Harvard-educated lawyer, former marine gets 40 years for bizarre kidnapping

Marianne Quinn the mother of Aaron Quinn, one of Matthew Muller's victims, hugs one of her son's friends Thursday, March 16, 2017, in Sacramento, Calif. Muller, a disbarred Harvard University-trained attorney, was sentenced to 40 years in prison Thursday after emotional testimony from his victims in a kidnapping so elaborate and bizarre that police in California initially dismissed it as a hoax. (Hector Amezcua/The Sacramento Bee via AP) Marianne Quinn the mother of Aaron Quinn, one of Matthew Muller's victims, hugs one of her son's friends Thursday, March 16, 2017, in Sacramento, Calif. Muller, a disbarred Harvard University-trained attorney, was sentenced to 40 years in prison Thursday after emotional testimony from his victims in a kidnapping so elaborate and bizarre that police in California initially dismissed it as a hoax. (Hector Amezcua/The Sacramento Bee via AP)

By Associated Press March 17, 2017 5 min read

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Matthew Muller was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for a kidnapping so elaborate and outlandish that investigators first thought his victims were carrying out a bizarre hoax.

The Harvard University-trained lawyer and former Marine who meticulously planned his attack was tripped up months later by a stupid mistake: He dropped his cellphone at a burglary scene.

Here’s how it all went down:

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THE ATTACK AND THE VICTIMS