Dateline Season 17 Episode 67 Terror at the Mall; Rosemary and the Motorcycle Man
- August 7, 2009
On this episode of Dateline, titled "Terror at the Mall; Rosemary and the Motorcycle Man," viewers are taken on a journey through two compelling tales of crime and mystery.
The first story delves into the tragic events that took place on September 21, 2013, when a group of terrorists stormed the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya. With machine guns and grenades, the attackers proceeded to kill and injure innocent shoppers, leaving chaos and destruction in their wake. Journalist Cynthia McFadden interviews survivor Catherine Ndereba, who recounts her horrifying experience of being trapped in the mall for hours with her young daughter. Through Ndereba's harrowing account and exclusive footage taken during the attack, viewers gain a chilling understanding of the terror that unfolded that day.
In the second story, we meet Rosemary Christensen, a former beautician from Michigan who had a tumultuous life marked by addiction and troubled relationships. One night, as she sat in a dive bar, Christensen met a man named Don Shanks, who swept her off her feet with his charm and good looks. The two quickly became inseparable, and Christensen fell head over heels for the mysterious "motorcycle man." However, their fairy tale romance was cut short when Shanks was arrested, and Christensen discovered that her lover of six months was, in fact, a serial killer. Through interviews with Christensen, as well as with detectives and experts, Dateline explores the dark depths of Shanks' crimes and the tragic end to his and Christensen's relationship.
This episode of Dateline skillfully weaves together two vastly different stories of violence and heartbreak, taking viewers on an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. With powerful interviews, gripping footage, and expert analysis, "Terror at the Mall; Rosemary and the Motorcycle Man" is a must-watch for true crime aficionados.