investigators say matthew mueller, the man convicted for a crime in vallejo in 2015, has now been linked to other home invasions and sex assaults. nbc bay area's marianne favro is in seaside in monterey county, where authorities revealed those home invasions aren't the only new crimes mueller may be linked to. today, investigators revealed that they believe that matthew mueller also committed a kidnaping and sexual assault back in 1993, when he was just 16 years old. it's a case that made headlines worldwide. matthew mueller, convicted of kidnaping and sexually assaulting denise huskins, quinton, in a case whose details were so astonishing that the vallejo police department originally deemed the crime a hoax. the 2015 case became the subject of the netflix series american nightmare, and after watching it and talking with the victim, seaside police chief nick borges wrote to mueller, who is serving time in a federal

prison in arizona. the interactions that i had in writing him was a i just spoke to him as a human. there was no training or skill or trickery. it was just authentic who i am reaching out. surprisingly, mueller wrote back and provided critical information that led to him being charged in connection with home invasions in mountain view and palo alto. this week, mueller was also charged with a previously unreported 2015 kidnaping and ransom in unincorporated san ramon, just two weeks after denise was kidnaped. and now there is new evidence that mueller may have started his crime spree more than two decades earlier. we now know that as far back as when he was 16 years old, that mueller had committed his first kidnaping and sexual assault. that was in 1993. the el dorado county da says that crime is under investigation, but is not

revealing where it happened. after mueller terrorized denise and aaron in vallejo in 2015, denise says she feared there were more victims. mueller was 16 years old when he attacked his first victims, and he was 38 years old by the time he got to us. that's two decades of this mindset that he was living in. by the time our case came about, they found storage units full of equipment to help him facilitate terrorizing people. denise says she's glad to see law enforcement reinvestigate mueller and is hoping, if convicted of all these new charges, he'll be sentenced to life in prison. in seaside, marianne favro, nbc, bay area news. we continue to follow breaking news in los angeles tonight, where a ferocious wildfire has forced 30,000 people to flee their homes. luckily, so far, no injuries reported, but the palisades fire has already destroyed multiple

homes, ballooning to more than 1200 acres since just 10:00 this morning. several bay area cal fire crews are already in southern california, assisting with the firefight. some neighbors even had to flee on foot. dozens of cars abandoned on palisades drive in the mad rush to get out of the neighborhood. and fire crews then had to clear the road using a bulldozer so they could get in some of those cars, catching fire from flying embers. governor newsom is down in l.a. urging people to act on evacuation orders and telling others in the area to have a fire plan ready. with the santa ana winds expected to pick up even more this evening, you may feel at home that you're fine. down in riverside county, san bernardino county, down in ventura county. other parts of the state. but there's a reason we pre-positioned hundreds of assets and personnel on sunday in anticipation of this wind

event. let's get right to our chiefeteorologist, jeff ranieri. jeff, that area hasn't gotten much wind or rain. and now these powerful winds come in. that's a dangerous combination. they've seen less than a quarter inch since october the 1st. they should be at about 4.25in. and what they're going to be looking for tonight are those potential sundowner winds. when it cools off at the tops of the mountains, that cold air is denser and heavier and could send more of that wind racing down the mountainside. we're going to get you covered here in the bay area. also southern california. but the thing that is setting all this off is this area of high pressure and low pressure. it's fighting for the same spa out here. and the thing that it's doing is creating that wind. and eventually we'll get some equilibrium here. but the result in the meantime is those gusty winds. when you get high and low pressure so close together, wind speeds across the bay area thankfully are lower elevations, very calm, just 5 to 10mph. we're still seeing some gusts and some of the north bay, east

bay, and south bay mountains in that red to magenta color 40 to about 50. so i still think over the next several hours into this evening, we get gusts up to about 45. primarily in the mountains are sustained wind right around 10 to 20. and that top risk in the mountains 500ft and above. but again, our wind, any kind of wind moves out of here tomorrow down in southern california. again, that ferocis wind continues. wind warnings in place until 6 p.m. tomorrow, with again, those 100 mile per hour gusts possible. sustained winds 20 to 50. no big rain chances as we head through the next two weeks. so we talked about the pacific palisades fire. i wanted to give you a map perspective on it. you can see the los angeles area here. palisades is just off towards the west, and you'll see how those northeasterly winds blowing all the smoke right there out towards the ocean. gusts right now 38. and very low humidity at 19%. we're going to talk more about our wind

forecast, what's ahead for us and what's happening with all of our rain chances. i'll see you back here in about 15 minutes. thank you jeff, and you can stay on top of the weather in your neighborhood any time. just download our nbc bay area app. scan that qr code on your screen to get started. among the perks, you're going to have access to our exclusive radar from storm ranger. just like our team of meteorologists. in other news, fear and anxiety. that is what many local families say they are feeling as america prepares for the inauguration of president trump, the president elect has promised mass deportations, perhaps beginning on day one, and that has schools across the country and the bay area bracing for that possibility. nbc bay area's damian trujillo explains some families here in the franklin-mckinley school district declined to talk to us about what, for them is a very sensitive topic, but this community has been dealing with the threat of deportations for

years. they come to school every day, some too young to understand the reality their families might face. the threat of deportation, for sure. what is the issue right now? the anxiety of not knowing what's going to happen. the superintendent of san jose's franklin-mckinley school district has had to face and console worried families for years, many with american born children. but undocumented immigrant parents, more than anything else, educate and make sure that people understand what what is going to happen and how we are responding like we've always responded. this week, state attorney general rob bonta held a know your rights event, releasing tips and resources for school administrators and undocumented families. let me be clear here on these issues. every child has the right to a free public education, regardless of their immigration status. every child and family also has the right to keep their education records and personal information confidential. the advice comes at a time of

growing fears among the immigrant community. that fear is also the reason state lawmakers are considering sb 48. the bill would establish a one mile radius safe zone around schools, prohibiting ice from entering a school without a warrant. franklin mckinley says they've been operating under these circumstances for years. this is not new to our schools and our families. we serve a population of immigrant families. and so this has always been a fear that ice, you know, has an impact on on those families. there are 11 million immigrants in california making up one third of the state's workforce. supporters of the president say those who are here legally have no reason to be concerned. the state attorney general says he sued the trump administration 120 times during his last term over a host of issues, and says he's ready to do it again if necessary. damian trujillo nbc, bay area news. a dubai investor has just pledged to invest billions of dollars

into creating data centers in the u.s. president elect trump announced the investment during a press briefing today. he says dubai development company damac properties has pledged at least $20 billion to building these centers. the project will take place in texas, arizona, oklahoma, louisiana, ohio, illinois, michigan and indiana. mr. trump says it's all about artificial intelligence to keep america on the cutting edge of technology and artificial intelligence. he's very big into the data centers, and that's going to be a very hot item. i believe he will say that he's doing it because of the fact that he was very inspired by the election. they wouldn't do it without that election. i can tell you a lot of people wouldn't. this is the second foreign investment pledge since trump was elected last month. japan's softbank pledged over $100 billion. the attention of the nation's capital turned to the late president jimmy carter today. a motorcade carried his

casket into washington, d.c, where the public can pay their respects. president carter was the 39th president. he was only in office for four years, but his post-presidency work reached way beyond the u.s. borders and will leave a lasting legacy. nbc's alice barr has more from the nation's capital. a solemn journey to washington today for the late president jimmy carter, who brought his signature smile to the white house in 1977 and left an impression well beyond his single presidential term, including on georgia senator raphael warnock. how do you think the country can best remember him? jimmy carter is an american hero and one of my favorite people. the man had a pure heart and, you know, he's close to a saint. and what i'd like people to ask themselves is, how many politicians would you say that about? after

stopping at the u.s. navy memorial to honor the late president's submarine service, the casket arrived by horse drawn caisson to lie in state at the u.s. capitol, with lawmakers paying their respects before opening to the public. the trip through washington, recalling carter's choice to become the first president to walk down pennsylvania avenue during his inaugural parade, a sign of the openness he hoped to bring to the white house. though his time there was marked by the iran hostage crisis and a troubled economy at home, his public service continued in the nation's longest post-presidency. i have been reflecting on how, even after he left the white house, he had such an impact here in the united states and around the world. former president carter built homes for the poor with habitat for humanity and championed global humanitarian causes alongside his wife and confidante, rosalynn carter, he celebrated his 100th birthday in

october. now capped by tributes to a life that began on a georgia peanut farm and ended with a reach across the globe. former president carter will lie in state here at the u.s. capitol, open to the public until thursday morning, when there will be a funeral service for him at washington national cathedral. president biden declared thursday a day of national mourning from capitol hill. alice barr, nbc news. still ahead controversy over a casino. a proposed casino in the bay area has several indigenous tribes at odds. what lies ahead on this plot of land? and a relatively dry start here to january. i'll show you what's happening with our rainfall chances, how we're doing for the rain season, and more checks on e wind.th

decision. the department of interior is considering a plan to allow an indigenous tribe to build an eight story casino next to interstate 80. but as nbc bay area's joe rosato jr shows us,

that proposal is now pitting several indigenous tribes against one another. there's an office park in concord plain buildings. barely any signage. if not for a horse trailer, you wouldn't even know. this was the offices of the scotts valley band of pomo indians. we have offices, you know, here and there. scotts valley vice chairman jesse gonzalez tells the tribes winding story. around 1907, the u.s. granted the tribe 54 acres for a rancheria, but in 1958, the california rancheria act stripped the tribe of its recognition and land in the 90s. the tribe successfully sued the federal government to regain that recognition. when we got our. recognition back, did not come with land, so we've been landless ever since. this landless tribe, as its federally designated, also has offices in

lake county, where it's mainly based. a picture of my great grandmother. but gonzalez and his people have long dreamed of having their own land again someday. i have a 95 year old grandmother, and she's, you know, waiting. that wait may soon be over. gonzalez and the scotts valley band of pomo indians have now put their hopes and dreams on this 160 acre plot of land in vallejo. the tribe submitted a proposal to the department of interior, bureau of indian affairs to place the privately owned land into trust. that would mean the government holds the title, but allows the tribe to govern the land. the tribe wants to use the land as a place to build an eight story, 400,000 square foot casino right alongside i-80 and columbus parkway. the project would also include 24 homes for tribal members, and an administration building with a biological

preserve. we'd like to do something really nice for, you know, the surrounding area. the public here and for our tribe. but as the tribe awaits a decision from the government, opposition is raising its voice. if you could put yourself back then and imagine probably have children running around. anthony roberts, chairman of the yocha dehe wintun nation, says the land where the scotts valley tribe wants to build is the ancestral land of the patwin people. his tribe's ancestors. he believes the project is an intrusion on his tribe's sacred land for generation upon generation. but when people are relatives, have been stewards and protectors of these lands, and more importantly, the precious cultural resources within these lands. roberts accuses the department of interior of rushing through the scotts valleypplication without adequate review. what's more, the yocha dehe, which owowned cache creek casino in brooks, california, says the

scotts valley band of pomo indians has no historic connection to the land they're asking for. a tribe from 90 miles plus north, with no ancestral or cultural connection to the land, to come in and build a mega casino on our land. it's truly hurtful. it may be a part of their heritage, and we respect that, but it's also part of ours as well. governor newsom and a number of solano county officials have also voiced opposition to the project, though vallejo's city council recently voted to work with the tribe if the trust is granted. so, as gonzalez and the scotts valley band of pomo indians wait for word from the bureau of indian affairs, there's at least hope they won't be a landless tribe much longer. joe rosado jr. that is huge for us. nbc bay area news. let's get a check of our forecast. dangerous santa

ana winds down south, and we've got a wind advisory in the bay area. obviously not as strong or gusty, but something in effect right now. and that's in effect through tomorrow morning. but we're really going to be on the down side of things as we roll through tomorrow morning's forecast. so a few more hours of some of these gusts back here across the bay. we're going to start off with a look at some of the top gusts we're dealing with here in california. and it has been, you know, very dangerous down there in southern california as we have been reporting on national weather service, terming it in socal a potentially dangerous situation. they usually say that pbs terminology for super serious weather events will often see that when we get into tornadic activity in the central u.s. so you can see from our top wind gusts here, these are just a few of them. it goes to southern california for the biggest gusts today, 86mph. san gabriel mountains, malibu consistently reading at 72mph. this wasn't just a one time thing. we're

talking about several hours in a row here. getting up that high. chino hills, 71mph. porter ranch 70. and then across the bay area. top gusts here was mount saint helena right around 5:00 this morning at 64mph. i haven't seen anything that gusty here in the past few hours at mount saint helena, but we still are clocking some strong winds, as you can see right now on the current gusts, most of the lower elevations 15 to about 20. so not a big concern for a lot of the populated zones up towards mount saint helena, though we're up to 39. mount diablo, with some strong winds coming out of the north here at 43. so the big headline here is, as we roll through tonight, we're still looking at some of these isolated gusts, 15 to about 35mph that still could get up there for the lower elevations and the mountains 40 to about 50. but look at how that wind calms down for tomorrow morning. it's only 3 to 18mph. we would continue to see that wind

cacalming do through tomorrow afternoon and evening. so again, i think tonight we get through that and we're good to go here across the bay area. southern california likely going to stay under strong winds all the way through tomorrow evening. so here's the deal. that area of low pressure with the wind moving well off towards the south away from us tomorrow, we still have this area of high pressure that's going to keep us dry in the forecast. so we're going to begin it like this down to 46 in the south bay. a little bit cooler here with some clear skies to start 42 in the tri-valley. temperatures also dipping down here to the 40s across the east bay, san francisco and the north bay. then, as we move through tomorrow's forecast to have our temperatures back into the 60s, that'll bring us to 65 in san jose, 66 over towards the east side, 64 in martinez and mid 60s for hayward. we're continuing with those low to mid 60s across the peninsula, san francisco 65 in downtown and for the north bay got you to 67, in ukiah, 63 in mill valley. rain chances. i don't have any good news on this right now. watch how these

storms all the way through the next two weeks. just stay well off to the north as we'll see this area. high pressure in the pacific. so no big hopes of rainfall all the way through january 17th. we may not actually see rain chances increase until early february. so we're running a deficit here in oakland. also livermore and san jose. we still have time to make up for that. but we got to get going here in that rainfall. or we could be setting ourselves back into some extremely dry conditions. you'll see our temperatures here in the 60s here for most of the bay area. as we roll through the next seven days, we'll take more looks at the fire conditions and everything else coming up at 530. okay, see you in a bit. thank you. jeff. sure. coming up, a day after president biden moved to protect coastlines from offshore drilling, president elect trump is promising swift

a priority on day one, in a news conference at his mar a lago resort, mr. trump announced he will reverse president biden's ban on offshore drilling along the u.s. coastline as soon as he takes office. but the president elect did also indicate that reversing the ban might require litigation in court. just yesterday, president biden announced he would protect 625 million acres of ocean from offshore oil and gas drilling. the ceo of u.s. steel is calling for president elect trump to rescue the $14 billion sale to japan's largest steel producer. president biden blocked a merger with nippon steel last week. today, u.s. steel ceo david burritt says he hopes to convince president elect trump

to let the sale go through. mr. trump also vowed to block the sale, saying he didn't want u.s. steel controlled by a foreign company. both companies filed a lawsuit in federal court to flip this decision. u.s. steel says without this merger, the steel industry will struggle and the company may have to close steel plants as extreme winds blow through parts of california. a large part of the country is dealing

covered in snow. hundreds of thousands are without power as the deep freeze grips the country. in the first major storm of 2025. although it's causing some probls, those in saint louis are taking advantage of this winter wonderland. you can see thousands of people, lots of kids gathered at a local park to sleigh sled down this hill after inches of snow dropped overnight. schools across the country have closed due to the stormy weather. kids are probably very thankful for that. don't forget, you can watch our newscast 24 seven on roku and other streaming platforms. jessica aguirre joins us now with what's coming up next at 530. yeah. right now at 530 at contra costa county, city is working hard to improve its