Lost Hills: Dark Canyon Podcast By Western Sound and Pushkin Industries cover art

Lost Hills: Dark Canyon

Lost Hills: Dark Canyon

By: Western Sound and Pushkin Industries
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About this listen

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.

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Episodes
  • Lost Hills Trailer

    Lost Hills Trailer
    Mar 2 2021

    Lost Hills, reported, written and hosted by Dana Goodyear.

    Coming March 16th from Western Sound and Pushkin Industries

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    3 mins
  • 1. The Killing Zone

    1. The Killing Zone
    Mar 16 2021

    After Tristan Beaudette’s murder, other victims come forward telling similar tales. . . of a sniper in Malibu who has been shooting at campers and at moving cars for the past 18 months. Always in the dark of night, at 4AM.

    The cops say they can’t connect the crimes, but then they arrest a drifter: 42-year-old Anthony Rauda, who lives under a tarp behind the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. Is he the killer, or a scapegoat?

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    38 mins
  • 2. The Pink Bubble

    2. The Pink Bubble
    Mar 16 2021

    A devastating fire rips through Malibu, burning Anthony Rauda’s campsite, Malibu Creek State Park, and any evidence the cops might have missed. Rauda appears in court, and a tentative link is established between him and the murder. Meanwhile, Cece Woods, a popular Malibu blogger, casts doubt on the case against Rauda as she crusades against the Lost Hills station — why didn’t the authorities warn the public before someone died? She smells a coverup.

    Footage of the Henry Stern Town Hall meeting provided by KBUU-FM Malibu.

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    40 mins
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From the first sentence, this podcast pulled me in and didn’t let go. Well researched and chock full of crazy characters and scary animals in one of the most beautiful parts of the country-the Malibu area of California.

Gripping story about a recent case

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Fascinating dark story of a legendary life. A life with more than a few regrets

Dora's Way

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great reporting. I can see why people loved it, but the pace was too slow and story too open ended. I preferred the podcast creator's article in the new yorker on the story. It felt like they needed to fill space at times and the large parts about the victim's family felt clumsy compared to the tight writing of the new yorker piece. the sounds of nature and the interviews are incredibly interesting though. just not for me.

preferred new yorker article

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I first of all listened to the dark prince (current season - highly recommend) b4 getting curious about what else Dana Goodyear had put together. this was a riveting true crime story that explores ambiguity in a famous Malibu case from the 70s - was it possible that one charming man had simply had bad luck when 2 of his wives and his stepson drowned? or was he a dastardly schemer who stood to profit handsomely if he got away with the perfect crime ? it sounds cartoonish but as the podcast takes you through the lives of the family and friends affected by these tragedies it becomes something much more.

riveting

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Really enjoyed all the episodes, especially about Miki.
Grew up in SF Valley, left 50 years ago.
Thanks soooo much!

MORE PLEASE!

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This would have been much more interesting if it had been done by Wondery or NBC. Half the time I can barely hear the reporter's voice, it goes off topic several times. Most maddening is 4 breaks per episode for ads!!! Half the ads the reporter reads herself, so it can be confusing to determine whether she is talking about the case or doing ads. Worst real crime podcast I've ever wasted time on. I won't be listening to season 2.

Interesting Story-4 Ads Per Each Episode!

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The podcast creates suspense over eight episodes, mostly false lead and assumptions. In the end there is nothing we don’t learn in episode 1. Does the specific character of the town Malibu matter? No.. Does the local woman writing for a small town publication matters? No. Is there a case of outrageous corruption in the sheriffs department? No. Did the suspect get framed? No. All what we learn is that there have been shootings. The park and the sheriffs department did not warn the public until someone died and in the end they found a crazy homeless person. Well crafted though.

Nothing there in the end

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