1 00:00:15,066 --> 00:00:15,506 Speaker 1: Pushkin. 2 00:00:24,476 --> 00:00:27,336 Speaker 2: Haley and I have been operating under an assumption that 3 00:00:27,376 --> 00:00:30,216 Speaker 2: if Rick was involved with Mitrice's death, he would have 4 00:00:30,256 --> 00:00:35,966 Speaker 2: told someone. We've reconstructed his universe person by person, cold 5 00:00:36,006 --> 00:00:39,926 Speaker 2: calling and emailing something like a hundred people. And when 6 00:00:39,966 --> 00:00:43,556 Speaker 2: that didn't work, driving to their last known address. in 7 00:00:43,736 --> 00:00:47,836 Speaker 2: burned-out mobile homes and tidy trailer parks and remote stretches 8 00:00:48,016 --> 00:00:50,876 Speaker 2: of the suburban desert where they were hoping never to 9 00:00:50,896 --> 00:00:55,916 Speaker 2: be found. And that's how we found Jill Walski, sitting 10 00:00:55,976 --> 00:01:00,536 Speaker 2: outside her double-wide in Oxnard, surrounded by plants and antiques 11 00:01:00,596 --> 00:01:02,676 Speaker 2: from her parents' old home in Montanito. 12 00:01:02,696 --> 00:01:03,656 Speaker 3: I know. 13 00:01:04,716 --> 00:01:05,116 Speaker 4: God. 14 00:01:06,216 --> 00:01:08,416 Speaker 5: All right, honey, well, I've got company, so I'll call 15 00:01:08,456 --> 00:01:08,996 Speaker 5: you later. 16 00:01:09,616 --> 00:01:10,496 Speaker 1: All right, sweetheart, love you. 17 00:01:10,516 --> 00:01:11,036 Speaker 5: Thank you. 18 00:01:11,316 --> 00:01:11,776 Speaker 4: Bye-bye, honey. 19 00:01:15,086 --> 00:01:17,706 Speaker 2: Jill's the den mother of the Montanito boys. 20 00:01:18,806 --> 00:01:22,486 Speaker 5: Jill is a straight shooter, totally unclouded by visions of 21 00:01:22,526 --> 00:01:23,966 Speaker 5: Rick in all his blonde, water-skiing glory. 22 00:01:24,026 --> 00:01:25,326 Speaker 2: Of all the Montanito boys, she says. 23 00:01:25,386 --> 00:01:26,926 Speaker 1: Rick had fallen the farthest. 24 00:01:41,186 --> 00:01:45,266 Speaker 2: From golden boy status to addiction, prison, and homelessness. 25 00:01:46,206 --> 00:01:50,186 Speaker 5: He had been arrested several times. And he also wasn't 26 00:01:50,346 --> 00:01:55,286 Speaker 5: mentally there because he had, you know, head on into 27 00:01:55,336 --> 00:01:58,676 Speaker 5: a tree, hit by a car on a motorcycle. 28 00:01:59,516 --> 00:02:02,176 Speaker 2: Jill is the person the Montanito boys go to with 29 00:02:02,196 --> 00:02:06,156 Speaker 2: their problems. And in 2012, Rick came to her with 30 00:02:06,196 --> 00:02:09,376 Speaker 2: a very big problem. The police were after him. 31 00:02:09,396 --> 00:02:10,156 Speaker 4: Again. 32 00:02:10,176 --> 00:02:13,286 Speaker 2: Again. She was at home in Montanito. 33 00:02:14,286 --> 00:02:19,186 Speaker 5: Knocks on the door. Comes in. He says, Jill, do 34 00:02:19,226 --> 00:02:22,106 Speaker 5: you have a beer or something or a shot of something? 35 00:02:22,386 --> 00:02:25,366 Speaker 5: And so I gave him something to drink and sitting 36 00:02:25,426 --> 00:02:30,176 Speaker 5: outside and he's just like, I just got interrogated by 37 00:02:30,216 --> 00:02:34,376 Speaker 5: the police. I did a lie detector test. 38 00:02:35,256 --> 00:02:37,596 Speaker 2: The police had asked him what he knew about the 39 00:02:37,656 --> 00:02:39,216 Speaker 2: death of Mitrice Richardson. 40 00:02:40,296 --> 00:02:44,426 Speaker 5: He's like, Yeah, I don't know how they got my name. 41 00:02:45,086 --> 00:02:49,986 Speaker 5: And he just kept putting his head down. And he 42 00:02:50,026 --> 00:02:53,146 Speaker 5: just sat there probably for about 45 minutes and just 43 00:02:53,186 --> 00:02:56,286 Speaker 5: kept pacing and putting his head down. 44 00:02:57,406 --> 00:03:00,786 Speaker 2: By the time Rick left her house that day, Jill 45 00:03:00,866 --> 00:03:04,996 Speaker 2: had no doubt that Rick had information about Mitrice's death. 46 00:03:06,416 --> 00:03:11,036 Speaker 5: He knows something. And I don't think it was on purpose. 47 00:03:12,156 --> 00:03:17,056 Speaker 5: But he knows something, and he had something to do 48 00:03:17,076 --> 00:03:17,426 Speaker 5: with it. 49 00:03:24,326 --> 00:03:27,606 Speaker 2: I'm Dana Goodyear, and this is Lost Hills. 50 00:03:28,306 --> 00:03:31,646 Speaker 1: Lost Hills. 51 00:03:53,476 --> 00:04:02,676 Speaker 2: Episode 11, The Suitcase. Jill says when Rick arrived at 52 00:04:02,716 --> 00:04:06,026 Speaker 2: her house after his polygraph, he was anxious and sweaty, 53 00:04:06,606 --> 00:04:10,066 Speaker 2: and he kept asking for more alcohol. She could tell 54 00:04:10,126 --> 00:04:11,886 Speaker 2: he needed to get something off his chest. 55 00:04:12,726 --> 00:04:14,776 Speaker 5: Because he had his head down and he kept rubbing 56 00:04:14,816 --> 00:04:18,816 Speaker 5: through his hair, he wanted to tell me something. And 57 00:04:18,856 --> 00:04:21,996 Speaker 5: I'm like, Rick... Please, I really don't want to hear 58 00:04:22,056 --> 00:04:27,846 Speaker 5: this because then I would feel obligated to have to 59 00:04:27,886 --> 00:04:28,586 Speaker 5: say something. 60 00:04:29,546 --> 00:04:33,126 Speaker 2: But before she shut him down completely, Rick did manage 61 00:04:33,206 --> 00:04:36,746 Speaker 2: to tell her something crucial, something that has never been 62 00:04:36,786 --> 00:04:37,606 Speaker 2: reported before. 63 00:04:38,886 --> 00:04:42,686 Speaker 5: And he said, he goes, I picked her up, but 64 00:04:42,766 --> 00:04:44,306 Speaker 5: I didn't do anything to her. 65 00:04:47,526 --> 00:04:51,556 Speaker 2: This is a bombshell piece of information. Rick didn't just 66 00:04:51,716 --> 00:04:54,716 Speaker 2: see or hear Mitrice on the day of her disappearance, 67 00:04:55,096 --> 00:04:58,296 Speaker 2: as he says in the video. He picked her up. 68 00:05:00,056 --> 00:05:03,076 Speaker 2: Jill says from the way Rick was acting at her house, 69 00:05:03,496 --> 00:05:08,476 Speaker 2: she strongly believes something else happened between him and Mitrice. 70 00:05:09,276 --> 00:05:11,556 Speaker 2: Something Rick couldn't tell the cops. 71 00:05:12,996 --> 00:05:15,366 Speaker 5: But why Rick doesn't say, yes, I picked her up, 72 00:05:15,446 --> 00:05:18,406 Speaker 5: I brought her up. He was afraid of going back 73 00:05:18,446 --> 00:05:20,046 Speaker 5: to prison. Bottom line. 74 00:05:21,036 --> 00:05:21,856 Speaker 2: He had just gotten out. 75 00:05:22,116 --> 00:05:22,316 Speaker 4: Yeah. 76 00:05:23,416 --> 00:05:28,766 Speaker 5: So, you know, and he, just his mannerisms at the house. 77 00:05:29,446 --> 00:05:32,686 Speaker 5: I know, I know he brought her up to his place. 78 00:05:33,726 --> 00:05:36,966 Speaker 2: She would like to think Mitrice's death was unintentional. 79 00:05:37,966 --> 00:05:41,006 Speaker 5: And that's my belief is that it was an accident. 80 00:05:41,826 --> 00:05:46,436 Speaker 5: But in my opinion, according to him, and he was 81 00:05:46,576 --> 00:05:52,616 Speaker 5: sweating bullets, um, is that I think that she either 82 00:05:52,696 --> 00:05:57,936 Speaker 5: slipped and fell, and he freaked out, or I cannot 83 00:05:58,006 --> 00:06:01,266 Speaker 5: see Rick raping somebody. Did they ever do a kit? 84 00:06:02,066 --> 00:06:06,466 Speaker 6: It was too long after she disappeared. She'd been up 85 00:06:06,506 --> 00:06:09,246 Speaker 6: in that canyon for 11 months, and there was no 86 00:06:09,326 --> 00:06:12,426 Speaker 6: soft tissue left. It was bones, so you can't do 87 00:06:12,466 --> 00:06:15,586 Speaker 6: a rape kit on bones. I tell her what we've 88 00:06:15,626 --> 00:06:18,576 Speaker 6: heard from other friends of Rick's. that he wouldn't have 89 00:06:18,596 --> 00:06:21,936 Speaker 6: been sexually interested in Mitrice because she was black. 90 00:06:23,116 --> 00:06:26,936 Speaker 5: Meth changes people's minds, you know what I mean? And 91 00:06:26,996 --> 00:06:36,626 Speaker 5: if you're up for a few days, look, I don't 92 00:06:36,646 --> 00:06:38,586 Speaker 5: think he'd even think that way. I know he made 93 00:06:38,626 --> 00:06:41,266 Speaker 5: the comment. I was surprised there was a black person 94 00:06:41,306 --> 00:06:45,666 Speaker 5: in Montanito. I didn't know they lived there, you know. 95 00:06:47,366 --> 00:06:51,196 Speaker 5: You know. I hate to use the term, but pussy's pussy. 96 00:06:51,216 --> 00:06:57,256 Speaker 5: You know, and I don't know, he may have given 97 00:06:57,336 --> 00:07:01,276 Speaker 5: her drugs, too. And then she started to wander, and 98 00:07:01,316 --> 00:07:04,146 Speaker 5: then he didn't want her to tell anybody anything. 99 00:07:05,806 --> 00:07:10,086 Speaker 2: Jill knows Rick's violent history and his drug history, and 100 00:07:10,106 --> 00:07:13,566 Speaker 2: she's no fool. As we talk, she starts to wrestle 101 00:07:13,586 --> 00:07:16,406 Speaker 2: with the possibility that Rick could have harmed Mitrice. 102 00:07:17,596 --> 00:07:21,376 Speaker 5: So he then may have gone after her. I don't think... 103 00:07:22,296 --> 00:07:26,366 Speaker 5: He was strong. I don't think that he, in his 104 00:07:26,436 --> 00:07:29,906 Speaker 5: right mind, would ever kill somebody. But when you're on 105 00:07:29,946 --> 00:07:32,146 Speaker 5: that drug, and you've been up for a few days, 106 00:07:32,766 --> 00:07:35,026 Speaker 5: and you go off and say, if she tried to 107 00:07:35,086 --> 00:07:40,386 Speaker 5: take something of his, you know, he may have pushed her, 108 00:07:41,386 --> 00:07:45,446 Speaker 5: he may have grabbed her by her neck, and realized, oh, shit. 109 00:07:47,546 --> 00:07:49,976 Speaker 2: Jill brings up the video of Rick talking about his 110 00:07:50,006 --> 00:07:54,176 Speaker 2: encounter with Mitrice. She's especially unnerved by the part about 111 00:07:54,196 --> 00:07:56,516 Speaker 2: the vultures circling over Dark Canyon. 112 00:07:57,576 --> 00:08:00,396 Speaker 5: And then when I watched the video, the thing with 113 00:08:00,436 --> 00:08:04,926 Speaker 5: the birds and the way he was laughing, you know, 114 00:08:04,986 --> 00:08:10,766 Speaker 5: kind of like, oh, you know, just his mannerisms. He 115 00:08:10,826 --> 00:08:15,186 Speaker 5: knew exactly where she was, which gives me the chills. 116 00:08:16,246 --> 00:08:20,446 Speaker 5: But if He pushed her. She hit her head. He panicked. 117 00:08:20,526 --> 00:08:23,666 Speaker 5: She didn't wake up. He would move that body. And 118 00:08:23,726 --> 00:08:26,806 Speaker 5: in the video, he said, you know, he had heard 119 00:08:26,886 --> 00:08:30,686 Speaker 5: about it and saw the vultures there. He had seen 120 00:08:30,746 --> 00:08:35,656 Speaker 5: them before. You know, remember he said like three days after? So, 121 00:08:35,956 --> 00:08:37,796 Speaker 5: and he knew exactly where the spot was. 122 00:08:39,036 --> 00:08:41,496 Speaker 2: Jill is filled with regret when she thinks back to 123 00:08:41,536 --> 00:08:45,516 Speaker 2: that conversation with Rick after the polygraph. She wishes she 124 00:08:45,556 --> 00:08:48,296 Speaker 2: hadn't stopped him from saying whatever was on his mind. 125 00:08:49,376 --> 00:08:53,576 Speaker 5: But he did pick her up. And he wanted to 126 00:08:53,636 --> 00:08:59,086 Speaker 5: tell me something. I mean, if he was still alive, 127 00:08:59,136 --> 00:09:06,406 Speaker 5: I would go visit him and ask him flat out. So, unfortunately, yeah, 128 00:09:06,746 --> 00:09:07,786 Speaker 5: I think it was Rick. 129 00:09:12,226 --> 00:09:12,386 Speaker 3: Yeah. 130 00:09:12,446 --> 00:09:12,546 Speaker 1: Yeah. 131 00:09:15,236 --> 00:09:15,936 Speaker 3: Which sucks. 132 00:09:19,396 --> 00:09:23,536 Speaker 2: Jill's given us new information. Rick admitted to her that 133 00:09:23,576 --> 00:09:27,076 Speaker 2: he picked Mitrice up on his motorcycle. And for what 134 00:09:27,116 --> 00:09:30,216 Speaker 2: it's worth, Jill feels sure he took her to his 135 00:09:30,256 --> 00:09:34,466 Speaker 2: spot on the mountain. It feels like all the scattered 136 00:09:34,516 --> 00:09:37,406 Speaker 2: fragments of this story are finally starting to come together. 137 00:09:38,346 --> 00:09:41,326 Speaker 2: Jill refused to hear a full confession from Rick, but 138 00:09:41,386 --> 00:09:44,406 Speaker 2: she did hear and share with us a crucial piece. 139 00:09:45,966 --> 00:09:49,806 Speaker 2: Leaving Jill's place, Haley and I decide we need to 140 00:09:49,866 --> 00:10:06,246 Speaker 2: go back to Rick's fort. Rick took a lot of 141 00:10:06,306 --> 00:10:11,176 Speaker 2: women to his fort. He took care McKellar there. He 142 00:10:11,236 --> 00:10:16,956 Speaker 2: took Lisa Lepore there. He took Raven there. Did he 143 00:10:16,996 --> 00:10:22,366 Speaker 2: take Mitrice there, too? Rick had a special name for 144 00:10:22,396 --> 00:10:27,366 Speaker 2: his fort. He called it Chateau Shangri-La. It was a 145 00:10:27,446 --> 00:10:31,726 Speaker 2: spooky place, with animal bones and carcasses from Rick's mountain 146 00:10:31,746 --> 00:10:36,716 Speaker 2: man activities. There was a big old oak tree. From 147 00:10:36,756 --> 00:10:44,716 Speaker 2: its branches, Rick hung ladies' lingerie. After months of playing 148 00:10:44,776 --> 00:10:48,246 Speaker 2: hard to get, Rick's friend, Art Davis, calls me up, 149 00:10:48,626 --> 00:10:52,466 Speaker 2: totally unexpectedly. He's the guy we met by surprise at 150 00:10:52,526 --> 00:10:55,066 Speaker 2: Cherie's house when we knocked on the door there one day. 151 00:10:56,866 --> 00:10:59,506 Speaker 2: Art invites us to his friend's place, just down the 152 00:10:59,546 --> 00:11:01,826 Speaker 2: street from the house Rick grew up in. in the 153 00:11:01,866 --> 00:11:06,106 Speaker 2: lower part of Montanito that's known as Malibu Meadows. We 154 00:11:06,166 --> 00:11:08,806 Speaker 2: sit in a grove of oak trees by a rushing creek. 155 00:11:10,066 --> 00:11:12,326 Speaker 7: You try to figure out when to arrive. 156 00:11:13,546 --> 00:11:16,726 Speaker 2: Art's been thinking a lot about Rick, pretty much nonstop 157 00:11:16,786 --> 00:11:17,706 Speaker 2: since we last met. 158 00:11:18,826 --> 00:11:22,736 Speaker 7: And all of a sudden you show up, you know. 159 00:11:23,156 --> 00:11:26,696 Speaker 7: When you show up, I'm going like, wow. This is 160 00:11:26,716 --> 00:11:30,056 Speaker 7: a conduit to connecting the dots. 161 00:11:31,916 --> 00:11:34,936 Speaker 2: He tells us people in Montanito are afraid of the 162 00:11:34,976 --> 00:11:36,596 Speaker 2: questions we're asking about Rick. 163 00:11:37,696 --> 00:11:44,136 Speaker 7: They're afraid of you because they're kind of like letting 164 00:11:44,156 --> 00:11:48,056 Speaker 7: them go, you know. I just don't want to say 165 00:11:48,136 --> 00:11:52,916 Speaker 7: anything really, you know, bad about Rick. Because, I mean, 166 00:11:53,396 --> 00:11:56,336 Speaker 7: there's so many memories. When I come down this creek, 167 00:11:56,476 --> 00:11:59,826 Speaker 7: going to the bus stop, there's so many memories. Walking 168 00:11:59,846 --> 00:12:04,376 Speaker 7: through this yard. you know, on early growth of these trees. 169 00:12:04,416 --> 00:12:05,986 Speaker 7: And then when you come back to this place, it's 170 00:12:06,016 --> 00:12:10,086 Speaker 7: like the paradise that you left behind. You took it 171 00:12:10,126 --> 00:12:11,206 Speaker 7: for granted back then. 172 00:12:12,326 --> 00:12:14,546 Speaker 2: Art wants to help us get to the bottom of what, 173 00:12:14,786 --> 00:12:18,396 Speaker 2: if anything, happened between Rick and my trees. But he 174 00:12:18,516 --> 00:12:22,256 Speaker 2: always emphasizes that his intention is to persuade us that Rick, 175 00:12:22,776 --> 00:12:24,756 Speaker 2: the Rick he knew, is innocent. 176 00:12:26,096 --> 00:12:27,556 Speaker 7: I'm going to give you breadcrumbs, you know. 177 00:12:29,866 --> 00:12:32,766 Speaker 2: Art tells us he never went to Rick's fort. It 178 00:12:32,806 --> 00:12:35,296 Speaker 2: kind of depressed him that his friend was living like that. 179 00:12:35,996 --> 00:12:38,416 Speaker 2: He just remembers seeing a photo of Rick at the fort, 180 00:12:38,736 --> 00:12:39,856 Speaker 2: sitting on his motorcycle. 181 00:12:40,896 --> 00:12:42,876 Speaker 7: He was always telling me about it. Come up there. No, 182 00:12:42,896 --> 00:12:44,056 Speaker 7: I don't want to do that because I don't want 183 00:12:44,076 --> 00:12:46,626 Speaker 7: to identify with the fact that you want to live 184 00:12:46,686 --> 00:12:49,566 Speaker 7: off the grid. I just don't want to. Go ahead 185 00:12:49,606 --> 00:12:51,866 Speaker 7: and do that, but I'll hook up with you somewhere else, 186 00:12:51,926 --> 00:12:54,686 Speaker 7: like at work, and then we'll go out to eat 187 00:12:55,266 --> 00:12:56,436 Speaker 7: and we'll be civilized. 188 00:12:57,536 --> 00:12:59,276 Speaker 2: Haley and I had been planning to head to the 189 00:12:59,336 --> 00:13:02,296 Speaker 2: fort after our visit with Art. Haley's never seen it. 190 00:13:03,536 --> 00:13:06,376 Speaker 2: But Art isn't ready to say goodbye. He wants to 191 00:13:06,436 --> 00:13:09,576 Speaker 2: show us all these other spots up Paiuma Road. His 192 00:13:09,716 --> 00:13:13,846 Speaker 2: little breadcrumbs, I guess. So we make a split-second decision 193 00:13:14,266 --> 00:13:16,786 Speaker 2: and invite him to come with us to Rick's fort. 194 00:13:17,406 --> 00:13:17,626 Speaker 1: All right. 195 00:13:18,666 --> 00:13:20,846 Speaker 2: You up for that? Let's do it. 196 00:13:20,866 --> 00:13:21,966 Speaker 7: Do you like windy roads? 197 00:13:22,026 --> 00:13:22,346 Speaker 3: No. 198 00:13:22,786 --> 00:13:25,066 Speaker 2: No, but I brought my Sour Patch Kids. I'm the 199 00:13:25,126 --> 00:13:28,336 Speaker 2: one who gets carsick. We all pile into my car. 200 00:13:29,536 --> 00:13:30,736 Speaker 7: You're driving just fine. 201 00:13:31,136 --> 00:13:31,596 Speaker 1: Thank you. 202 00:13:32,876 --> 00:13:35,186 Speaker 7: What will happen to Dana and Art in the next 203 00:13:35,846 --> 00:13:36,886 Speaker 7: exciting adventure? 204 00:13:37,526 --> 00:13:39,926 Speaker 2: We pull the car over in a turnout and head 205 00:13:39,946 --> 00:13:43,166 Speaker 2: into the brush. There's so much more vegetation now because 206 00:13:43,196 --> 00:13:45,756 Speaker 2: of all the rain. We get to a marker I 207 00:13:45,796 --> 00:13:48,256 Speaker 2: remember from when I was here three years ago and 208 00:13:48,276 --> 00:13:48,776 Speaker 2: make a sharp left. 209 00:13:50,056 --> 00:13:51,016 Speaker 7: I could have brought a machete. 210 00:13:51,096 --> 00:13:54,296 Speaker 6: Okay, so this is so overgrown, but we've got to 211 00:13:54,336 --> 00:13:56,546 Speaker 6: get crouched down, get low. 212 00:13:56,556 --> 00:13:57,676 Speaker 7: I don't know if I want to go in there. 213 00:13:57,696 --> 00:13:58,716 Speaker 7: How low can you go? 214 00:13:59,916 --> 00:14:03,446 Speaker 2: As we move deeper into the woods, Art starts to hesitate. 215 00:14:03,466 --> 00:14:06,166 Speaker 7: We don't have to do this, you know. We can 216 00:14:06,186 --> 00:14:07,066 Speaker 7: do it another time. 217 00:14:07,766 --> 00:14:08,246 Speaker 5: We're here. 218 00:14:08,286 --> 00:14:08,746 Speaker 3: We're here. 219 00:14:08,786 --> 00:14:09,526 Speaker 1: Let's do it. 220 00:14:10,726 --> 00:14:14,246 Speaker 2: After a couple of minutes, we see the trash. First, 221 00:14:14,526 --> 00:14:17,566 Speaker 2: it's just a little pile of sun-faded Budweiser cans. 222 00:14:19,006 --> 00:14:21,576 Speaker 7: Yeah, well, that's... Budweiser's Rick. 223 00:14:21,596 --> 00:14:26,216 Speaker 5: I was going to say, is that his beer of choice? 224 00:14:26,236 --> 00:14:26,796 Speaker 1: Yep. 225 00:14:27,716 --> 00:14:30,216 Speaker 2: Then, as we get closer to the big tree that 226 00:14:30,296 --> 00:14:33,906 Speaker 2: marks Rick's camp, we see more trash mixed into a 227 00:14:33,966 --> 00:14:38,286 Speaker 2: mound of loose, churned-up, leafy soil. There's an empty jug 228 00:14:38,306 --> 00:14:43,106 Speaker 2: of Sunny Delight, bread bags, yogurt cups, a Sharpie, a toothbrush, 229 00:14:43,546 --> 00:14:45,966 Speaker 2: a blue plastic razor. Look at that. 230 00:14:46,006 --> 00:14:49,166 Speaker 7: That would have been DNA up the wing-wing right there. 231 00:14:49,286 --> 00:14:49,616 Speaker 6: Razor. 232 00:14:55,826 --> 00:15:00,926 Speaker 2: I'm so confused by what I'm seeing. I was here 233 00:15:01,046 --> 00:15:06,046 Speaker 2: in 2021, and none of this was here then. We've 234 00:15:06,076 --> 00:15:09,516 Speaker 2: had two seasons of historic rainfall in Los Angeles County. 235 00:15:10,776 --> 00:15:14,616 Speaker 2: Is it possible that all this stuff was buried underground 236 00:15:15,136 --> 00:15:19,326 Speaker 2: and the flash floods and storms and atmospheric rivers unearthed it? 237 00:15:20,966 --> 00:15:24,666 Speaker 2: If this is Rick's garbage heap, that means there could 238 00:15:24,686 --> 00:15:28,846 Speaker 2: be something of Mitrice's here. We don't say that out loud. 239 00:15:29,966 --> 00:15:33,776 Speaker 2: We don't have to. Haley and I start poking through 240 00:15:33,796 --> 00:15:36,476 Speaker 2: the trash with sticks and a blue plastic hanger we 241 00:15:36,516 --> 00:15:39,656 Speaker 2: find lying in the dirt. We're not touching anything with 242 00:15:39,716 --> 00:15:44,326 Speaker 2: our bare hands. It's disgusting. But also, who knows? We 243 00:15:44,346 --> 00:15:48,046 Speaker 2: could find something that has value as evidence. Something that 244 00:15:48,086 --> 00:15:51,916 Speaker 2: would link Mitrice to this site. and finally get the 245 00:15:51,976 --> 00:15:57,516 Speaker 2: attention of law enforcement. Several pieces of Mitrice's clothing were 246 00:15:57,556 --> 00:16:01,376 Speaker 2: not found at the Remain site in Dark Canyon. Her vans, 247 00:16:01,816 --> 00:16:04,826 Speaker 2: her Bob Marley t-shirt, the brown hat she had with 248 00:16:04,866 --> 00:16:08,666 Speaker 2: her when she left the station. And then there's her ID. 249 00:16:09,826 --> 00:16:11,506 Speaker 2: They're all I can think of while we dig. 250 00:16:11,526 --> 00:16:13,266 Speaker 5: Art looks like he. 251 00:16:13,106 --> 00:16:15,566 Speaker 7: Wishes he'd stayed back in Montanito. 252 00:16:19,146 --> 00:16:22,286 Speaker 2: And he is actively trying to manage us. He thinks 253 00:16:22,626 --> 00:16:23,786 Speaker 2: we're being hysterical. 254 00:16:24,666 --> 00:16:26,256 Speaker 3: Look in that hole, Art. 255 00:16:27,326 --> 00:16:27,726 Speaker 1: In there? 256 00:16:27,926 --> 00:16:28,226 Speaker 2: Yeah. 257 00:16:28,666 --> 00:16:30,686 Speaker 7: What's that thing to the right? 258 00:16:30,726 --> 00:16:35,126 Speaker 2: There's another pipe. That big thing, is that a pipe? 259 00:16:35,266 --> 00:16:36,626 Speaker 7: It's maple syrup. 260 00:16:36,866 --> 00:16:37,366 Speaker 1: This thing. 261 00:16:37,726 --> 00:16:38,626 Speaker 7: No, that thing. 262 00:16:38,646 --> 00:16:40,466 Speaker 3: What the fuck? 263 00:16:40,866 --> 00:16:42,316 Speaker 7: Oh, come on. Don't overreact. 264 00:16:42,576 --> 00:16:43,286 Speaker 5: I'm overreacting. 265 00:16:43,456 --> 00:16:43,766 Speaker 7: You're in. 266 00:16:46,056 --> 00:16:47,676 Speaker 2: And then we see it. It's a suitcase. Plain black, 267 00:16:47,696 --> 00:16:48,536 Speaker 2: carry-on size, with a. 268 00:16:48,516 --> 00:16:49,016 Speaker 4: Brand tag on it. 269 00:16:49,016 --> 00:16:51,816 Speaker 2: The suitcase is stained with mud and mold. 270 00:16:51,836 --> 00:16:55,576 Speaker 7: Little bright green plants are growing through it. 271 00:17:12,976 --> 00:17:17,476 Speaker 2: But Art recognizes it. He says it's the kind Rick 272 00:17:17,496 --> 00:17:20,976 Speaker 2: would use. So this looks familiar. This looks like it 273 00:17:20,996 --> 00:17:27,686 Speaker 2: belonged to Rick. Art pries open the main compartment. It's empty. 274 00:17:28,466 --> 00:17:32,226 Speaker 2: But there are pockets. Art, if you're feeling continually brave, 275 00:17:32,346 --> 00:17:41,806 Speaker 2: will you just unzip that front pocket? Oh, lucky you, Art. 276 00:17:41,846 --> 00:17:43,766 Speaker 2: There's two pockets. 277 00:17:46,046 --> 00:17:46,826 Speaker 3: Oh, my God. 278 00:17:46,846 --> 00:17:47,266 Speaker 4: Oh, my God. 279 00:17:47,706 --> 00:17:54,606 Speaker 2: Inside is a mass of disintegrating women's lingerie. Bras, thongs, stockings, 280 00:17:55,346 --> 00:17:59,306 Speaker 2: a small black nightie with spaghetti straps, a mesh romper. 281 00:18:01,046 --> 00:18:03,956 Speaker 2: I catch Haley's eye. I can tell we're thinking the 282 00:18:03,996 --> 00:18:07,736 Speaker 2: same thing. We know the bras don't belong to my trees. 283 00:18:08,636 --> 00:18:12,586 Speaker 2: Her bra was found in Dark Canyon. But her underpants 284 00:18:13,126 --> 00:18:14,026 Speaker 2: were never found. 285 00:18:14,786 --> 00:18:15,746 Speaker 4: Is that a lady's underwear? 286 00:18:15,766 --> 00:18:19,736 Speaker 2: This is a lady's bra with roses on it. It's 287 00:18:19,786 --> 00:18:25,236 Speaker 2: a surreal experience. It's like this stuff just materialized. A 288 00:18:25,276 --> 00:18:29,316 Speaker 2: whole suitcase of it. And just to add to the bizarreness, 289 00:18:29,716 --> 00:18:33,636 Speaker 2: while we're trying to process what's happening, Art is frantically 290 00:18:33,756 --> 00:18:35,016 Speaker 2: downplaying the whole thing. 291 00:18:35,036 --> 00:18:38,256 Speaker 1: These are tights. Those are his. 292 00:18:39,166 --> 00:18:39,686 Speaker 6: Those are his? 293 00:18:40,516 --> 00:18:41,146 Speaker 7: Are those tights? 294 00:18:41,226 --> 00:18:41,946 Speaker 2: Yeah, these are tights. 295 00:18:41,966 --> 00:18:44,246 Speaker 3: To stay warm? 296 00:18:44,826 --> 00:18:46,786 Speaker 2: Well, maybe at friends. They're small. I don't think these 297 00:18:46,806 --> 00:18:50,736 Speaker 2: would fit him. Let's do a little inventory. Ladies' small stockings. 298 00:18:52,016 --> 00:18:59,776 Speaker 2: Black underpants. Beige underpants. Art starts making noises like he 299 00:18:59,796 --> 00:19:02,106 Speaker 2: wants to get out of the woods, which is great 300 00:19:02,606 --> 00:19:05,626 Speaker 2: because we want him out of our hair. We need 301 00:19:05,646 --> 00:19:08,496 Speaker 2: to get some gloves and some garbage bags and remove 302 00:19:08,636 --> 00:19:10,636 Speaker 2: as much of this stuff as we can before the 303 00:19:10,676 --> 00:19:14,216 Speaker 2: sun goes down. It's a long shot, but we're wondering 304 00:19:14,236 --> 00:19:17,896 Speaker 2: if there could be DNA evidence that would definitively connect 305 00:19:18,436 --> 00:19:24,906 Speaker 2: Rick and Mitrice. We drop Art in Montanito, drive to 306 00:19:24,946 --> 00:19:28,246 Speaker 2: the nearest grocery store, and fill a shopping cart with supplies. 307 00:19:29,386 --> 00:19:29,946 Speaker 2: Yard stockings? 308 00:19:29,986 --> 00:19:30,446 Speaker 4: Yeah. 309 00:19:33,616 --> 00:19:35,916 Speaker 2: We settle for a box cutter instead of a knife 310 00:19:36,396 --> 00:19:39,416 Speaker 2: and a kitty litter scooper for a shovel. They'll have 311 00:19:39,476 --> 00:19:44,056 Speaker 2: to do. We return to the fort with one goal. 312 00:19:44,736 --> 00:19:48,126 Speaker 2: To bring back the contents of that suitcase and any 313 00:19:48,236 --> 00:19:54,066 Speaker 2: other potential evidence we can find. Back at the fort, 314 00:19:54,166 --> 00:19:57,546 Speaker 2: the suitcase is just where we left it. And now 315 00:19:57,586 --> 00:20:01,196 Speaker 2: we notice there's another pocket. which we didn't open with Art. 316 00:20:03,176 --> 00:20:13,886 Speaker 2: The zipper's jammed, but... Okay, so now we've got a purple, like, 317 00:20:13,946 --> 00:20:14,666 Speaker 2: string bra. 318 00:20:16,426 --> 00:20:19,446 Speaker 4: Whatever you call that. Oh, my God. 319 00:20:20,526 --> 00:20:21,786 Speaker 1: I don't know what this stuff is. 320 00:20:22,346 --> 00:20:23,666 Speaker 2: Just some massive. 321 00:20:23,266 --> 00:20:24,646 Speaker 4: Ladies' garments. 322 00:20:25,846 --> 00:20:29,586 Speaker 2: The underwear is wet and moldy and falling apart. I 323 00:20:29,646 --> 00:20:33,176 Speaker 2: hold open a garbage bag, and Haley deposits it piece 324 00:20:33,256 --> 00:20:33,696 Speaker 2: by piece. 325 00:20:35,876 --> 00:20:36,756 Speaker 1: Yeah, let's just start here. 326 00:20:36,776 --> 00:20:40,376 Speaker 2: Let's just bag up the ladies' underwear first. We'll do 327 00:20:40,436 --> 00:20:43,776 Speaker 2: a full accounting later, but even now, in the moment, 328 00:20:44,076 --> 00:20:47,246 Speaker 2: it's obvious that this collection does not connect to just 329 00:20:47,386 --> 00:20:52,836 Speaker 2: one woman. They're all different sizes. Small, medium, extra large. 330 00:20:55,136 --> 00:21:01,646 Speaker 2: And the styles are eclectic. Solid black. Patterns. Thongs. Granny panties. 331 00:21:03,166 --> 00:21:05,046 Speaker 2: It makes sense that some of these things would have 332 00:21:05,086 --> 00:21:09,106 Speaker 2: belonged to Darian. She's the dead girlfriend whose thong Rick 333 00:21:09,146 --> 00:21:11,286 Speaker 2: liked to put on. And we've heard he kept a 334 00:21:11,326 --> 00:21:15,266 Speaker 2: lot of her undergarments here. But still, it's pretty obvious 335 00:21:15,416 --> 00:21:20,556 Speaker 2: that they're not all hers. Now that we have gloves, 336 00:21:20,836 --> 00:21:23,386 Speaker 2: we dig through the mound of dirt around the suitcase 337 00:21:23,426 --> 00:21:30,026 Speaker 2: a bit more. Haley pulls up Rick's headlamp. It's bright yellow. 338 00:21:31,086 --> 00:21:34,206 Speaker 2: And I don't know why, but it feels so personal. 339 00:21:35,376 --> 00:21:39,796 Speaker 2: Like a representation of Rick. It makes me think of him, 340 00:21:40,356 --> 00:21:44,916 Speaker 2: up here, in the dark. It's not an image I 341 00:21:44,956 --> 00:21:50,386 Speaker 2: want to sit with. Here's some more clothing. We find 342 00:21:50,446 --> 00:21:54,406 Speaker 2: more pieces of fabric in the mound, long, lacy strands 343 00:21:54,446 --> 00:21:57,876 Speaker 2: that disappear deep into the earth, intertwining with the roots. 344 00:21:58,856 --> 00:22:03,036 Speaker 2: We pull on them, and I feel my guts turn over, nauseatingly, 345 00:22:03,756 --> 00:22:08,056 Speaker 2: like I'm tugging on my own entrails. This looks like 346 00:22:08,136 --> 00:22:08,596 Speaker 2: a little kid. 347 00:22:08,656 --> 00:22:11,206 Speaker 6: The kid's leotard. 348 00:22:12,286 --> 00:22:17,026 Speaker 2: I spot something bright, purply pink and shiny. It's a 349 00:22:17,086 --> 00:22:26,656 Speaker 2: kid's nightgown, like a toddler would wear. It's a Barbie princess. Or, 350 00:22:26,736 --> 00:22:29,516 Speaker 2: I mean, Disney princess, that's what I mean. I have 351 00:22:29,636 --> 00:22:32,956 Speaker 2: no clue what to make of that. It goes in 352 00:22:32,976 --> 00:22:36,796 Speaker 2: the bag. All I can think about are my Teresa's 353 00:22:36,856 --> 00:22:42,456 Speaker 2: missing things. Her shoes, her t-shirt, her underpants, if she 354 00:22:42,496 --> 00:22:46,826 Speaker 2: was wearing them. to find one little sign of her. 355 00:22:53,206 --> 00:22:55,246 Speaker 2: If she was here, she was here for like one day. 356 00:22:55,266 --> 00:22:56,456 Speaker 4: I know. 357 00:22:58,676 --> 00:23:02,276 Speaker 7: Or he just brought back something, you know? 358 00:23:03,556 --> 00:23:05,196 Speaker 1: Yeah, that too. 359 00:23:06,296 --> 00:23:08,736 Speaker 2: I look over the mound of dirt again and notice 360 00:23:08,926 --> 00:23:13,186 Speaker 2: a long, narrow piece of green, net-like fabric. I've always 361 00:23:13,226 --> 00:23:15,766 Speaker 2: been stumped by the description of the material that was 362 00:23:15,846 --> 00:23:20,546 Speaker 2: found during Mitrice's second autopsy. The criminalist who collected it 363 00:23:20,686 --> 00:23:27,326 Speaker 2: described it as, quote, loose, green, fuzz-like hair-slash-fibers located near 364 00:23:27,366 --> 00:23:32,206 Speaker 2: the legs. Could this green fabric at the fort be 365 00:23:32,246 --> 00:23:36,266 Speaker 2: connected to that green fuzz found near Mitrice's legs? I 366 00:23:36,306 --> 00:23:37,686 Speaker 2: think we should get out of here. We put it 367 00:23:37,786 --> 00:23:41,266 Speaker 2: in the bag. And then we get out of there. 368 00:23:41,886 --> 00:23:46,116 Speaker 2: with a big garbage bag full of molding underwear. Well, 369 00:23:46,156 --> 00:23:48,996 Speaker 2: what are we going to do with it? I don't know. 370 00:23:49,016 --> 00:23:51,656 Speaker 2: It does feel like we can't leave it. We can't 371 00:23:51,696 --> 00:23:54,996 Speaker 2: leave it. I think we have to figure out what 372 00:23:55,016 --> 00:23:55,336 Speaker 2: we're going. 373 00:23:55,256 --> 00:23:56,196 Speaker 1: To do with it. Yeah. 374 00:23:56,976 --> 00:23:59,716 Speaker 2: And maybe, like, talk to some other people about it. 375 00:24:00,256 --> 00:24:00,496 Speaker 5: Yeah. 376 00:24:01,736 --> 00:24:03,706 Speaker 2: We don't know exactly what to do with this stuff. 377 00:24:04,486 --> 00:24:07,226 Speaker 2: We just know we can't leave it out here, or 378 00:24:07,266 --> 00:24:09,506 Speaker 2: some friend of Rick's who gets wind of it could 379 00:24:09,566 --> 00:24:13,236 Speaker 2: come and move it. It might be our only potential 380 00:24:13,276 --> 00:24:16,696 Speaker 2: way of connecting my trees to the fort through physical evidence. 381 00:24:19,556 --> 00:24:22,926 Speaker 2: That night, it pours rain again, and there's another flash 382 00:24:22,966 --> 00:24:28,226 Speaker 2: flood warning. My mind goes to Rick's fort. Maybe it 383 00:24:28,266 --> 00:24:32,716 Speaker 2: would all be gone, buried again, or washed away, except 384 00:24:32,776 --> 00:24:35,876 Speaker 2: for what we rescued, in a garbage bag that's now 385 00:24:35,936 --> 00:24:54,476 Speaker 2: locked in Haley's office, while we formulate a plan. We 386 00:24:54,506 --> 00:24:58,516 Speaker 2: don't know why law enforcement stopped pursuing Rick after the polygraph. 387 00:24:59,456 --> 00:25:03,136 Speaker 2: Maybe they learned something that excluded him. But we asked, 388 00:25:03,776 --> 00:25:06,696 Speaker 2: and not one of the detectives we spoke to said 389 00:25:06,776 --> 00:25:10,606 Speaker 2: Rick had definitively been ruled out. Maybe it was just 390 00:25:11,046 --> 00:25:15,506 Speaker 2: he passed the polygraph. But even if law enforcement had 391 00:25:15,566 --> 00:25:19,666 Speaker 2: wanted to keep interrogating him, it would have been extremely difficult. 392 00:25:20,506 --> 00:25:24,066 Speaker 2: Because not long after he was interviewed... he sustained yet 393 00:25:24,266 --> 00:25:28,686 Speaker 2: another traumatic brain injury. He had a long history of those. 394 00:25:30,136 --> 00:25:30,996 Speaker 2: Art Davis again. 395 00:25:31,016 --> 00:25:35,376 Speaker 7: I mean, he ran right into an 80-year-old eucalyptus tree. 396 00:25:37,216 --> 00:25:37,656 Speaker 5: Like that. 397 00:25:38,396 --> 00:25:42,316 Speaker 2: In 2001, Rick, driving drunk, had smashed into a tree 398 00:25:42,486 --> 00:25:43,786 Speaker 2: on Topanga Canyon Boulevard. 399 00:25:44,946 --> 00:25:47,706 Speaker 7: Exploded his, you know, all his teeth, and they put 400 00:25:47,726 --> 00:25:50,786 Speaker 7: all his teeth back in. He busted both knees, broke 401 00:25:50,826 --> 00:25:56,456 Speaker 7: his neck. You know, his back, his leg, all kinds 402 00:25:56,496 --> 00:25:58,966 Speaker 7: of stuff. I mean, they took the jaws alive, man. 403 00:25:59,296 --> 00:26:03,996 Speaker 2: Got him out of there. Then, in the fall of 2012, 404 00:26:03,996 --> 00:26:06,556 Speaker 2: not long after he took the polygraph and beat up 405 00:26:06,636 --> 00:26:11,276 Speaker 2: Lisa Lepore, Rick was riding his motorcycle down Paiuma when 406 00:26:11,296 --> 00:26:14,776 Speaker 2: he collided with a Toyota Highlander at the intersection with 407 00:26:14,836 --> 00:26:15,776 Speaker 2: Cold Canyon Road. 408 00:26:16,796 --> 00:26:19,996 Speaker 4: So he was on a motorcycle. And he told my mom, OK, 409 00:26:20,126 --> 00:26:22,326 Speaker 4: I'm going to go feed the dogs really fast at 410 00:26:22,346 --> 00:26:22,946 Speaker 4: his mom's house. 411 00:26:23,646 --> 00:26:27,506 Speaker 2: This is Cherie Amick again. When the accident happened, Rick 412 00:26:27,566 --> 00:26:29,686 Speaker 2: was back living at Cherie's parents' house. 413 00:26:30,846 --> 00:26:35,046 Speaker 4: And when I pulled up, my mom was standing outside. 414 00:26:35,066 --> 00:26:39,106 Speaker 4: And I knew there was something wrong. I just knew 415 00:26:39,146 --> 00:26:40,346 Speaker 4: right away because there was a chopper. 416 00:26:41,446 --> 00:26:42,966 Speaker 2: Rick wasn't wearing a helmet. 417 00:26:43,686 --> 00:26:46,346 Speaker 4: Rick was in a coma again. And this time again. 418 00:26:46,746 --> 00:26:49,266 Speaker 4: You know, everyone just said, Rick's going to die. And 419 00:26:49,326 --> 00:26:50,726 Speaker 4: I was like, no, he's not. 420 00:26:51,826 --> 00:26:55,986 Speaker 2: No, he's not. Rick didn't die. He emerged from his coma. 421 00:26:56,326 --> 00:26:58,386 Speaker 2: And the first thing he did was to attack the 422 00:26:58,426 --> 00:27:02,806 Speaker 2: hospital staff. But he was probably no longer mentally capable 423 00:27:02,926 --> 00:27:06,646 Speaker 2: of being interrogated. And the detectives may have had no 424 00:27:06,746 --> 00:27:11,976 Speaker 2: new leads to pursue about him anyway. Over the next decade, 425 00:27:12,236 --> 00:27:15,696 Speaker 2: Rick had more accidents as his cognitive abilities declined. 426 00:27:16,676 --> 00:27:19,256 Speaker 4: So his heart is telling him, like, you know, he 427 00:27:19,276 --> 00:27:22,716 Speaker 4: always used to be, you know, very athletic and could 428 00:27:22,756 --> 00:27:25,436 Speaker 4: do anything. Superman, I'm making it up those stairs. Well, 429 00:27:25,656 --> 00:27:27,256 Speaker 4: you know, off balance, no, you're not. 430 00:27:27,936 --> 00:27:30,346 Speaker 2: He spent his final years in a nursing home. 431 00:27:31,306 --> 00:27:39,866 Speaker 4: I went to go see Rick. Rick couldn't talk. He 432 00:27:39,906 --> 00:27:48,356 Speaker 4: couldn't speak. He could understand me. He understood everything. And 433 00:27:48,396 --> 00:27:52,356 Speaker 4: they had him heavily drugged, very heavily sedated. You know, 434 00:27:52,376 --> 00:27:55,796 Speaker 4: because he's going to try to get up. He's just 435 00:27:55,816 --> 00:27:57,516 Speaker 4: going to try to get up and do things his 436 00:27:57,766 --> 00:27:58,846 Speaker 4: body can't do anymore. 437 00:28:00,266 --> 00:28:04,606 Speaker 2: Most of Rick's old friends stayed away. Even Cherie found 438 00:28:04,666 --> 00:28:08,606 Speaker 2: it almost intolerable to see him so diminished. He was 439 00:28:08,766 --> 00:28:11,426 Speaker 2: only in his 60s, but he was unable to speak 440 00:28:11,626 --> 00:28:15,636 Speaker 2: or walk. It felt to her like Everything was catching 441 00:28:15,696 --> 00:28:16,256 Speaker 2: up with Rick. 442 00:28:17,396 --> 00:28:20,896 Speaker 4: Rick is alive, but this is like, oh shit, now 443 00:28:20,936 --> 00:28:25,756 Speaker 4: he's going to pay for all, you know, the times 444 00:28:25,796 --> 00:28:30,376 Speaker 4: he didn't listen. You know, like a little kid, just 445 00:28:30,396 --> 00:28:32,216 Speaker 4: didn't listen. Did what he wanted to do. 446 00:28:33,536 --> 00:28:38,746 Speaker 2: Reckless, fun Rick. When Rick died in December 2019, he 447 00:28:39,286 --> 00:28:41,946 Speaker 2: had a picture of his son Ricky taped above his bed. 448 00:28:43,256 --> 00:28:46,276 Speaker 2: No one had told him Ricky had died two years earlier, 449 00:28:46,996 --> 00:28:54,186 Speaker 2: at the age of 22. Rick didn't make formal amends 450 00:28:54,236 --> 00:28:57,686 Speaker 2: for his mistakes in life. That person Haley and I 451 00:28:57,726 --> 00:29:00,526 Speaker 2: were hoping to find, someone he might have confessed to 452 00:29:00,566 --> 00:29:03,266 Speaker 2: about Mitrice, what he knew or what he may have done, 453 00:29:04,226 --> 00:29:11,606 Speaker 2: we never found that person. But we did find Rick's poems. Yes, 454 00:29:12,206 --> 00:29:17,336 Speaker 2: it turns out Rick wrote poetry. In the fall of 2010, 455 00:29:17,336 --> 00:29:21,806 Speaker 2: about two months after Mitrice's remains were found, Rick started 456 00:29:21,866 --> 00:29:25,966 Speaker 2: a blog, Prose of a Khan. He published a number 457 00:29:26,006 --> 00:29:30,946 Speaker 2: of poems, most of them centered on themes of drug addiction, deception, regret, 458 00:29:31,306 --> 00:29:36,136 Speaker 2: and the hope for forgiveness in the afterlife. For example, quote, 459 00:29:36,856 --> 00:29:39,876 Speaker 2: As I lost my integrity, the truth all but dies, 460 00:29:40,476 --> 00:29:47,246 Speaker 2: and when it all comes forth, I'm caught In the poems, 461 00:29:47,466 --> 00:29:50,936 Speaker 2: Rick writes a lot about finding solitude. through God. And 462 00:29:50,976 --> 00:29:54,916 Speaker 2: for spiritual guidance, he turned to his former girlfriend, Karen McKellar. 463 00:29:55,616 --> 00:29:58,556 Speaker 2: She'd gotten away from drugs and into God and spent 464 00:29:58,616 --> 00:30:01,636 Speaker 2: her adult life counseling female addicts as part of a 465 00:30:01,676 --> 00:30:06,156 Speaker 2: Christian ministry. Karen says that for about a year after 466 00:30:06,236 --> 00:30:08,296 Speaker 2: Rick took her up to the fort and put on 467 00:30:08,336 --> 00:30:12,276 Speaker 2: the thong, He reached out to her obsessively, and it 468 00:30:12,336 --> 00:30:14,356 Speaker 2: was always about the same thing. 469 00:30:15,496 --> 00:30:19,556 Speaker 1: He called me, and he was asking me questions about Christ. 470 00:30:20,496 --> 00:30:24,496 Speaker 2: It seemed like Rick was seeking absolution for the life 471 00:30:24,536 --> 00:30:25,036 Speaker 2: he'd lived. 472 00:30:26,256 --> 00:30:28,816 Speaker 1: And then I told him, you know, Jesus is the 473 00:30:28,886 --> 00:30:32,906 Speaker 1: only way, Rick. You know, you really need to surrender 474 00:30:33,166 --> 00:30:35,726 Speaker 1: to him. And so I was trying to, you know, 475 00:30:35,766 --> 00:30:39,186 Speaker 1: help him. And on the phone only because I would 476 00:30:39,226 --> 00:30:42,186 Speaker 1: not come back there. But he always would call me, 477 00:30:42,206 --> 00:30:46,026 Speaker 1: you know, interrupt me in my life. And so then 478 00:30:46,066 --> 00:30:48,526 Speaker 1: it was kind of like a client and a sad 479 00:30:48,726 --> 00:30:52,006 Speaker 1: soul that I was trying to help get saved. And 480 00:30:52,626 --> 00:30:55,406 Speaker 1: he told me, he goes, yeah, well, I prayed to 481 00:30:55,446 --> 00:30:57,626 Speaker 1: the tree and I said, Rick, the tree isn't going 482 00:30:57,666 --> 00:30:58,406 Speaker 1: to save you. 483 00:30:59,166 --> 00:31:02,066 Speaker 2: Rick was praying to the big tree at his fort, 484 00:31:02,826 --> 00:31:04,146 Speaker 2: the one where he hung the bras. 485 00:31:04,896 --> 00:31:07,616 Speaker 1: I told him you need to confess all your whatever 486 00:31:07,656 --> 00:31:12,016 Speaker 1: it is that you're going through because he was so troubled. 487 00:31:13,086 --> 00:31:16,926 Speaker 1: So when he told me that he prayed to the tree, 488 00:31:16,946 --> 00:31:20,066 Speaker 1: I was like, I'm this is just a waste of time. 489 00:31:20,126 --> 00:31:23,386 Speaker 1: And I ended up blocking him off my phone because 490 00:31:23,426 --> 00:31:26,756 Speaker 1: I couldn't take the, you know, calls all the time. 491 00:31:26,776 --> 00:31:29,556 Speaker 1: And I was praying for him, you know, because it 492 00:31:29,596 --> 00:31:33,436 Speaker 1: was sad, very sad. He was not mentally stable, so yes, 493 00:31:33,696 --> 00:31:37,436 Speaker 1: I think for sure he was looking for salvation. And 494 00:31:37,476 --> 00:31:38,656 Speaker 1: I pray he found it. 495 00:31:45,976 --> 00:31:48,796 Speaker 2: Back at the office, Haley goes through the contents of 496 00:31:48,836 --> 00:31:52,366 Speaker 2: the garbage bag. She makes a catalog, and we go 497 00:31:52,406 --> 00:31:55,286 Speaker 2: through it, marking the items that seem like they could 498 00:31:55,326 --> 00:31:59,566 Speaker 2: potentially connect to my trace. Black thong with lace down 499 00:31:59,586 --> 00:32:06,226 Speaker 2: the front. Rampage, size medium. Black thong, badly degraded. Zanana outfitters, 500 00:32:06,566 --> 00:32:11,706 Speaker 2: size medium. Two black thongs, no labels. And the piece 501 00:32:11,866 --> 00:32:16,576 Speaker 2: of green net fabric. We contact a private forensic lab. 502 00:32:17,116 --> 00:32:20,316 Speaker 2: The DNA expert there tells us that even though these 503 00:32:20,416 --> 00:32:24,276 Speaker 2: items have been moldering, possibly underground, for more than a decade, 504 00:32:25,016 --> 00:32:28,746 Speaker 2: it's entirely possible they'll be able to identify a DNA signature. 505 00:32:30,176 --> 00:32:33,056 Speaker 2: This clothing might have nothing to do with Mitrice, but 506 00:32:33,096 --> 00:32:36,576 Speaker 2: we've got to see this through. Before we send it 507 00:32:36,596 --> 00:32:39,686 Speaker 2: to a lab, though, we have to go see her dad, Michael. 508 00:32:40,686 --> 00:32:44,726 Speaker 2: We need to return Mitrice's journals, and we're hoping he 509 00:32:44,746 --> 00:32:51,246 Speaker 2: might have something more to share with us. Next time 510 00:32:51,586 --> 00:32:52,346 Speaker 2: on Lost Hills. 511 00:32:53,846 --> 00:32:57,496 Speaker 3: It's in a Ziploc bag, and, um, Something just told 512 00:32:57,516 --> 00:32:58,986 Speaker 3: me never get rid of it, and I couldn't do 513 00:32:59,026 --> 00:33:04,386 Speaker 3: it if I wanted to. I just always felt like someday, somehow, 514 00:33:04,406 --> 00:33:07,626 Speaker 3: we're going to need them. We're going to need them. Yeah, 515 00:33:07,926 --> 00:33:09,086 Speaker 3: so let me know when you're ready. 516 00:33:10,266 --> 00:33:15,306 Speaker 2: That's next in Episode 12, Dig Two Graves, the final 517 00:33:15,406 --> 00:33:22,146 Speaker 2: episode of Season 4 of Lost Hills. Lost Hills is 518 00:33:22,186 --> 00:33:25,786 Speaker 2: written and hosted by me, Dana Goodyear. It was reported 519 00:33:25,826 --> 00:33:29,566 Speaker 2: by me and Haley Fox, our senior producer. The show 520 00:33:29,626 --> 00:33:33,316 Speaker 2: was created by me and Ben Adair. Lost Hills is 521 00:33:33,356 --> 00:33:41,816 Speaker 2: a production of Western Sound and Pushkin Industries. Subscribe to 522 00:33:41,836 --> 00:33:44,806 Speaker 2: Pushkin Plus and you can binge the whole season right 523 00:33:44,866 --> 00:33:48,886 Speaker 2: now ad-free. Find Pushkin Plus on the Lost Hills show 524 00:33:48,926 --> 00:33:53,826 Speaker 2: page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm slash plus.