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Lost Hills: The Dark Prince

Western Sound and Pushkin Industries

True Crime, Society & Culture, Documentary

4.2 • 3.5K Ratings

Overview

Lost Hills investigates the dark side of Malibu, California. Beneath a seductive facade, this city of billionaires, celebrities, and surf bums is hiding something menacing. On September 16, 2009, 24-year-old Mitrice Richardson was arrested by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for failing to pay her bill at a restaurant in Malibu, CA. After being released from Lost Hills Station shortly after midnight, she disappeared. Eleven months later, her naked, skeletal remains were discovered in a canyon some six miles away.  For nearly 15 years, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Mitrice’s friends and family, and generations of internet sleuths have tried to crack the case.  To this day, her death remains an unsolved mystery.  The truth lies in the remote Malibu community where Mitrice was last seen. And now, finally, people are starting to talk. Hosted by Dana Goodyear (The New Yorker) and produced by Western Sound and Pushkin Industries. Show artwork copyright Francesca Gabbiani. Subscribe to Pushkin plus to hear the whole season early, and ad free.  Find Pushkin plus on the Lost Hills show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm. Follow us @losthillspod on Twitter and Instagram for a deeper dive into the stories.

79 Episodes

From Where's Dia?

In the beautiful mountain town of Idyllwild, California, a wealthy widow named Dia Abrams suddenly vanishes from her home. She leaves behind her idyllic ranch, estranged children and a messy legal battle. Two men in her life, her son and a man who claims to be her fiance, launch public campaigns to find her. But soon, their efforts – and stories – begin to unravel. Enjoy this preview from Where's Dia? A new podcast from Pushkin Industries and iHeartPodcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2024

12. Dig Two Graves

Dana lays out all the evidence, and we await results from forensic testing. We reconnect with Mitrice’s loved ones, as they celebrate what would have been her 39th birthday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 July 2024

11. The Suitcase

A round of cold calls yields brand new information tying the Person of Interest to Mitrice. We return to the fort in the woods, and make a startling discovery. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2024

10. The Wallypad

The home of a local firefighter is infiltrated by an informant hoping to get more information on the Person of Interest. And a hike planned for Dark Canyon instead leads to the Lost Hills Station.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2024

9. Fearful Witness

A 2011 exhumation of Mitrice’s remains leads to a second autopsy. Meanwhile, a woman describes a disturbing encounter in Monte Nido around the time of Mitrice’s death. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2024

8. Rick Trouble

We learn everything we can about our Person of Interest — a longtime member of the Monte Nido community, who went from golden boy to convict to off-the-grid survivalist living in the woods. We check his criminal history and discover a troubling pattern of violence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2024

7. In the Shit

Looking for a way into Dark Canyon, we follow a former pot grower on a treacherous route, and pay a visit to the Porn Ranch, which borders Dark Canyon. Plus, a retired LASD sergeant reveals that there was a Person of Interest in the case.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2024

6. Reconnaissance

Eleven months after her disappearance, Mitrice’s naked remains are discovered in an abandoned pot field in Dark Canyon, just above Monte Nido. Deputies on scene make a controversial decision, sparking conflict with the LA County Coroner. And Mitrice’s recovered clothing goes missing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2024

Bonus: Get Jim

Three years before Mitrice’s arrest, Mel Gibson was arrested for drunk driving on Pacific Coast Highway. An interview with the arresting officer, James Mee, reveals the power wielded by celebrities in Malibu. Would Mitrice’s story have ended differently if she were rich and famous? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2024

5. So Close

As the months pass with no sign of Mitrice, rumors abound. Law enforcement questions the artist behind a creepy mural. And deputies raid a fort in the wilderness looking for human remains. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 June 2024

4. Hopscotch

Six hours after her release from Lost Hills Station, Mitrice is spotted in the rural community of Monte Nido. Investigators find Mitrice’s footprints, and neighbors report unusual disturbances around the time of her disappearance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2024

3. Call for Help

Mitrice arrives at Geoffrey’s restaurant in Malibu on Sept. 16, 2009, claiming she’s there to “avenge the death of Michael Jackson.” When she walks out without paying, a restaurant staffer calls 911. Deputies bring Mitrice to Lost Hills Station, where Mitrice’s cellmate overhears a worrying conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 June 2024

2. My Light

Investigators search Mitrice’s impounded car and find several journals she wrote in the last months of her life. Never before shared publicly, the journals offer details about Mitrice’s mental state and her complicated love life. We track down an old girlfriend, who reveals Mitrice’s secret struggle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2024

1. Vultures

As Mitrice Richardson’s disappearance dominates news headlines, the Sheriff’s Department defends its decision to release her with no phone, no wallet, and no ride. Meanwhile, Mitrice’s autopsy raises puzzling questions about a missing bone, and a long-buried interview introduces a new witness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2024

Coming Soon - Season 4, Dark Canyon

The disappearance and death of Mitrice Richardson remains Malibu, CA’s most baffling unsolved case. It’s been nearly 14 years since her remains were discovered in a remote canyon, and still, no one has been held accountable for her demise. From the beginning, the LA County Sheriff’s Department said Richardson’s case likely couldn’t be solved. And to this day, her death remains a mystery. The truth lies in the remote Malibu community where Mitrice was last seen. And now, finally, people are starting to talk.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2024

Crash from Death of an Artist: Krasner and Pollock

You’ve heard of artist Jackson Pollock, but you may have never heard of Lee Krasner. Krasner was an artist, Pollock’s wife, and the woman who made him famous. She also changed everything about the landscape of modern art. Death of an Artist: Krasner and Pollock is a story about love, power, alcoholism and an ill-timed death. Hosted by curator, author, and broadcaster Katy Hessel, this 6-episode series from Pushkin Industries and Samizdat Audio offers an inside look into two of the greatest artists of the 20th century, and how their vision impacts ours. Listen in your favorite podcast player.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 May 2024

The Rumor from Deep Cover: The Nameless Man

Two federal agents investigate a rumor about a decades old murder. A hate crime. Enjoy this episode of Deep Cover: The Nameless Man.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2024

Ripple from Western Sound: The BP Oil Spill

Hosted by Dan Leone, Lost Hill's composer and sound designer, Ripple is a new investigative show that revisits major stories to judge their lasting impacts. This season investigates the BP Oil Spill — was an environmental disaster prevented or has it been ignored? Subscribe now to Ripple. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 January 2024

Murder Brokers from Hot Money: The New Narcos

When a Dutch crime reporter makes an unbelievable discovery, a small-town murder case begins to look like an international assassination plot. Enjoy this episode from Hot Money: The New Narcos, a podcast from Pushkin Industries and the Financial Times.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 December 2023

Black Heroes of Surfing

Textured Waves is a Black female surf collective focused on promoting diversity in the water and teaching Black youth to surf. In this bonus episode, Dana talks to two of the collective’s founding members, Chelsea Woody and Martina Duran, about joy in the ocean, localism, and an accomplished Black surfer from the era of Miki Dora. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 July 2023

The Toughest Girl in Malibu

Malibu, 1950. Before Gidget, before even Miki Dora, there was one surfer who ruled the waves and was known for cutting down anyone who got in her way. And she thought Miki was the kook. In this bonus episode, Dana talks to Vikki Flaxman Williams, the original surfer girl of Malibu, who at 91 is still as tough as ever.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 July 2023

12. A Nasty Piece of Work

When he dies, in 2002, Miki leaves wreckage in his wake. A stash of letters reveal his deepest and most toxic beliefs. And Linda Cuy explains the true cost of Miki’s rebellious search for surf. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 July 2023

11. Writing on the Wall

After prison, Miki is a changed man . . . kind of. He knows better than to break the law again. So he finds other ways to make money. He gets Quiksilver, the surf apparel company, to put him on the payroll. And with the help of a couple of celebrity surfers, Kelly Slater and Chris Malloy, Miki tries to get back on top. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 July 2023

10. Aging Boy of Summer

After getting busted in France in 1981, Miki finally surrenders himself to the FBI. Agents have spent years interviewing denizens of the surf world, gathering dirt on Miki. His criminal file is 876 pages long. Miki decides to face the music, but he still has a couple tricks up his sleeve.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 July 2023

9. The Fall Guys

Kevin Naughton and Craig Peterson are on assignment for Surfer magazine. Their task? Find Miki Dora. When they do, he’s living in a campervan in the South of France, surfing perfect empty waves. And waiting for his next recruits. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2023

8. AKA Fugitive

After moaning about the ruination of Malibu for years, Miki sets out … for New Zealand. He and Linda are going to use a bunch of fraudulent airline tickets and fake credit cards to disappear. There’s just one problem: they’re being hunted. Linda has another con artist boyfriend who is keen to find her. And Miki is wanted by the FBI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 July 2023

7. Misdirection

From nothing, a surf industry is born. There are magazines. And gear. And competitions. Everyone is hustling…. Including Miki. He introduces a new board called Da Cat, complete with an outrageous ad campaign. He also has a new girlfriend, a surfer named Linda Cuy, who has the makings of a full-on accomplice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2023

6. Fuck the World

Miki puts his surfing skills to use in the Gidget movies and in every beach party movie he can get cast in. He wants to be a star, but he doesn’t want to really work. He and his girlfriend Diane Oosterveen dress up and go to Hollywood parties at night–and rob the guests. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 June 2023

5. Surf Nazi

Mainland surfing has been steeped in the symbols of fascism since its inception. Iron Crosses, swastikas, Nazi uniforms…in the golden era of surfing, surfers flaunt them on their boards and in the early surf movies. Miki Dora is famous for his SS leather trench coat and using a board emblazoned with a giant swastika. He polices Malibu, forces newcomers, known as kooks, off their boards and off the beach. He lets everyone know that Malibu is his territory.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2023

4. Gidget Goes to Hollywood, Pt2

Kathy Kohner’s family were immigrants from Eastern Europe who helped launch the Golden Age of Hollywood. Miki Dora’s family had also escaped the rise of fascism to start anew in California. Their fathers were part of the same tight-knit emigre community. But Miki decides that Kathy is an interloper. And tries to drive her out of Malibu. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 June 2023

3. Gidget Goes to Hollywood, Pt1

In the bitchen’ summer of 1956, a 15 year-old girl named Kathy Kohner shows up in Malibu and asks the guys to teach her how to surf. They call her Gidget. Soon, her father writes a book based on her diaries. The book becomes a movie, and a TV show, and a cultural juggernaut. And Miki, one of Kathy’s new surfer pals, is furious. See omny.fm/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 June 2023

2. Death in Mexico

The most iconic surfer in Southern California was born in… Hungary. Emigrating to Los Angeles as a baby, he was raised partly by his father, a sophisticated European wine lover and restaurateur, and partly by his mother and her new husband, a hard-charging surfer named Gard Chapin. After Gard’s rumored murder, Miki is never the same.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 June 2023

1. The Legend of Miki Dora

Miki Dora, Malibu’s most celebrated surfer, was known as Da Cat. Gorgeous, graceful, and debonair, Miki was intimidating. He ruled Malibu from the 1950s to the 1970s. But then, he disappeared. Because Miki was not just a surfer. He was a con artist, who led the FBI on a 7 year hunt around the globe, while he searched for the perfect wave.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 June 2023

Lost Hills Season 3: The Dark Prince

There’s an evil undercurrent that runs through the surf world, and it all leads back to the Dark Prince of Malibu: Miki Dora. A surfer who ruled Malibu from the 1950s to the 1970s, he was also a con man and led the FBI on a 7-year manhunt around the world. To many people, Miki is a hero. But there’s darkness in the legacy he left behind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2023

Season 3 Updates + Alphabet Boys

Dana has some big news. A teaser for Season Three of Lost Hills, an update on the Rauda case, and your next podcast binge: Alphabet Boys.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 16 March 2023

From Deep Cover: Never Seen Again

Sharing a preview of Deep Cover: Never Seen Again the story of two young women, living on opposite sides of the country, who went missing at almost the exact same time. Seven years later, their stories collided when one woman resurfaced – posing as the other. A small-town detective became obsessed with the case, convinced that one of them was a spy. Twenty years later, that woman is telling her tale. Listen to Deep Cover and hear the entire story at [https://link.chtbl.com/artistdeepcover][https://link.chtbl.com/bwdeepcover][https://link.chtbl.com/hillsdeepcover]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2023

Death of an Artist: Ana Mendieta and Carl Andre

Here’s a preview from Death of an Artist, a new podcast from Pushkin Industries. For more than 35 years, accusations of murder shrouded one of the art world’s most storied couples: Was the famous sculptor Carl Andre involved in the death of his up-and-coming artist wife Ana Mendieta? Host Helen Molesworth revisits Mendieta’s death, taking a closer look at how she might have fallen out of the window of Carl’s 34th floor New York apartment, and the following trial which has divided the art world since 1985. Hear more from Death of an Artist at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/artist?sid=women.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 September 2022

The Returning Mother

Fred's first wife, Jeanne, started flying for United in the 1960s, at the height of the glamorous jet age. The job was adventurous and fun, and it inducted Jeanne into a tight-knit sorority of fellow flight attendants—a group of women who would be first shocked, then haunted by her unexplained death. In this Season 2 bonus episode, a flight attendant who worked with Jeanne the day of her drowning shares new details about Jeanne’s last flight and final hours.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2022

Actor Rob Lowe on growing up in “the MILF capital of the world”

Rob Lowe moved to Malibu in 1976, when he was 12. The Malibu of his youth was crazy. He saw Fonzie jump the shark, at Paradise Cove. He saw Nick Nolte at the grocery store. He saw coke—at a 7th-grader’s birthday party. The kids were running wild and the parents were running wilder. His mind was blown, never to recover. In this Season 2 bonus episode, Lowe takes us on a trippy trip down memory lane. You can hear more from Rob Lowe on his podcasts: “Literally! With Rob Lowe” and “Parks and Recollection.” This episode comes out for free on February 4th and is available now for Pushkin+ subscribers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 4 February 2022

10. Lifelines

Fred’s daughters share a trove of correspondence, and wrestle with unanswered questions about Jeanne’s death. The fight for Fred’s release continues. And a trip to Bird Rock brings resolution, at last. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 December 2021

Lifelines

Fred’s daughters share a trove of correspondence, and wrestle with unanswered questions about Jeanne’s death. The fight for Fred’s release continues. And a trip to Bird Rock brings resolution, at last. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 December 2021

9. Prejudicial Effect

Fred’s trial is the longest and most expensive in Santa Barbara history, and the dory plays a starring role. Stan Roden, the DA, wants to send Fred to the gas chamber at San Quentin. At the heart of the trial are two conflicting sets of autopsies. Which expert is to be believed? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2021

Prejudicial Effect

Fred’s trial is the longest and most expensive in Santa Barbara history, and the dory plays a starring role. Stan Roden, the DA, wants to send Fred to the gas chamber at San Quentin. At the heart of the trial are two conflicting sets of autopsies. Which expert is to be believed? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2021

8. Three Freds

Fred hires a high-powered defense attorney and a team of private eyes, and starts pushing back on the detectives’ narrative. He’s got an explanation for everything: his real-estate holdings, his income, and all those insurance policies. But can the detectives explain why their witnesses are walking back statements? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 December 2021

Three Freds

Fred hires a high-powered defense attorney and a team of private eyes, and starts pushing back on the detectives’ narrative. He’s got an explanation for everything: his real-estate holdings, his income, and all those insurance policies. But can the detectives explain why their witnesses are walking back statements? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 December 2021

7. Love or Money

After Fred’s arrest, detectives start looking into his finances. How does a civilian employee of the Navy afford a beachfront home, on a gated road in Malibu, and a brand-new $150K sailboat? Also, they learn that the Roehlers owned large insurance policies. Could that be the motive the cops are looking for? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2021

Love or Money

After Fred’s arrest, detectives start looking into his finances. How does a civilian employee of the Navy afford a beachfront home, on a gated road in Malibu, and a brand-new $150K sailboat? Also, they learn that the Roehlers owned large insurance policies. Could that be the motive the cops are looking for? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2021

Cold Pricklies

The sheriff’s department orders a new set of autopsies on Verna and Doug, to be conducted in secret. Now, there’s enough evidence to arrest Fred. Meanwhile, detectives talk to his neighbors, coworkers, and friends. Some say he’s a charming, dedicated family man, while others whisper of a dark side and a hair-trigger temper. Also, one of Doug’s best friends remembers life in the Roehler household. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 December 2021

6. Cold Pricklies

The sheriff’s department orders a new set of autopsies on Verna and Doug, to be conducted in secret. Now, there’s enough evidence to arrest Fred. Meanwhile, detectives talk to his neighbors, coworkers, and friends. Some say he’s a charming, dedicated family man, while others whisper of a dark side and a hair-trigger temper. Also, one of Doug’s best friends remembers life in the Roehler household. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 December 2021

Who Would You Take?

Shortly after Jeanne’s death, Fred starts seeing Verna, one of Jeanne’s closest friends. It’s a whirlwind romance, and soon they’re merging families. The timeline of their relationship stokes Malibu gossip, and, later, piques the interest of detectives. Was it just a coincidence that Verna’s first husband had died unexpectedly, too? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 December 2021

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