1 00:00:15,066 --> 00:00:27,256 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Four or five months before Mitrice disappeared, her girlfriend 2 00:00:27,316 --> 00:00:32,286 Speaker 1: Desiree began to have a recurring dream. There's a blanket 3 00:00:32,326 --> 00:00:36,706 Speaker 1: of thick fog covering everything, so she can't see. But 4 00:00:36,766 --> 00:00:41,276 Speaker 1: she can hear Mitrice calling her name over and over. 5 00:00:42,856 --> 00:00:46,946 Speaker 2: But I can't find her. And so I'm running through 6 00:00:46,986 --> 00:00:49,346 Speaker 2: the fog to where I think she's at. And when 7 00:00:49,386 --> 00:00:54,206 Speaker 2: I think I find her, it's just the fog clears 8 00:00:54,246 --> 00:00:55,266 Speaker 2: and nothing's there. 9 00:00:57,866 --> 00:01:00,906 Speaker 1: Desiree was so affected by this dream that she did 10 00:01:00,966 --> 00:01:05,026 Speaker 1: something totally out of character. She got a tattoo. 11 00:01:06,766 --> 00:01:12,626 Speaker 2: So it's really abstract of a face kind of coming 12 00:01:12,766 --> 00:01:14,026 Speaker 2: through the fog. 13 00:01:15,166 --> 00:01:19,006 Speaker 1: The tattoo stretches from Desiree's ribs to her navel. It's 14 00:01:19,086 --> 00:01:23,886 Speaker 1: Mitrice's face. One almond-shaped eye, a pair of bright red lips, 15 00:01:24,526 --> 00:01:30,026 Speaker 1: partially obscured by swirls of fog and stars. Underneath Mitrice's 16 00:01:30,086 --> 00:01:33,286 Speaker 1: lips is the word princess. That was one of Desiree's 17 00:01:33,346 --> 00:01:36,166 Speaker 1: nicknames for her. Was she flattered? 18 00:01:37,866 --> 00:01:38,306 Speaker 2: She was. 19 00:01:39,286 --> 00:01:39,726 Speaker 3: She was. 20 00:01:40,396 --> 00:01:44,376 Speaker 2: I think that she was still a little disappointed that 21 00:01:44,416 --> 00:01:49,776 Speaker 2: it wasn't her Name? Just because, I mean, she had 22 00:01:49,806 --> 00:01:54,236 Speaker 2: a little ego about her. And I call her princess, 23 00:01:55,136 --> 00:01:58,076 Speaker 2: but it was, like, two-handed. 24 00:01:59,536 --> 00:02:04,456 Speaker 1: In retrospect, the dream seems like a premonition. Mitrice, alone 25 00:02:04,496 --> 00:02:08,796 Speaker 1: in Dark Canyon, staring up at the night sky. And 26 00:02:08,816 --> 00:02:12,276 Speaker 1: the tattoo's there to remind Desiree, every day. 27 00:02:13,936 --> 00:02:18,966 Speaker 2: And I had no idea that it was going to 28 00:02:19,166 --> 00:02:23,806 Speaker 2: mean what it means to me now. 29 00:02:27,886 --> 00:02:31,896 Speaker 1: Matrice was found on August 9, 2010. She'd been missing 30 00:02:31,926 --> 00:02:35,596 Speaker 1: for 11 months. People had been searching for her all 31 00:02:35,676 --> 00:02:38,676 Speaker 1: over the Santa Monica Mountains and as far away as 32 00:02:38,736 --> 00:02:43,056 Speaker 1: Las Vegas. But the way she was found was entirely unexpected. 33 00:02:44,236 --> 00:02:47,976 Speaker 1: Here's the story as law enforcement told it. There was 34 00:02:47,996 --> 00:02:51,756 Speaker 1: a known illegal marijuana grow in Dark Canyon. It had 35 00:02:51,796 --> 00:02:56,896 Speaker 1: been discovered in 2009, before Mitrice went missing. A marijuana 36 00:02:56,936 --> 00:03:01,216 Speaker 1: enforcement team, including state park rangers and rangers from the 37 00:03:01,276 --> 00:03:05,696 Speaker 1: Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, had come across plants and 38 00:03:05,776 --> 00:03:10,556 Speaker 1: irrigation lines, which they destroyed. The following summer, some of 39 00:03:10,596 --> 00:03:14,116 Speaker 1: these rangers returned. to see if the operation had resumed. 40 00:03:15,156 --> 00:03:17,836 Speaker 1: They were hiking through the creek's drainage when one of 41 00:03:17,866 --> 00:03:21,566 Speaker 1: the rangers saw a skull and a leg bone, partially 42 00:03:21,646 --> 00:03:24,886 Speaker 1: submerged in the heavy leaf litter of the canyon floor. 43 00:03:26,006 --> 00:03:29,426 Speaker 1: Attached to the skull was a hank of hair, identifiable 44 00:03:29,626 --> 00:03:33,486 Speaker 1: as a black woman's. One ranger believed they might have 45 00:03:33,506 --> 00:03:40,386 Speaker 1: found Mitrice Richardson. What happened next was a communication meltdown 46 00:03:40,626 --> 00:03:45,526 Speaker 1: that turned into a PR catastrophe. The remains were removed 47 00:03:45,606 --> 00:03:48,706 Speaker 1: from the canyon before the coroner had a chance to 48 00:03:48,766 --> 00:03:52,586 Speaker 1: examine them on site. That led to a public dispute 49 00:03:52,646 --> 00:03:56,146 Speaker 1: between the sheriff's department and the coroner, an internal inquiry, 50 00:03:56,726 --> 00:03:59,486 Speaker 1: and a whole new reason for Mitrice's friends and family 51 00:03:59,646 --> 00:04:05,046 Speaker 1: to be suspicious of law enforcement. But while so much 52 00:04:05,106 --> 00:04:08,206 Speaker 1: attention was trained on how her remains got out of 53 00:04:08,246 --> 00:04:12,526 Speaker 1: the canyon, the focus shifted away from the most important question. 54 00:04:14,126 --> 00:04:19,286 Speaker 1: How she got in there in the first place. I'm 55 00:04:19,306 --> 00:04:22,466 Speaker 1: Dana Goodyear, and this is Lost Hills. 56 00:04:22,486 --> 00:04:26,846 Speaker 2: Lost Hills. 57 00:04:48,386 --> 00:04:51,006 Speaker 1: Episode 6, Reconnaissance. 58 00:04:59,976 --> 00:05:04,616 Speaker 4: So now we're heading back pretty much over Malibu Canyon, 59 00:05:05,396 --> 00:05:09,036 Speaker 4: and we'll go back towards, I'll show you the Montanito area. 60 00:05:10,156 --> 00:05:13,216 Speaker 1: Five years ago, when I started looking into Mitrice's case, 61 00:05:13,656 --> 00:05:16,616 Speaker 1: I took a helicopter ride with Sergeant Tui Wright from 62 00:05:16,656 --> 00:05:17,776 Speaker 1: Malibu Search and Rescue. 63 00:05:18,686 --> 00:05:21,296 Speaker 4: Yeah, this is Montanito area down here. 64 00:05:21,316 --> 00:05:23,496 Speaker 1: This is Dark Canyon that we're flying over. 65 00:05:23,796 --> 00:05:26,516 Speaker 4: Yeah, we're flying over Dark Canyon right now, and of course, 66 00:05:27,196 --> 00:05:29,436 Speaker 4: that's where Matrice Richardson's remains were found. 67 00:05:30,236 --> 00:05:32,716 Speaker 1: The sides of the canyon fell away beneath us at 68 00:05:32,736 --> 00:05:33,596 Speaker 1: a steep pitch. 69 00:05:34,636 --> 00:05:37,986 Speaker 4: I keep going this way and bank a little to 70 00:05:38,026 --> 00:05:42,106 Speaker 4: the left. So Matrice was last seen down here, near 71 00:05:42,146 --> 00:05:45,346 Speaker 4: these streets down here. But Dark Canyon goes up there, 72 00:05:45,386 --> 00:05:46,826 Speaker 4: and here's where it gets real steep. 73 00:05:47,386 --> 00:05:49,886 Speaker 1: On one wall of the canyon, the rock face was 74 00:05:49,986 --> 00:05:53,166 Speaker 1: marked with vertical lines, like a layer cake turned on 75 00:05:53,206 --> 00:05:56,826 Speaker 1: its side. How far up the canyon was she found? 76 00:05:56,846 --> 00:06:01,126 Speaker 4: I'll show you. See the middle area there with the 77 00:06:01,556 --> 00:06:04,146 Speaker 4: most trees? The shadow cuts right through it? 78 00:06:04,296 --> 00:06:04,496 Speaker 5: Yep. 79 00:06:04,956 --> 00:06:08,676 Speaker 4: Right in there, underneath the canopy of some of those trees. 80 00:06:12,016 --> 00:06:15,616 Speaker 1: Tshaka Starwell, who'd been helping Mitrice's family with their searches, 81 00:06:15,976 --> 00:06:19,036 Speaker 1: told Dr. Rhonda Hampton that human remains had been found 82 00:06:19,076 --> 00:06:19,756 Speaker 1: in Montanito. 83 00:06:20,836 --> 00:06:24,336 Speaker 6: I got a text message from him saying, hey, there 84 00:06:24,376 --> 00:06:31,086 Speaker 6: was a partially mummified skeletal remains, naked, found in Montanito. 85 00:06:31,706 --> 00:06:33,146 Speaker 6: So I think you guys should head out there. 86 00:06:33,726 --> 00:06:37,966 Speaker 1: She let the family know. Mitrice's aunt called Lieutenant Rawson, 87 00:06:38,346 --> 00:06:39,586 Speaker 1: one of the homicide detectives. 88 00:06:40,806 --> 00:06:42,616 Speaker 6: She called the detective to say, hey, this is what 89 00:06:42,656 --> 00:06:46,556 Speaker 6: we are hearing, that there's, you know, partially mummified remains. 90 00:06:47,056 --> 00:06:51,416 Speaker 6: And she spoke to Lieutenant Rawson, who said, no, no, no, 91 00:06:51,476 --> 00:06:54,116 Speaker 6: there's just a couple of bones. It's not complete. There's 92 00:06:54,136 --> 00:06:55,696 Speaker 6: just a few bones. We don't even know. You guys 93 00:06:55,716 --> 00:06:58,796 Speaker 6: don't need to come out, which alerted us to come out. 94 00:07:00,166 --> 00:07:03,266 Speaker 1: Now that there was a body in the Sheriff's Department's jurisdiction, 95 00:07:03,746 --> 00:07:07,866 Speaker 1: they took over from the LAPD. the sheriff set up 96 00:07:07,886 --> 00:07:10,906 Speaker 1: a command post at a large ranch overlooking Dark Canyon. 97 00:07:12,306 --> 00:07:14,886 Speaker 1: It's known as the Porn Ranch because they shoot a 98 00:07:14,926 --> 00:07:18,286 Speaker 1: lot of porn out there. It has a long driveway 99 00:07:18,326 --> 00:07:20,386 Speaker 1: that runs along one side of Dark Canyon. 100 00:07:21,726 --> 00:07:25,566 Speaker 6: So we get out there. The media's there. It's like 101 00:07:26,346 --> 00:07:30,176 Speaker 6: a media frenzy. Like, clearly something has been found. 102 00:07:30,656 --> 00:07:32,376 Speaker 1: But they couldn't get access to the site. 103 00:07:33,056 --> 00:07:34,776 Speaker 6: Like, they only let us go so far, so we 104 00:07:34,816 --> 00:07:37,726 Speaker 6: didn't know where... her remains were. We just know it 105 00:07:37,766 --> 00:07:40,936 Speaker 6: was somewhere around there. And eventually they told us, you know, 106 00:07:41,256 --> 00:07:43,076 Speaker 6: after a few hours, it's getting dark. You guys should 107 00:07:43,096 --> 00:07:45,956 Speaker 6: just go home. We're probably just going to lift her 108 00:07:45,996 --> 00:07:49,956 Speaker 6: remains in the morning and you guys can just leave. 109 00:07:50,536 --> 00:07:52,616 Speaker 6: I felt like they were waiting us out because we 110 00:07:52,636 --> 00:07:53,236 Speaker 6: just wouldn't leave. 111 00:07:53,796 --> 00:07:56,856 Speaker 1: Finally, as the sun was setting, they saw a helicopter 112 00:07:56,896 --> 00:08:00,726 Speaker 1: leaving Dark Canyon and heading for Lost Hill Station. Apparently 113 00:08:00,746 --> 00:08:01,926 Speaker 1: there'd been a change of plans. 114 00:08:02,706 --> 00:08:05,326 Speaker 6: And then to shock us, looked up and said, hey, look, 115 00:08:05,366 --> 00:08:06,286 Speaker 6: I bet you that's her. 116 00:08:06,866 --> 00:08:08,976 Speaker 1: When they got to the station, there was a briefing. 117 00:08:09,796 --> 00:08:12,276 Speaker 6: And they told us, we don't know if it's male 118 00:08:12,316 --> 00:08:15,596 Speaker 6: or female. We don't know the race of the person. 119 00:08:15,756 --> 00:08:21,676 Speaker 6: We don't know that much details about anything. And that's 120 00:08:21,716 --> 00:08:23,096 Speaker 6: all they would actually tell us. 121 00:08:24,056 --> 00:08:27,756 Speaker 1: Two days later, the assistant chief coroner, Ed Winter, called 122 00:08:27,796 --> 00:08:30,056 Speaker 1: to confirm that the remains belonged to Mitrice. 123 00:08:31,096 --> 00:08:32,656 Speaker 6: So we were kind of just waiting for the phone 124 00:08:32,676 --> 00:08:36,566 Speaker 6: call And we knew it was her. I mean, the 125 00:08:36,586 --> 00:08:41,366 Speaker 6: way that they were acting, we believed that they knew 126 00:08:41,406 --> 00:08:41,906 Speaker 6: who it was. 127 00:08:44,236 --> 00:08:47,056 Speaker 1: This was the horrible news Mitrice's friends and family had 128 00:08:47,076 --> 00:08:51,316 Speaker 1: been waiting for. They'd looked everywhere for her. But all along, 129 00:08:51,356 --> 00:08:54,076 Speaker 1: she'd been in Dark Canyon, about a mile from where 130 00:08:54,136 --> 00:08:57,226 Speaker 1: she was last seen at the tennis courthouse on Cold 131 00:08:57,236 --> 00:09:02,916 Speaker 1: Canyon Road. Now, presumably, a new investigation would begin. this 132 00:09:02,996 --> 00:09:07,326 Speaker 1: time led by the sheriff's department. And presumably, someone would 133 00:09:07,366 --> 00:09:12,626 Speaker 1: be held accountable for Mitrice's death. But that's not what happened. 134 00:09:13,866 --> 00:09:17,226 Speaker 6: So then they had a press conference and said it 135 00:09:17,266 --> 00:09:20,306 Speaker 6: was her and proceeded to say we're not likely to 136 00:09:20,346 --> 00:09:22,706 Speaker 6: ever know what happened to her during that press conference. 137 00:09:23,146 --> 00:09:25,806 Speaker 4: It's likely that we can never find out exactly how 138 00:09:25,866 --> 00:09:27,966 Speaker 4: she got there, but they're going to do their very 139 00:09:28,006 --> 00:09:28,926 Speaker 4: best to figure it out. 140 00:09:28,946 --> 00:09:32,546 Speaker 1: This attitude... We'll never know what happened. It's impossible to 141 00:09:32,596 --> 00:09:36,996 Speaker 1: find out. It's not what the public expects from investigators 142 00:09:37,116 --> 00:09:43,376 Speaker 1: responsible for solving crimes. But the autopsy, conducted on August 11th, 143 00:09:43,776 --> 00:09:47,976 Speaker 1: two days after the remains were found, had discovered no trauma. 144 00:09:49,136 --> 00:09:53,786 Speaker 1: Mitrice's cause of death was ruled undetermined. And because it 145 00:09:53,826 --> 00:09:58,416 Speaker 1: was not ruled a homicide, the Sheriff's Department apparently settled 146 00:09:58,496 --> 00:10:02,366 Speaker 1: on the only explanation that made sense to them, that Mitrice, 147 00:10:02,786 --> 00:10:06,056 Speaker 1: in the midst of a bipolar episode, had walked into 148 00:10:06,096 --> 00:10:11,916 Speaker 1: the canyon on her own and died. But for many reasons, 149 00:10:12,176 --> 00:10:14,556 Speaker 1: her friends and family had a hard time believing that. 150 00:10:15,336 --> 00:10:18,806 Speaker 1: They didn't believe the autopsy. They didn't think the coroner 151 00:10:18,886 --> 00:10:22,586 Speaker 1: had the full picture. They thought the sheriff's department had 152 00:10:22,646 --> 00:10:26,806 Speaker 1: intentionally botched the recovery of Mitrice's remains so that the 153 00:10:26,846 --> 00:10:31,816 Speaker 1: case could not be solved. They didn't even believe the 154 00:10:31,836 --> 00:10:35,216 Speaker 1: story of how the remains were discovered, because no one 155 00:10:35,256 --> 00:10:37,896 Speaker 1: would tell them who these rangers were who had stumbled 156 00:10:37,956 --> 00:10:42,466 Speaker 1: across my trees. We thought that was curious, too. The 157 00:10:42,526 --> 00:10:47,106 Speaker 1: information released about the discovery was so minimal. We filed 158 00:10:47,186 --> 00:10:50,886 Speaker 1: Public Records Act's requests with California State Parks and the 159 00:10:50,926 --> 00:10:55,426 Speaker 1: Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, the two agencies listed in 160 00:10:55,466 --> 00:10:58,926 Speaker 1: the report whose rangers made the discovery. And we got 161 00:10:59,006 --> 00:11:03,286 Speaker 1: a very strange reply. Both agencies claim to have no 162 00:11:03,386 --> 00:11:07,266 Speaker 1: records related to the discovery. Nothing connected to the search 163 00:11:07,306 --> 00:11:12,976 Speaker 1: words Mitrice Richardson, remains, cannabis, or Dark Canyon. No records 164 00:11:13,026 --> 00:11:16,076 Speaker 1: at all of the operation in which they originally disrupted 165 00:11:16,116 --> 00:11:19,996 Speaker 1: the grow in July 2009. And no records of what 166 00:11:20,036 --> 00:11:24,326 Speaker 1: happened when they went back to check it on August 9, 167 00:11:24,326 --> 00:11:29,376 Speaker 1: 2010 and unexpectedly discovered human remains. and they refused to 168 00:11:29,436 --> 00:11:33,276 Speaker 1: make anyone available for an interview to explain how such 169 00:11:33,296 --> 00:11:38,176 Speaker 1: a lapse was possible. But that bizarre and inexplicable lack 170 00:11:38,196 --> 00:11:42,636 Speaker 1: of information about the circumstances of the discovery, it would 171 00:11:42,676 --> 00:11:45,356 Speaker 1: be lost in the chaos that was about to engulf 172 00:11:45,596 --> 00:12:02,686 Speaker 1: the Mitrice-Richardson investigation. Michael Richardson, Mitrice's father, was 300 miles 173 00:12:02,756 --> 00:12:06,526 Speaker 1: away when Mitrice's remains were found. He was attending a 174 00:12:06,566 --> 00:12:11,546 Speaker 1: press conference about recent alleged sightings of Mitrice in Las Vegas, Nevada. 175 00:12:12,786 --> 00:12:14,966 Speaker 1: And he does not think that was a coincidence. 176 00:12:16,186 --> 00:12:19,546 Speaker 5: I just knew it was a deviation plot to get 177 00:12:19,626 --> 00:12:21,766 Speaker 5: us out to Vegas so they can do what they did. 178 00:12:22,736 --> 00:12:26,146 Speaker 1: He thinks law enforcement deliberately sent him to Las Vegas 179 00:12:26,386 --> 00:12:28,886 Speaker 1: so he'd be out of the way when they purposely 180 00:12:29,046 --> 00:12:30,586 Speaker 1: contaminated the evidence scene. 181 00:12:31,426 --> 00:12:35,056 Speaker 5: So they, you know, Lee Baca said, well, it was 182 00:12:35,096 --> 00:12:38,576 Speaker 5: getting dark and we had officers out there and they 183 00:12:38,616 --> 00:12:42,556 Speaker 5: have wildlife. And so we had to hurry up and 184 00:12:42,796 --> 00:12:45,866 Speaker 5: clean up the crime scene and leave. They did a 185 00:12:45,946 --> 00:12:48,986 Speaker 5: botched up job anyway by sweeping her remains in a 186 00:12:49,026 --> 00:12:52,466 Speaker 5: plastic bag, flying it out before the coroner got there 187 00:12:52,506 --> 00:12:57,236 Speaker 5: to make the call, which contaminated the crime scene. And 188 00:12:57,376 --> 00:13:00,476 Speaker 5: by them tampering with it, we don't know if Mike 189 00:13:00,516 --> 00:13:05,476 Speaker 5: Treese was killed elsewhere and dumped there because they botched 190 00:13:05,556 --> 00:13:06,256 Speaker 5: up the crime scene. 191 00:13:07,756 --> 00:13:11,286 Speaker 1: If this seems like an elaborate conspiracy theory, I get it. 192 00:13:12,066 --> 00:13:15,966 Speaker 1: I'm not convinced by Michael's version of events. But considering 193 00:13:16,106 --> 00:13:19,446 Speaker 1: everything that happened with Mitrice's remains, I understand how he 194 00:13:19,506 --> 00:13:24,596 Speaker 1: arrived at it. According to an official timeline, Mitrice's remains 195 00:13:24,636 --> 00:13:28,756 Speaker 1: were discovered by the Rangers at 1 p.m. A few 196 00:13:28,796 --> 00:13:34,056 Speaker 1: hours later, LASD homicide detectives Dan McElderry and Kevin Acevedo, 197 00:13:34,576 --> 00:13:37,606 Speaker 1: along with Sergeant Tui Wright and other Malibu search and 198 00:13:37,646 --> 00:13:42,086 Speaker 1: rescue personnel, were lowered by helicopter to the spot. One 199 00:13:42,126 --> 00:13:45,116 Speaker 1: detective observed the skull, a leg, and a pelvic bone 200 00:13:45,476 --> 00:13:49,236 Speaker 1: in a depression covered in leaves. The detectives also saw 201 00:13:49,276 --> 00:13:52,156 Speaker 1: the clothing, which the rangers had found, a few hundred 202 00:13:52,176 --> 00:13:56,516 Speaker 1: feet down the drainage. Then the rangers hiked out, and 203 00:13:56,556 --> 00:14:00,876 Speaker 1: everyone else waited for the coroner's team to arrive. They 204 00:14:00,916 --> 00:14:06,606 Speaker 1: waited and waited, but the coroner's team never came, because 205 00:14:06,646 --> 00:14:09,146 Speaker 1: the helicopter that was supposed to bring them in was 206 00:14:09,186 --> 00:14:15,466 Speaker 1: diverted twice. both times to rescue stranded teenage hikers. The 207 00:14:15,506 --> 00:14:18,386 Speaker 1: helicopter had just enough fuel to extract the teen that 208 00:14:18,426 --> 00:14:21,796 Speaker 1: was already on the ground, and just enough time. The 209 00:14:21,856 --> 00:14:24,816 Speaker 1: sun was setting, and it was too dangerous to attempt 210 00:14:24,936 --> 00:14:28,576 Speaker 1: an extraction in the dark. The deputies at the site 211 00:14:28,636 --> 00:14:31,496 Speaker 1: were faced with a dilemma. Leave the remains for the 212 00:14:31,556 --> 00:14:34,746 Speaker 1: coroner to examine in place the next day, or bring 213 00:14:34,766 --> 00:14:37,146 Speaker 1: them out on the last helicopter flight of the day. 214 00:14:38,276 --> 00:14:41,016 Speaker 1: No one was prepared to stay overnight in Dark Canyon 215 00:14:41,136 --> 00:14:44,616 Speaker 1: guarding the bones. The site was infested with fire ants, 216 00:14:44,936 --> 00:14:48,676 Speaker 1: venomous spiders, and poison oak. And they had no supplies. 217 00:14:50,396 --> 00:14:52,736 Speaker 4: And, you know, it was a remote area. 218 00:14:53,396 --> 00:14:54,476 Speaker 1: Sergeant Tui Wright. 219 00:14:55,056 --> 00:14:57,896 Speaker 4: There was no way to sleep there. And no way 220 00:14:58,036 --> 00:15:01,036 Speaker 4: to be prepared to stand up, stand all night. And 221 00:15:01,076 --> 00:15:02,416 Speaker 4: no need to, quite frankly. 222 00:15:03,216 --> 00:15:07,516 Speaker 1: Detective McElderry argued that leaving the remains overnight was unacceptable. 223 00:15:08,386 --> 00:15:11,366 Speaker 1: He didn't want to risk their being disturbed by animals 224 00:15:11,686 --> 00:15:14,666 Speaker 1: or even by a potential perpetrator who could have observed 225 00:15:14,736 --> 00:15:18,916 Speaker 1: the police activity in the canyon. He called the command 226 00:15:18,956 --> 00:15:23,056 Speaker 1: post and spoke to a coroner captain. Eventually, the coroner 227 00:15:23,096 --> 00:15:25,716 Speaker 1: captain agreed they could bring out the bones they'd found, 228 00:15:26,316 --> 00:15:30,436 Speaker 1: the skull, a leg bone, and the pelvis. But when 229 00:15:30,476 --> 00:15:32,936 Speaker 1: the search and rescue team lifted the skull from the 230 00:15:32,976 --> 00:15:36,196 Speaker 1: leafy ground, they found it was attached to a nearly 231 00:15:36,316 --> 00:15:40,956 Speaker 1: complete human skeleton. They put the skeleton on a plastic 232 00:15:40,996 --> 00:15:45,336 Speaker 1: sheet in a body bag, along with the clothing, matrices, jeans, bra, 233 00:15:45,416 --> 00:15:45,796 Speaker 1: and belt. 234 00:15:46,976 --> 00:15:51,476 Speaker 4: McElderry called back, and that's when some idiot at the 235 00:15:51,536 --> 00:15:55,596 Speaker 4: command post on the corner side said, oh, then put 236 00:15:55,636 --> 00:15:58,376 Speaker 4: her back. And I said, no, we don't do that. 237 00:15:58,916 --> 00:16:01,106 Speaker 4: We're not going to pretend like we didn't move the bones. 238 00:16:02,086 --> 00:16:06,716 Speaker 4: And it was a done deal at that point. You know, 239 00:16:06,736 --> 00:16:10,476 Speaker 4: it was controversial because the coroner did give permission. I 240 00:16:11,416 --> 00:16:14,256 Speaker 4: was there. I was a witness to that. On the end, 241 00:16:15,416 --> 00:16:17,236 Speaker 4: on the Dark Canyon side, and of course there were 242 00:16:17,276 --> 00:16:19,016 Speaker 4: witnesses at the command post also. 243 00:16:20,056 --> 00:16:24,296 Speaker 1: Ed Winter, the assistant chief coroner, was incensed. He said 244 00:16:24,756 --> 00:16:27,736 Speaker 1: no one had his permission to move an entire skeleton, 245 00:16:28,316 --> 00:16:31,796 Speaker 1: and he publicly accused the sheriff's department of compromising his 246 00:16:31,896 --> 00:16:36,206 Speaker 1: evidence scene. He even suggested the sheriff's department might have 247 00:16:36,246 --> 00:16:36,986 Speaker 1: broken the law. 248 00:16:38,186 --> 00:16:41,146 Speaker 3: Under the law, the coroners ultimately have the authority to 249 00:16:41,186 --> 00:16:44,026 Speaker 3: decide how remains are going to be removed that are discovered. 250 00:16:44,606 --> 00:16:45,706 Speaker 3: There's no question about that. 251 00:16:46,706 --> 00:16:47,966 Speaker 1: This is Michael Giannacco. 252 00:16:48,866 --> 00:16:52,836 Speaker 3: But in reality, the coroner's office doesn't have the wherewithal 253 00:16:52,866 --> 00:16:55,056 Speaker 3: to make some of the rescues and recoveries that need 254 00:16:55,076 --> 00:16:59,716 Speaker 3: to be done. And in those cases, almost always they 255 00:16:59,736 --> 00:17:04,456 Speaker 3: request rescues. search and rescue, and other law enforcement agencies 256 00:17:04,496 --> 00:17:06,736 Speaker 3: to assist in removing remains. 257 00:17:07,836 --> 00:17:12,096 Speaker 1: He's an expert in law enforcement procedures, policies, and officer wrongdoing. 258 00:17:12,956 --> 00:17:14,936 Speaker 1: It was his job to figure out if the sheriff's 259 00:17:14,976 --> 00:17:21,056 Speaker 1: department had acted improperly by removing Mitrice's bones. You've looked 260 00:17:21,156 --> 00:17:25,396 Speaker 1: at probably thousands of cases of police misconduct? 261 00:17:26,016 --> 00:17:29,666 Speaker 3: Certainly in getting close to a thousand, if not surpassing 262 00:17:29,706 --> 00:17:30,776 Speaker 3: that number over the years. 263 00:17:32,446 --> 00:17:36,006 Speaker 1: Does this case stand out for you for any reason? 264 00:17:38,526 --> 00:17:44,026 Speaker 3: The unique set of circumstances, for sure. The tragic outcome, 265 00:17:44,716 --> 00:17:50,916 Speaker 3: for sure. The unanswered questions, for sure. 266 00:17:52,396 --> 00:17:55,456 Speaker 1: In 2012, Janako produced a report for the Office of 267 00:17:55,536 --> 00:17:59,336 Speaker 1: Independent Review, which oversees the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. 268 00:18:00,826 --> 00:18:04,746 Speaker 3: It was extraordinary, the degree of disconnect in this case. 269 00:18:06,566 --> 00:18:11,056 Speaker 3: Some of it's explainable by the unusual circumstances, but it 270 00:18:11,116 --> 00:18:12,656 Speaker 3: was a significant disconnect. 271 00:18:13,516 --> 00:18:20,576 Speaker 1: And the unusual circumstances that you referred to are what? 272 00:18:20,656 --> 00:18:24,836 Speaker 3: The time of day, the remoteness of the location, the 273 00:18:24,906 --> 00:18:29,666 Speaker 3: inability to effectively communicate on the cell phones. There was 274 00:18:29,726 --> 00:18:32,736 Speaker 3: also some issues with regard to who was in charge 275 00:18:32,776 --> 00:18:35,716 Speaker 3: of the coroner's team, which I think created some issues 276 00:18:35,736 --> 00:18:36,696 Speaker 3: for the Sheriff's Department. 277 00:18:37,616 --> 00:18:40,576 Speaker 1: Donaco and his staff reviewed all the materials related to 278 00:18:40,596 --> 00:18:43,956 Speaker 1: the recovery. He even hiked to the remains site to 279 00:18:43,996 --> 00:18:47,796 Speaker 1: see it for himself. He's still not sure exactly what happened, 280 00:18:48,356 --> 00:18:50,726 Speaker 1: but he doesn't believe it was police misconduct. 281 00:18:51,926 --> 00:18:55,326 Speaker 3: And as indicated in the report, there was some communication 282 00:18:55,346 --> 00:18:58,246 Speaker 3: with the coroners. The coroners went back and forth and 283 00:19:00,036 --> 00:19:02,266 Speaker 3: It's hard to figure out, you know, exactly what happened, 284 00:19:02,526 --> 00:19:07,866 Speaker 3: but the decision was made by Homicide to remove the 285 00:19:07,906 --> 00:19:10,866 Speaker 3: remains as it was getting dark, and they felt like 286 00:19:10,886 --> 00:19:11,746 Speaker 3: they needed to do that. 287 00:19:13,256 --> 00:19:15,776 Speaker 1: Janaka was able to determine that the removal of the 288 00:19:15,836 --> 00:19:19,816 Speaker 1: remains didn't influence the outcome of the autopsy. The harm 289 00:19:19,856 --> 00:19:22,756 Speaker 1: was in the relationship with the family and public perception. 290 00:19:23,966 --> 00:19:25,366 Speaker 1: And that harm was significant. 291 00:19:27,106 --> 00:19:29,506 Speaker 3: And the reason that we write about it. And the 292 00:19:29,546 --> 00:19:33,476 Speaker 3: reason that it's so unfortunate is because any missteps by 293 00:19:33,516 --> 00:19:36,976 Speaker 3: law enforcement in these kinds of cases, even then when 294 00:19:37,016 --> 00:19:38,596 Speaker 3: all is said and done, it might not have made 295 00:19:38,616 --> 00:19:44,346 Speaker 3: a difference to the eventual outcome. It does create distrust 296 00:19:44,966 --> 00:19:47,426 Speaker 3: by those who are most impacted by what's going on, 297 00:19:47,526 --> 00:19:50,826 Speaker 3: family members and others. And certainly the back and forth 298 00:19:50,846 --> 00:19:54,236 Speaker 3: thing between those two agencies did not create an element 299 00:19:54,246 --> 00:19:58,256 Speaker 3: of trust in the capability of the law enforcement agencies 300 00:19:58,336 --> 00:19:59,496 Speaker 3: in recovering her remains. 301 00:20:00,726 --> 00:20:05,246 Speaker 1: And there was more. After the autopsy, the coroner accidentally 302 00:20:05,306 --> 00:20:09,206 Speaker 1: released Mitrice's clothing to the funeral home. The clothes were 303 00:20:09,246 --> 00:20:11,706 Speaker 1: discovered in the body bag with her remains on the 304 00:20:11,746 --> 00:20:12,586 Speaker 1: day of her funeral. 305 00:20:13,646 --> 00:20:16,086 Speaker 3: That was also a mess. That's a legal term, by 306 00:20:16,126 --> 00:20:23,506 Speaker 3: the way. But, yeah. Releasing the clothes to the family 307 00:20:23,646 --> 00:20:25,906 Speaker 3: or for the family discovering that the clothes were still 308 00:20:25,946 --> 00:20:30,636 Speaker 3: with her remains was wrong. I think there was a 309 00:20:30,676 --> 00:20:34,536 Speaker 3: recognition that the clothing needed to be transferred over to 310 00:20:34,596 --> 00:20:36,776 Speaker 3: an investigative agency, and I think eventually it was. 311 00:20:38,076 --> 00:20:40,176 Speaker 1: But that certainly would have led the family to feel 312 00:20:40,196 --> 00:20:45,506 Speaker 1: that the whole process and investigation and inquiry hadn't been 313 00:20:45,546 --> 00:20:46,426 Speaker 1: handled carefully. 314 00:20:46,906 --> 00:20:47,586 Speaker 3: That is correct. 315 00:20:49,026 --> 00:20:52,106 Speaker 1: And yet, in spite of everything, Janako has never doubted 316 00:20:52,176 --> 00:20:55,756 Speaker 1: the core contention of law enforcement, that Mitrice was not 317 00:20:55,856 --> 00:20:58,496 Speaker 1: a victim of homicide, and that she made her way 318 00:20:58,636 --> 00:21:01,916 Speaker 1: into Dark Canyon on her own. Can you tell me 319 00:21:01,956 --> 00:21:02,656 Speaker 1: why you think that? 320 00:21:03,236 --> 00:21:05,296 Speaker 3: Because I don't have any other explanation for how she 321 00:21:05,316 --> 00:21:08,726 Speaker 3: got up there. She got tired, she was disoriented, she 322 00:21:08,766 --> 00:21:11,086 Speaker 3: couldn't find a way out, and she expired as a 323 00:21:11,126 --> 00:21:17,086 Speaker 3: result of probably lack of water or food or both. 324 00:21:17,606 --> 00:21:21,576 Speaker 3: Certainly the Allegations that I've heard over the years that 325 00:21:21,796 --> 00:21:25,796 Speaker 3: deputies were involved in her demise, there's absolutely not one 326 00:21:25,816 --> 00:21:27,596 Speaker 3: shred of evidence to support that theory. 327 00:21:29,636 --> 00:21:32,976 Speaker 1: But just as Mitrice's family didn't think she walked six 328 00:21:33,036 --> 00:21:37,076 Speaker 1: miles to Montanito from Lost Hills Station, they certainly didn't 329 00:21:37,116 --> 00:21:40,056 Speaker 1: think she climbed up into Dark Canyon on her own. 330 00:21:41,636 --> 00:21:44,736 Speaker 1: And when they went into Dark Canyon themselves, they knew 331 00:21:44,776 --> 00:22:02,016 Speaker 1: it for sure. When the coroner's team finally made it 332 00:22:02,076 --> 00:22:05,096 Speaker 1: to the site of Mitrice's remains, more than two weeks 333 00:22:05,316 --> 00:22:10,296 Speaker 1: after the initial discovery, they retrieved several additional bones. The 334 00:22:10,336 --> 00:22:14,596 Speaker 1: sheriff's department, working hastily against the dying light, had missed them. 335 00:22:15,886 --> 00:22:20,966 Speaker 1: Michael Richardson was outraged, and he did something outrageous. He 336 00:22:21,026 --> 00:22:24,046 Speaker 1: sent a box of chicken bones to Sheriff Lee Baca. 337 00:22:24,606 --> 00:22:27,406 Speaker 1: He called it his bone-to-pick campaign. 338 00:22:28,806 --> 00:22:29,086 Speaker 4: So. 339 00:22:29,966 --> 00:22:35,166 Speaker 5: The way that they took my tree's remains and just 340 00:22:35,466 --> 00:22:38,206 Speaker 5: boxed them up and threw them in a plastic bag. 341 00:22:40,066 --> 00:22:43,586 Speaker 5: We went to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffle and the bones 342 00:22:43,686 --> 00:22:47,446 Speaker 5: that was left remaining, we put them in a box 343 00:22:47,506 --> 00:22:50,886 Speaker 5: and mailed them to Baca and says, imagine if this 344 00:22:50,966 --> 00:22:54,286 Speaker 5: was your kid that was swept up and put in 345 00:22:54,326 --> 00:22:55,206 Speaker 5: a box like this. 346 00:22:57,156 --> 00:23:00,656 Speaker 1: Even after the coroner's team searched Dark Canyon, there were 347 00:23:00,696 --> 00:23:05,016 Speaker 1: still bones missing. Matrice's friends and family wanted to do 348 00:23:05,296 --> 00:23:06,376 Speaker 1: their own recovery. 349 00:23:07,236 --> 00:23:11,586 Speaker 6: So we had wanted to go hike back into the site. 350 00:23:11,886 --> 00:23:13,226 Speaker 1: Dr. Rhonda Hampton again. 351 00:23:14,126 --> 00:23:17,646 Speaker 6: So finally, I called Lee Baca, and so we have 352 00:23:17,686 --> 00:23:23,346 Speaker 6: a meeting, and he says to his commanding staff, I 353 00:23:23,366 --> 00:23:25,326 Speaker 6: don't understand why we can't just let the family know. 354 00:23:25,896 --> 00:23:28,166 Speaker 6: And then he says, No, better yet, I want the 355 00:23:28,206 --> 00:23:30,226 Speaker 6: search and rescue team to hike the family in there 356 00:23:30,866 --> 00:23:34,306 Speaker 6: so that they can, you know, you know, feel where 357 00:23:34,346 --> 00:23:37,846 Speaker 6: she was and, you know, kind of have their memorial. 358 00:23:38,826 --> 00:23:42,676 Speaker 1: In November of 2010, three months after Mitrice was found, 359 00:23:43,066 --> 00:23:47,196 Speaker 1: her mother, her aunt, Dr. Hampton, and Clea Coff, an 360 00:23:47,276 --> 00:23:51,436 Speaker 1: independent forensic anthropologist who was working with the family, hiked 361 00:23:51,536 --> 00:23:55,896 Speaker 1: up Dark Canyon. They were escorted by Sergeant Wright from 362 00:23:55,936 --> 00:23:58,656 Speaker 1: Malibu Search and Rescue and several members of his team. 363 00:23:59,496 --> 00:24:02,376 Speaker 1: It was a grueling hike. At one point, they had 364 00:24:02,416 --> 00:24:05,716 Speaker 1: to put on harnesses and belay up a sheer rock face. 365 00:24:06,376 --> 00:24:10,626 Speaker 6: They had equipment on us and everything, and it was overgrown, 366 00:24:10,666 --> 00:24:14,126 Speaker 6: so they would hack through the poison oak and whatever 367 00:24:14,146 --> 00:24:16,306 Speaker 6: when we needed to go over boulders. 368 00:24:16,806 --> 00:24:19,886 Speaker 1: There wasn't a chance, they thought, Mitrice had come this way. 369 00:24:20,526 --> 00:24:24,386 Speaker 1: She was a suburban girl. in vans, who had asthma. 370 00:24:25,546 --> 00:24:28,216 Speaker 1: It took them several hours to reach the site, in 371 00:24:28,246 --> 00:24:33,016 Speaker 1: a depression about 40 feet off the creek bed. Looking around, Dr. 372 00:24:33,056 --> 00:24:37,176 Speaker 1: Hampton felt a rush of anger. People had been there. 373 00:24:38,016 --> 00:24:41,296 Speaker 1: There were metal irrigation pipes related to the marijuana grow, 374 00:24:41,716 --> 00:24:43,056 Speaker 1: and there was a ton of trash. 375 00:24:43,916 --> 00:24:47,516 Speaker 6: When we were down there, there were food wrappers. Certainly 376 00:24:47,556 --> 00:24:51,126 Speaker 6: the marijuana grow had all their equipment down there. I 377 00:24:51,146 --> 00:24:53,046 Speaker 6: didn't want to touch it because I thought, oh, I'm 378 00:24:53,066 --> 00:24:54,866 Speaker 6: going to tell the detectives about this so they can 379 00:24:54,886 --> 00:24:55,516 Speaker 6: come and look at it. 380 00:24:56,366 --> 00:24:58,686 Speaker 1: There was no way the growers would have carried all 381 00:24:58,746 --> 00:25:02,746 Speaker 1: that stuff up the creek bed. Clearly, there was another 382 00:25:02,786 --> 00:25:03,216 Speaker 1: way in. 383 00:25:03,236 --> 00:25:07,056 Speaker 6: I don't believe that they would access all that equipment 384 00:25:07,096 --> 00:25:08,776 Speaker 6: through the creek bed the way that they took us. 385 00:25:08,856 --> 00:25:11,556 Speaker 6: I think there's a much easier, and probably more than one, 386 00:25:11,916 --> 00:25:13,076 Speaker 6: much easier way to get there. 387 00:25:13,716 --> 00:25:17,476 Speaker 1: But how would Mitrice, stumbling around in the dark, have 388 00:25:17,616 --> 00:25:21,356 Speaker 1: found that way in? unless she was taken there by 389 00:25:21,436 --> 00:25:27,776 Speaker 1: someone who knew the trails. Clea Coff, the forensic anthropologist, 390 00:25:27,996 --> 00:25:31,616 Speaker 1: had worked in Rwanda after the genocide, helping to exhume 391 00:25:31,696 --> 00:25:35,466 Speaker 1: victims and look for evidence of war crimes. She was 392 00:25:35,536 --> 00:25:39,966 Speaker 1: trained in finding and identifying small bone fragments. That's why 393 00:25:40,006 --> 00:25:42,886 Speaker 1: the family wanted her there. They wanted to find the 394 00:25:42,946 --> 00:25:44,406 Speaker 1: rest of Mitrice's bones. 395 00:25:45,686 --> 00:25:49,926 Speaker 6: When we were down there, I had already had... arranged 396 00:25:50,006 --> 00:25:53,906 Speaker 6: for Clea to show me how to search for bones. 397 00:25:54,626 --> 00:25:57,026 Speaker 1: Dr. Hampton started sifting through the leaves. 398 00:25:58,146 --> 00:26:00,736 Speaker 6: I was mimicking her hand movements, and as soon as 399 00:26:01,346 --> 00:26:04,036 Speaker 6: I did that, like that, then there was a bone 400 00:26:04,056 --> 00:26:07,676 Speaker 6: right there. She looked at me like, like shocked that 401 00:26:08,216 --> 00:26:10,656 Speaker 6: it was just that bone that was right there. And 402 00:26:10,676 --> 00:26:13,576 Speaker 6: then she had to alert Tui that we found a bone, 403 00:26:13,616 --> 00:26:15,036 Speaker 6: and then that was it. We had to, they had 404 00:26:15,056 --> 00:26:17,786 Speaker 6: to airlift us out of there. What bone did it 405 00:26:17,826 --> 00:26:20,166 Speaker 6: turn out to be? It turned out to be her 406 00:26:20,226 --> 00:26:20,746 Speaker 6: finger bone. 407 00:26:25,806 --> 00:26:29,826 Speaker 1: A few months later, in February of 2011, the coroner's 408 00:26:29,886 --> 00:26:32,416 Speaker 1: team went into Dark Canyon for a final sweep. 409 00:26:33,216 --> 00:26:37,796 Speaker 7: I went out there with the, it's called the SORT team, 410 00:26:38,256 --> 00:26:40,676 Speaker 7: Special Operations Recovery Team. 411 00:26:41,096 --> 00:26:44,896 Speaker 1: This is Dr. Lisa Scheinen, the forensic pathologist who performed 412 00:26:44,956 --> 00:26:46,456 Speaker 1: the autopsy on Mitrice. 413 00:26:46,946 --> 00:26:49,706 Speaker 7: They wanted to go back one more time, that I 414 00:26:49,766 --> 00:26:53,206 Speaker 7: went out with the investigators on this team. 415 00:26:53,806 --> 00:26:56,366 Speaker 1: Rather than hike up the creek bed, the SORT team 416 00:26:56,586 --> 00:26:58,686 Speaker 1: was lowered into the canyon by helicopter. 417 00:26:59,246 --> 00:27:02,006 Speaker 7: My heart was in my throat the whole time because 418 00:27:02,046 --> 00:27:07,606 Speaker 7: you were just attached to this line that they had 419 00:27:07,846 --> 00:27:11,896 Speaker 7: running down from the 1,000 feet or however many feet 420 00:27:11,936 --> 00:27:15,126 Speaker 7: it was from the helicopter into the canyon. and you 421 00:27:15,166 --> 00:27:17,346 Speaker 7: were held on with a carabiner, which is like a 422 00:27:17,436 --> 00:27:19,756 Speaker 7: big clip, and that's the only thing really holding you 423 00:27:19,936 --> 00:27:21,456 Speaker 7: on there. And I'm going, oh my God, this thing 424 00:27:21,476 --> 00:27:22,376 Speaker 7: better not come loose. 425 00:27:22,936 --> 00:27:24,496 Speaker 1: The terrain was forbidding. 426 00:27:24,516 --> 00:27:31,726 Speaker 7: It was not pretty. It was extremely overgrown, very irregular terrain. 427 00:27:31,946 --> 00:27:36,986 Speaker 7: It's not a good place for hiking trails. It felt 428 00:27:37,026 --> 00:27:40,806 Speaker 7: kind of claustrophobic, the way there was so much foliage, 429 00:27:41,186 --> 00:27:44,886 Speaker 7: and it was so dense was that, yeah, you were 430 00:27:44,946 --> 00:27:46,366 Speaker 7: feeling kind of hemmed in. 431 00:27:47,306 --> 00:27:50,176 Speaker 1: And were you successful in finding any more remains on 432 00:27:50,216 --> 00:27:50,976 Speaker 1: that trip? 433 00:27:51,196 --> 00:27:51,516 Speaker 4: We did. 434 00:27:51,556 --> 00:27:56,496 Speaker 7: We found several additional remains, mostly small bones. We don't 435 00:27:56,556 --> 00:27:59,936 Speaker 7: really know exactly if they were where the whole body was. 436 00:28:00,136 --> 00:28:04,066 Speaker 7: They're probably close, but they could have been washed downstream. Dr. 437 00:28:04,126 --> 00:28:07,666 Speaker 1: Scheinen and the SORT team collected eight additional bone fragments 438 00:28:07,706 --> 00:28:13,426 Speaker 1: that day. But one important bone was still missing, arguably 439 00:28:13,686 --> 00:28:17,746 Speaker 1: the most important bone, the hyoid, the bone in the 440 00:28:17,806 --> 00:28:23,136 Speaker 1: throat that often breaks during strangulation. There was no trauma 441 00:28:23,196 --> 00:28:26,896 Speaker 1: to Mitrice's skull, no sign of gunshot wound or stabbing. 442 00:28:27,936 --> 00:28:30,816 Speaker 1: That tiny bone could be the one piece of forensic 443 00:28:30,936 --> 00:28:34,696 Speaker 1: evidence that would change her cause of death from undetermined 444 00:28:35,156 --> 00:28:43,566 Speaker 1: to homicide. But the coroner's didn't find it Sergeant Tuohy-Wrights 445 00:28:43,606 --> 00:28:47,876 Speaker 1: had many opportunities to think about Mitrice's death. He visited 446 00:28:47,916 --> 00:28:52,276 Speaker 1: the site numerous times. Back then, he thought what everyone 447 00:28:52,336 --> 00:28:53,396 Speaker 1: in law enforcement thought. 448 00:28:54,256 --> 00:28:58,076 Speaker 4: A lot of us had the opinion that Mitrice had 449 00:28:58,096 --> 00:29:02,266 Speaker 4: some kind of a mental breakdown, that she somehow got 450 00:29:02,326 --> 00:29:07,906 Speaker 4: up in Dark Canyon and that she somehow died from 451 00:29:08,546 --> 00:29:10,906 Speaker 4: exposure of some type. Or. 452 00:29:12,826 --> 00:29:17,866 Speaker 4: Possibly something else like rattlesnakes or feminist spiders, things like that. 453 00:29:19,256 --> 00:29:23,796 Speaker 1: He concluded that she'd wanted to die. Otherwise, she would 454 00:29:23,816 --> 00:29:27,616 Speaker 1: have walked back out the way she'd come in. And 455 00:29:27,636 --> 00:29:29,596 Speaker 1: there was one more thing about the site where the 456 00:29:29,636 --> 00:29:32,846 Speaker 1: remains were found that made him think Mitrice hadn't wanted 457 00:29:32,906 --> 00:29:36,626 Speaker 1: to be rescued. It was so close to the porn ranch. 458 00:29:38,046 --> 00:29:38,206 Speaker 3: And. 459 00:29:38,976 --> 00:29:43,666 Speaker 4: When I was standing where the remains were found, I 460 00:29:43,706 --> 00:29:48,166 Speaker 4: could hear the dogs that were owned by those people. 461 00:29:49,346 --> 00:29:51,756 Speaker 4: that was called the Porn Ranch. So that tells me 462 00:29:51,816 --> 00:29:54,756 Speaker 4: if I can hear their dogs barking, they could hear 463 00:29:54,816 --> 00:29:57,876 Speaker 4: her yelling. If she needs help, if she's screaming in 464 00:29:57,896 --> 00:30:01,716 Speaker 4: the middle of the night, I would think that it's possible, 465 00:30:01,936 --> 00:30:08,676 Speaker 4: very possible, that that location might hear her. So it 466 00:30:08,696 --> 00:30:14,836 Speaker 4: led me to believe that she just didn't want to 467 00:30:14,856 --> 00:30:15,356 Speaker 4: be found. 468 00:30:17,016 --> 00:30:21,376 Speaker 1: Sergeant Wright figured Mitrice hadn't needed help. But to me, 469 00:30:21,756 --> 00:30:23,996 Speaker 1: the fact that the people at the porn ranch didn't 470 00:30:24,056 --> 00:30:28,036 Speaker 1: hear a call for help could mean something else. Not 471 00:30:28,116 --> 00:30:32,556 Speaker 1: that she didn't scream, but that she couldn't. What if 472 00:30:32,956 --> 00:30:36,536 Speaker 1: whoever had taken her there strangled her? Or what if 473 00:30:37,166 --> 00:30:39,966 Speaker 1: By the time she got into Dark Canyon, she was 474 00:30:40,126 --> 00:30:48,466 Speaker 1: already dead. Next time on Lost Hills. 475 00:30:48,486 --> 00:30:50,766 Speaker 2: Do you think somebody could have taken her? 476 00:30:50,786 --> 00:30:52,176 Speaker 5: You know what? 477 00:30:53,006 --> 00:30:58,256 Speaker 4: If somebody took her and did whatever they did, I 478 00:30:58,276 --> 00:31:01,316 Speaker 4: think they would have had to have come back with 479 00:31:01,776 --> 00:31:04,516 Speaker 4: more than one person to drag that body down to 480 00:31:04,556 --> 00:31:08,406 Speaker 4: where it was. She's two miles up on the mountain. 481 00:31:08,466 --> 00:31:09,746 Speaker 5: You want to go up there right now? 482 00:31:09,766 --> 00:31:10,086 Speaker 7: Yeah, sure. 483 00:31:10,106 --> 00:31:10,866 Speaker 2: Let's go. 484 00:31:12,766 --> 00:31:19,456 Speaker 1: That's next in Episode 7, In the Shit. Lost Hills 485 00:31:19,536 --> 00:31:22,796 Speaker 1: is written and hosted by me, Dana Goodyear. It was 486 00:31:22,836 --> 00:31:26,756 Speaker 1: reported by me and Haley Fox, our senior producer. The 487 00:31:26,796 --> 00:31:30,576 Speaker 1: show was created by me and Ben Adair. Lost Hills 488 00:31:30,716 --> 00:31:39,376 Speaker 1: is a production of Western Sound and Pushkin Industries. Subscribe 489 00:31:39,396 --> 00:31:42,116 Speaker 1: to Pushkin Plus and you can binge the whole season 490 00:31:42,216 --> 00:31:46,296 Speaker 1: right now ad-free. Find Pushkin Plus on the Lost Hills 491 00:31:46,336 --> 00:31:51,486 Speaker 1: show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm slash plus.