Lost Hills: Dark Canyon Episode 7: The Trial from Valley of Shadows
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Feb 23, 2026 Darren Hager, a former LASD deputy and Operation Silent Thunder member who sued the county, tells first-person accounts and courtroom battles. He discusses award-winning drug raids, being fired and fighting back in court. The conversation digs into internal LASD memos, alleged deputy misconduct, and how disclosures reopened questions about linked killings.
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Awards Wall That Angered The Sheriff
- Darren Hager displays a wall of awards including a DEA administrator award that the LASD refused to acknowledge.
- The DEA flew the team to Washington D.C. and gave Hager high honors while his own department ordered him not to attend the ceremony.
Lawsuit Turned LASD Secrets Into Public Evidence
- Hager's lawsuit forced the LASD to produce investigative files, turning previously hidden internal records into public evidence.
- Thousands of pages, recorded interviews, and internal memos emerged during discovery and shaped the trial narrative against the department.
Conflicting Polygraph Claims For Tom Hinkle
- Detective Joe Holmes told Internal Affairs he cleared Tom Hinkle after a polygraph, but DEA and LASD polygraph results conflicted.
- Holmes claimed Hinkle 'passed' and cleared him from homicide suspicion despite the LA County polygrapher saying Hinkle failed.