Patty Hearst: From Heiress Kidnapped To Dog Show Fame!

Allan Dooley PhD 20 May 2025

Ever wonder what happens to someone after they've lived a life less ordinary? Patricia Hearst, once Patty, the kidnapped heiress who became a symbol of both victimhood and radicalization, has navigated a path few can fathom.

Fifty years ago, the name Patty Hearst exploded into the headlines. The granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, Patty was ripped from her Berkeley, California, apartment on February 4, 1974. Newspaper heiress Patricia Patty Hearst, then a 19-year-old college student, was kidnapped at gunpoint by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), a radical leftist group. This event marked the beginning of a saga that would captivate and divide the nation, raising complex questions about identity, coercion, and the power of ideology.

Category	Information
Full Name	Patricia Campbell Hearst Shaw (prefers Patricia, formerly known as Patty)
Date of Birth	February 20, 1954
Place of Birth	San Francisco, California, USA
Age	69 years old (as of late 2023/early 2024) , Turns 70 on February 20, 2024
Parents	Randolph Apperson Hearst (father), Catherine Wood Campbell (mother)
Siblings	Third of five daughters
Spouse(s)	Bernard Shaw (married, deceased 2013)
Children	Gillian Hearst-Shaw Simonds, Lydia Hearst-Shaw Moore
Occupation	Heiress, Former Actress, Political Activist
Known For	Kidnapping by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), subsequent involvement with the SLA, bank robbery conviction, pardon.
Legal Issues	Arrested for involvement in a bank robbery that resulted in the murder of a bystander. Convicted, sentenced to seven years, sentence commuted by President Jimmy Carter after serving 22 months. Pardoned by President Bill Clinton.
Residence	New York
Website	pattyhearst.com (for information on "Searching for Patty Hearst")
Other Interests	Dog Shows (particularly French Bulldogs), friendship with director John Waters, acting in his films.
Autobiography	Every Secret Thing (1982)

The SLA, a small but fervent group, demanded a ransom: the distribution of millions of dollars worth of food to the poor of California. The Hearst family, despite their wealth, struggled to meet the SLA's ever-increasing demands. However, the world watched on tenterhooks. But the story took a shocking turn when, months later, Patty Hearst resurfaced not as a victim, but as a comrade. Calling herself "Tania," she appeared in photographs wielding a machine gun during a bank robbery in San Francisco. The image became iconic, a symbol of the decade's turbulent political climate and the seemingly unfathomable transformation of a young woman.

Patty Hearst's involvement with the SLA remains one of the most debated and analyzed episodes in American criminal history. Initially, she was held blindfolded and confined to a small room. It didn't take too long until Patty formed friendships with her captors and in under two months had adopted their ideologies, changing her name to Tania. The name was inspired by Hayde Tamara Bunke Bider, Tania la Guerrillera, and began her career as a bank robber. The transformation of Patty Hearst from kidnapped heiress to terrorist gripped the nation.

The question of whether she was a willing participant or a brainwashed victim became central to her trial. Her lawyers argued that she had been subjected to intense psychological manipulation and coercion, a process they termed "brainwashing." They claimed that Hearst was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, a psychological condition in which hostages develop positive feelings toward their captors. The prosecution, however, painted a different picture, arguing that Hearst had willingly embraced the SLA's ideology and actively participated in their criminal activities. The jury ultimately sided with the prosecution, finding her guilty of bank robbery.

Hearst stated in her autobiography Every Secret Thing (1982) that Emily Harris was the shooter in a separate incident, where Opsahl was depositing a church collection at the time. Hearst wrote that Harris had said, "Oh, she's dead, but it doesn't really matter." The complexities of her case continued long after her conviction. She was sentenced to seven years in prison, but her sentence was later commuted by President Jimmy Carter after she had served only 22 months. Years later, President Bill Clinton granted her a full pardon, finally clearing her name and allowing her to move forward with her life.

So, where is Patty Hearst now? After the turmoil of her youth, Patricia Hearst Shaw, as she is now known, has found a measure of peace and normalcy. She married Bernard Shaw, a police officer who had served as her bodyguard while she was out on bail pending her appeals. They met at San Francisco's Top of the Mark restaurant in 1976, and remained together until his death in 2013. He was her rock, her confidant, and the man who helped her rebuild her life. They had two daughters, Gillian Hearst-Shaw Simonds and Lydia Hearst-Shaw Moore, and she now enjoys the role of a devoted mother and grandmother.

Hearst, who goes by Patricia now, is 69 years old. With her legal challenges behind him, Patty Hearsts kidnapper Bill Harris (a weatherman, or member of the Weather Underground, which was a faction of the Students for Democratic Society) offers new details on the case that made him famous.

In the time between then and now, Hearst has carved out an existence of her own as a wife, a mother and an occasional movie star, having befriended director John Waters in 1988 and taken on roles. And, yes, she's also known for her dogs. Hearst has found an unexpected passion and success in the world of competitive dog shows. Her French Bulldogs have won prizes at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. This unlikely pursuit has brought her joy and a sense of accomplishment, far removed from the drama and controversy of her past. Newspaper heiress Patty Hearst was kidnapped 50 years ago.

Her life, once defined by kidnapping, bank robbery, and the shadow of the SLA, is now filled with family, furry companions, and the quiet contentment of a life well-lived. Hearst's story remains a cautionary tale about the power of ideology, the complexities of trauma, and the enduring human capacity for resilience. The name Hearst likely conjures up images of a young heiress, a daring kidnapping, and a radical transformation. Hearst will turn 70 on Feb. Investigation Discoverys The Crimes That Changed Us:

But it's also a reminder that even after the most tumultuous of journeys, it is possible to find peace and create a new identity. Patricia Hearst Shaw is a testament to the human spirit's ability to heal, adapt, and ultimately, to redefine oneself. Patricia "Patty" Hearst was kidnapped at gunpoint 50 years ago Sunday by the Symbionese Liberation Army, later joining her captors in a 1974 San Francisco bank robbery that.

Patty Hearst's life was always destined to have a spotlight on it. Her grandfather, William Randolph Hearst, built a castle that's now a national landmark, and was not so secretly the subject of. To learn more about Searching for Patty Hearst (Chicago: Lexographic Press, 2024), visit pattyhearst.com.

Within months of this incident, Patty resurfaced again, but this time, she was working alongside SLA. She later revealed that she []. The SLA soon grasped the potential for a publicity bonanza, and on April 15, Patricia Hearst, now calling herself Tania, emerged into public view a totally transformed person. The transformation of Patty Hearst from kidnapped heiress to terrorist is a saga of privilege, celebrity and violence that gripped the nation. Over forty years later, firsthand accounts shed light

Patty has seen a lot in her life, and following the release, she seems to be living a content life. A happy Patricia Patty Hearst displays the executive grant of. Initially Patty venne tenuta bendata e chiusa in una piccola stanza; Strinse poi amicizia con i suoi rapitori e in meno di due mesi ader alle loro idee, cambiando il proprio nome in tania [6] (nome preso da Hayde Tamara Bunke Bider, tania la guerrigliera) e iniziando la sua carriera come rapinatrice di banche. Patty hearst davanti alla hibernia bank, aprile 1974.

This is what she's doing now | AP News. 4, 1947, newspaper heiress Patricia Patty Hearst was kidnapped at gunpoint in her Berkeley, Calif., apartment.