Lost Hills: The Dark Prince artwork

Lost Hills: The Dark Prince

77 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★ - 1.8K ratings

Lost Hills investigates the dark side of Malibu, California. Beneath a seductive facade, this city of billionaires, celebrities, and surf bums is hiding something menacing.


Season 3 takes a deep dive into the surf world to explore the legacy of Malibu’s Dark Prince: Miki Dora. A surfer known for his style, grace and aggression, he ruled Malibu from the 1950s to the 1970s. Celebrated for his rebellious spirit, he was also a conman who led the FBI on a 7-year manhunt around the world. All while he was in search of the perfect wave. To many he’s a hero, but there’s an evil undercurrent that runs through the surf world. And it all leads back to Miki Dora.


Hosted by Dana Goodyear (The New Yorker) and produced by Western Sound and Pushkin Industries. Show artwork copyright Francesca Gabbiani.


Follow us @losthillspod on Twitter and Instagram for a deeper dive into the stories.

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Episodes

Ripple from Western Sound: The BP Oil Spill

January 11, 2024 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.03 MB

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

Murder Brokers from Hot Money: The New Narcos

December 12, 2023 21:30 - 29 minutes - 26.7 MB

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

Black Heroes of Surfing

July 27, 2023 09:25 - 24 minutes - 22.9 MB

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

The Toughest Girl in Malibu

July 24, 2023 09:25 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MB

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

12. A Nasty Piece of Work

July 20, 2023 09:25 - 41 minutes - 37.7 MB

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

11. Writing on the Wall

July 17, 2023 09:25 - 40 minutes - 36.9 MB

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

10. Aging Boy of Summer

July 13, 2023 09:25 - 37 minutes - 34.5 MB

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

9. The Fall Guys

July 10, 2023 09:25 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MB

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

8. AKA Fugitive

July 06, 2023 09:25 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MB

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

7. Misdirection

July 03, 2023 09:25 - 33 minutes - 30.4 MB

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

6. Fuck the World

June 29, 2023 09:25 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MB

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

5. Surf Nazi

June 26, 2023 09:25 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MB

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

4. Gidget Goes to Hollywood, Pt2

June 22, 2023 09:25 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MB

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

3. Gidget Goes to Hollywood, Pt1

June 19, 2023 09:25 - 37 minutes - 34.8 MB

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

2. Death in Mexico

June 15, 2023 09:25 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MB

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

1. The Legend of Miki Dora

June 12, 2023 09:25 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MB

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

Lost Hills Season 3: The Dark Prince

May 22, 2023 04:00 - 3 minutes - 3.14 MB

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

Season 3 Updates + Alphabet Boys

March 16, 2023 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MB

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

From Deep Cover: Never Seen Again

January 30, 2023 05:00 - 10 minutes - 9.56 MB

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

Death of an Artist: Ana Mendieta and Carl Andre

September 23, 2022 07:00 - 7 minutes - 7.14 MB

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

Who Rules Porn? From Hot Money

June 07, 2022 19:34 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MB

Sharing a preview of Hot Money, a new podcast from Pushkin and our friends at the Financial Times. When FT reporter Patricia Nilsson started digging into the porn industry, she made a shocking discovery: Nobody knew who controlled the biggest porn company in the world. Now, Nilsson and her editor, Alex Barker, have figured out who the guy was, and much more. Their reporting reveals a shadowy power structure that includes billionaires, tech geniuses and the most powerful finance companies in ...

The Returning Mother

April 29, 2022 10:15 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MB

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

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

February 04, 2022 10:00 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MB

Rob Lowe moved to Malibu in 1976, when he was 12. The Malibu of his youth was crazy. He saw Fonzie jump the shark, at Paradise Cove. He saw Nick Nolte at the grocery store. He saw coke—at a 7th-grader’s birthday party. The kids were running wild and the parents were running wilder. His mind was blown, never to recover. In this Season 2 bonus episode, Lowe takes us on a trippy trip down memory lane.  You can hear more from Rob Lowe on his podcasts: “Literally! With Rob Lowe” and “Parks and R...

From Deep Cover: Who Was Bob Cooley?

January 31, 2022 11:00 - 8 minutes - 7.71 MB

Deep Cover is a show about people who lead double lives, how far they’re willing to go in pursuit of a greater cause, and how sometimes, seemingly small decisions can change the course of history. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jake Halpern reveals dark underworlds most of us know nothing about. The new season, Mob Land, tells the true story of a high-rolling Chicago lawyer who fixed court cases for the mob. He did this for years... until he decided to betray them and work with the FBI. H...

Episode 10: Lifelines

December 29, 2021 10:25 - 48 minutes

Fred’s daughters share a trove of correspondence, and wrestle with unanswered questions about Jeanne’s death. The fight for Fred’s release continues. And a trip to Bird Rock brings resolution, at last. Tickets to my upcoming digital experience on true crime storytelling are on sale at momenthouse.com/dclh Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Lifelines

December 29, 2021 10:25 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MB

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

10. Lifelines

December 29, 2021 10:25 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MB

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

Episode 9: Prejudicial Effect

December 27, 2021 10:25 - 45 minutes

Fred’s trial is the longest and most expensive in Santa Barbara history, and the dory plays a starring role. Stan Roden, the DA, wants to send Fred to the gas chamber at San Quentin. At the heart of the trial are two conflicting sets of autopsies. Which expert is to be believed? Tickets to my upcoming digital experience on true crime storytelling are on sale at momenthouse.com/dclh Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Prejudicial Effect

December 27, 2021 10:25 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MB

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

9. Prejudicial Effect

December 27, 2021 10:25 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MB

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

8. Three Freds

December 22, 2021 10:25 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MB

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

Episode 8: Three Freds

December 22, 2021 10:25 - 36 minutes

Fred hires a high-powered defense attorney and a team of private eyes, and starts pushing back on the detectives’ narrative. He’s got an explanation for everything: his real-estate holdings, his income, and all those insurance policies. But can the detectives explain why their witnesses are walking back statements? Tickets to my upcoming digital experience on true crime storytelling are on sale at momenthouse.com/dclh Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Three Freds

December 22, 2021 10:25 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MB

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

Episode 7: Love or Money

December 20, 2021 10:25 - 38 minutes

After Fred’s arrest, detectives start looking into his finances. How does a civilian employee of the Navy afford a beachfront home, on a gated road in Malibu, and a brand-new $150K sailboat? Also, they learn that the Roehlers owned large insurance policies. Could that be the motive the cops are looking for? Tickets to my upcoming digital experience on true crime storytelling are on sale at momenthouse.com/dclh Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

7. Love or Money

December 20, 2021 10:25 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MB

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

Love or Money

December 20, 2021 10:25 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MB

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

6. Cold Pricklies

December 15, 2021 10:25 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MB

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

Episode 6: Cold Pricklies

December 15, 2021 10:25 - 39 minutes

The sheriff’s department orders a new set of autopsies on Verna and Doug, to be conducted in secret. Now, there’s enough evidence to arrest Fred. Meanwhile, detectives talk to his neighbors, coworkers, and friends. Some say he’s a charming, dedicated family man, while others whisper of a dark side and a hair-trigger temper. Also, one of Doug’s best friends remembers life in the Roehler household.  Tickets to my upcoming digital experience on true crime storytelling are on sale at momenthouse...

Cold Pricklies

December 15, 2021 10:25 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MB

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

5. Who Would You Take?

December 13, 2021 10:25 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MB

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

Episode 5: Who Would You Take?

December 13, 2021 10:25 - 38 minutes

Shortly after Jeanne’s death, Fred starts seeing Verna, one of Jeanne’s closest friends. It’s a whirlwind romance, and soon they’re merging families. The timeline of their relationship stokes Malibu gossip, and, later, piques the interest of detectives. Was it just a coincidence that Verna’s first husband had died unexpectedly, too? Tickets to my upcoming digital experience on true crime storytelling are on sale at momenthouse.com/dclh Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartp...

Who Would You Take?

December 13, 2021 10:25 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MB

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

Episode 4: The Shallow End, Part 2

December 08, 2021 10:25 - 38 minutes

It’s 1976 and Jeanne is in thrall to Lifespring, a self-improvement group, or, some would say, a cult. She is manifesting her future—without Fred. This alternative reality never arrives. Instead, Jeanne dies. And the similarities to Verna’s death are eerie. Tickets to my upcoming digital experience on true crime storytelling are on sale at momenthouse.com/dclh Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

4. The Shallow End, Part 2

December 08, 2021 10:25 - 32 minutes - 30 MB

It’s 1976 and Jeanne is in thrall to Lifespring, a self-improvement group, or, some would say, a cult. She is manifesting her future—without Fred. This alternative reality never arrives. Instead, Jeanne dies. And the similarities to Verna’s death are eerie. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Shallow End, Part 2

December 08, 2021 10:25 - 32 minutes - 30 MB

It’s 1976 and Jeanne is in thrall to Lifespring, a self-improvement group, or, some would say, a cult. She is manifesting her future—without Fred. This alternative reality never arrives. Instead, Jeanne dies. And the similarities to Verna’s death are eerie. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 3: The Shallow End, Part 1

December 06, 2021 10:25 - 32 minutes

Fred’s first wife, Jeanne, a flight attendant for United Airlines, is glamorous, outgoing, the life of the party. But there are tensions in the marriage and they’re mounting. Jeanne tells her sister she’s had enough. She’s in love with someone else. Tickets to my upcoming digital experience on true crime storytelling are on sale at momenthouse.com/dclh Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The Shallow End, Part 1

December 06, 2021 10:25 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MB

Fred’s first wife, Jeanne, a flight attendant for United Airlines, is glamorous, outgoing, the life of the party. But there are tensions in the marriage and they’re mounting. Jeanne tells her sister she’s had enough. She’s in love with someone else. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3. The Shallow End, Part 1

December 06, 2021 10:25 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MB

Fred’s first wife, Jeanne, a flight attendant for United Airlines, is glamorous, outgoing, the life of the party. But there are tensions in the marriage and they’re mounting. Jeanne tells her sister she’s had enough. She’s in love with someone else. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2. Quiet No Longer

December 01, 2021 10:30 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MB

The Ventura County Medical Examiner determines Verna and Doug’s deaths to be accidental drownings, so Fred moves forward with funeral plans. But the cremations are halted after a family friend calls in a tip to the sheriff’s department. Fred receives some unexpected visitors. . . and they want to know what happened to his first wife. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quiet No Longer

December 01, 2021 10:30 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MB

The Ventura County Medical Examiner determines Verna and Doug’s deaths to be accidental drownings, so Fred moves forward with funeral plans. But the cremations are halted after a family friend calls in a tip to the sheriff’s department. Fred receives some unexpected visitors. . . and they want to know what happened to his first wife. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.