her ex-husband’s health struggles.

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“You know, I’ve said this before. The disease is what the disease is,” “The Substance” star told the crowd while accepting the career achievement in acting award, according to People magazine. “And I think you have to be in real deep acceptance of what that is. But for where he’s at, he is stable.”

She also shared insight into how she and the rest of the family have learned to work with his diagnosis in their interactions with him, explaining you have “to just meet them where they’re at,” because “when you’re holding on to what was, I think it’s a losing game.”

College football star’s former teammate posts cryptic message as $6M rumor swirls

Quinn Ewers reportedly has a $6 million NIL offer to move away from Texas, but one former Longhorn seems to believe that would be a massive mistake.

On3 Sports reported Tuesday that Ewers has a massive offer for him to stay in the collegiate ranks and enter the transfer portal instead of turning pro.

Ewers made the decision to come back to school in 2024, but with a subpar season for his standards, his draft stock has fallen.

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But Johntay Cook, who played with Ewers in each of the last two seasons, says the school would regret it.

In replying to the report on X, Cook said the school would be “wasting yall money [for real].” His X account has since been made private.

Cook played for the Longhorns in 2023 and 2024 before transferring to Washington. With the Longhorns, he caught 16 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns in 20 total games.

Ewers does have Texas as the fifth seed in the College Football Playoff, and they face Arizona State in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

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A majority of the questions about Texas quarterbacks entering the transfer portal have been directed toward redshirt freshman Arch Manning. He shot down rumors of that happening on Monday.

“I mean, I really have no plans on entering the portal or anything,” the redshirt freshman said, per Rivals. “So, I don’t really know about it, about all the windows and everything.”

Notre Dame was examined in a Sports Illustrated post as a possible landing spot for Ewers since the team is set to see Riley Leonard leave after this season. However, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said the team had no plans on going to the transfer portal for a quarterback.

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Ewers committed to Texas in 2020 but decommitted to join Ohio State. He only took two snaps with the Buckeyes in 2021 before transferring to Texas for the 2022 season.

Popular grocery chain known for low prices set to open more stores across America

Trader Joe’s is expected to open more stores in the coming year. 

Fans of Trader Joe’s are slated to see a dozen new stores “opening soon,” according to the grocery store chain’s website. 

FOX Business reached out to Trader Joe’s for comment. A spokesperson told Nexstar the chain will unveil additional planned openings “throughout the year.”

The 12 stores that Trader Joe’s has announced are spread across the country. 

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Three of those are poised to open in California, while two more Trader Joe’s are coming to Washington state and the District of Columbia. The other five will be located in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New York, Alabama and Maryland, according to Trader Joe’s.

They will add to the hundreds of stores that Trader Joe’s currently operates nationwide. 

The exact locations of the 12 stores that are expected to open soon are:

California

• 9224 Reseda Blvd., Northridge
• 14140 Riverside Dr., Sherman Oaks
• 18700 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana

Washington

• 8726 Greenwood Ave., Seattle
• 4255 Meridian St., Suite 200, Bellingham

District of Columbia

• 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW
• 701 Monroe St. NE

Tennessee

• 2305 Medical Center Parkway, Murfreesboro

Pennsylvania

• 550 Lancaster Ave., Berwyn

New York

• 6400 Amboy Rd., Staten Island

Alabama

• 1771 Montgomery Hwy., Hoover

Maryland

• 225 N Washington St., Rockville

Trader Joe’s is “growing at a pretty good rate right now, adding more and more stores,” Tara Miller, the company’s vice president of marketing, said in an October episode of the Inside Trader Joe’s podcast.

She also said the chain was “growing at a pace that we can sustain.”

Co-host Matt Sloan said Trader Joe’s looks “where people are” as it determines sites to open a new store. 

“It could be an area where there is no currently available Trader Joe’s store,” he said during the episode. “Although it might be an area that’s really densely populated and traffic patterns are such that getting from one Trader Joe’s to another neighborhood, it may be close, but it might take a really long time, that could be interesting.”

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He said Trader Joe’s criteria for locations “are really about access and ease of getting into and out of, and the flow of traffic patterns.” 

Trader Joe’s is “not interested in growth by just buying another chain and putting a different sign on the building,” Sloan also said.

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“It wouldn’t really feel like a neighborhood Trader Joe’s,” he said. “So, we’re looking at things that are opportunities for us to make that neighborhood store a great Trader Joe’s for that area.” 

Trader Joe’s opened four stores in December, according to its store openings page. Those sites were located in Milwaukie, Oregon; Vista, California; Palm Harbor, Florida; and Alpharetta, Georgia. 

The chain’s first-ever store, launched in 1967, is in Pasadena, California.