Law Enforcement Lieutenant · Keynote Speaker · Featured in Netflix’s American Nightmare
Misty Carausu
01 Biography
Overview / Bio
Born and raised in Hayward, California, Lieutenant Misty Carausu is a veteran law enforcement leader whose investigative tenacity cracked one of the most high-profile criminal cases in recent memory. Beginning her career in 2005 with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), she served across Detention & Corrections, Court Services, the Eden Township Substation, and Peralta Police Services before transferring to Dublin Police Services in 2014 and becoming a general detective specializing in sexual assault investigations in 2015.
When Denise Huskins was released after being kidnapped and assaulted in March 2015, she became the target of an intense media firestorm and a widely publicized investigation aimed at proving she had staged her own abduction. Assigned to a seemingly unrelated case, Detective Carausu’s refusal to accept easy assumptions—and her discovery of a single strand of blonde hair—unlocked the truth, exonerated Huskins, brought a serial perpetrator to justice, and linked multiple unsolved sexual assault cases. Her work was featured globally in the hit Netflix docuseries American Nightmare.
Promoted to Sergeant in 2018 and Lieutenant in 2024, Misty currently oversees major operational units at Santa Rita Jail and serves as Coordinator for the Agency’s Health and Wellness Unit. On stage, the detective who “got it right” shares critical insights into bias-free investigation, victim advocacy, and leadership under pressure.
02 Speaking
Speaking Keynotes & Training Topics
Getting It Right: Lessons from the American Nightmare Investigation
An inside look at the investigative strategies, instincts, and persistence that broke open the Denise Huskins case when the rest of the world had already reached the wrong conclusion. Ideal for law enforcement agencies, legal professionals, victim advocates, and leadership conferences, this session equips attendees to:
Eliminate Confirmation Bias: Identify and overcome institutional blind spots and preconceived narratives during complex investigations.
Conduct Unbiased, Evidence-Driven Interviews: Use trauma-informed, objective victim interviews to uncover crucial leads rather than dismissing survivor accounts.
Connect Linked Cases: Apply meticulous forensic and behavioral investigative methods to link seemingly isolated incidents to a serial offender.
Bookings
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