Dateline NBC Episode 18.64 FR1844 Kidnapped Heiress: The Patty Hearst Story/The Mystery of the Lost Weekend

In this compelling double feature, Ann Curry and the Dateline team delve into two unforgettable stories of crime and mystery. The first segment examines the shocking 1974 kidnapping of heiress Patty Hearst, exploring how the young newspaper scion was taken from her Berkeley apartment by a radical group. The episode traces the bizarre and controversial events that followed, including Hearst’s apparent transformation and her participation in a bank robbery, raising profound questions about coercion, survival, and identity. Dennis Murphy provides in-depth reporting on the psychological manipulation and legal battles that captivated the nation. The second half of the episode investigates a baffling case known as "The Mystery of the Lost Weekend," where a seemingly ordinary man vanishes without a trace, only to reappear days later with no memory of where he has been. Keith Morrison guides viewers through the perplexing clues and the family’s desperate search for answers, delving into theories involving foul play, medical anomalies, and hidden secrets. The episode weaves together expert interviews and archival footage to examine the limits of human memory and the dark corridors of criminal intent, leaving viewers to ponder what truly happened during those missing hours.