Robert Durst was a real estate heir who became infamous for his connection to several deaths. He was a suspect in the 1982 disappearance of his wife Kathleen McCormack, the 2000 murder of Susan Berman, and the 2001 killing of Morris Black, for which he was acquitted. His participation in the documentary 'The Jinx' led to his arrest and subsequent conviction for Berman's murder in 2021, resulting in a life sentence. He was later charged with McCormack's murder but died in 2022 before a trial.
In 1902, Joseph Durst, Robert Durst's paternal grandfather, immigrated to the United States from Austria-Hungary.
In 1927, Joseph Durst founded the Durst Organization, a real estate management and development company.
On April 12, 1943, Robert Alan Durst was born. He later became a convicted murderer and real estate heir.
In 1953, a psychiatrist's report on 10-year-old Robert Durst mentioned "personality decomposition and possibly even schizophrenia."
In 1965, Robert Durst earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Lehigh University and enrolled in a doctoral program at UCLA.
In 1969, Robert Durst withdrew from his doctoral program at UCLA and returned to New York.
On December 10, 1971, Lynne Schulze, a Middlebury College freshman, visited Robert Durst's health-food store on the day she disappeared. She was last seen that afternoon near a bus stop across from the store.
In late 1971, Robert Durst met dental hygienist Kathleen McCormack.
In January 1972, Kathleen McCormack moved in with Robert Durst in Vermont.
On April 12, 1973, Robert Durst married Kathleen McCormack in Manhattan.
In 1973, Robert Durst closed his health-food store in Vermont after his father convinced him to return to New York.
In January 1982, the U.S. Court of Appeals revised the date of Kathleen McCormack's death to match the day she disappeared.
On the evening of January 31, 1982, Kathleen McCormack was last seen by someone other than Durst at a dinner party in Newtown, Connecticut.
In 1982, Kathleen McCormack, Robert Durst's first wife, disappeared, leading to years of investigation and speculation.
Private investigator Bobbi Bacha argues Morris Black had known Durst years prior and was likely involved in the disappearance of Durst's wife Kathleen in 1982.
Robert Durst faxed investigators a copy of Susan Berman's 1982 deposition regarding his missing wife.
In 1990, Robert Durst and Debrah Lee Charatan briefly shared a Fifth Avenue apartment, though they never lived together as husband and wife.
In 1992, Douglas Durst was appointed to take over the Durst Organization instead of Robert, leading to Robert's estrangement from his family.
From about 1994 to 2006, Robert Durst waged a legal campaign to gain greater control of the family trust and fortune.
On November 25, 1997, credit card records placed Robert Durst in Eureka, California, the day Karen Mitchell vanished. Mitchell may have volunteered in a homeless shelter that Durst frequented. Durst, dressed in women's clothing, had visited the Eureka shoe store owned by Mitchell's aunt.
In 1997, investigators considered a possible connection between Robert Durst and the disappearance of 18-year-old Kristen Modafferi, who was last seen in San Francisco.
In 1999, a letter written by Robert Durst, containing the same typographical error as the anonymous letter directing police to Susan Berman's body, was uncovered and used as evidence in 2019 implicating him in her murder.
In 1999, the New York State Police quietly reopened the criminal investigation into Kathleen McCormack's disappearance.
On November 15, 2000, Galveston landlord Klaus Rene Dillman was contacted via telephone by a man claiming to serve as aide to a deaf-mute woman named Dorothy Ciner, Robert Durst in disguise.
In November 2000, the New York State Police investigation into Kathleen McCormack's disappearance became public.
On December 11, 2000, Robert Durst married Debrah Lee Charatan. The couple had briefly shared an apartment in 1990, but never lived together as husband and wife. Durst described it as a "marriage of convenience."
On December 24, 2000, Susan Berman was found murdered in her home in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles.
In 2000, Susan Berman, a long-time friend of Robert Durst, was murdered. Durst was later convicted of her murder in 2021.
On October 9, 2001, Robert Durst was arrested in Galveston after body parts belonging to his neighbor, Morris Black, were found.
In 2001, Robert Durst killed his neighbor Morris Black in Galveston, Texas, leading to a murder trial.
In 2001, when Robert Durst was arrested for the Black killing, Debrah Lee Charatan wired him the $250,000 bail required by the court. She also regularly visited and spoke with him about legal and business matters.
In mid-2002, Robert Durst signed over a power of attorney to Debrah Lee Charatan, indicating a close intermingling of their holdings.
On November 11, 2003, Robert Durst was acquitted of the murder of Morris Black due to a lack of forensic evidence.
During Robert Durst's testimony in his trial, he admitted to lying while under oath in the Morris Black trial in 2003.
In 2003, Author and investigative journalist Matt Birkbeck reported that credit card records placed Robert Durst in Eureka on November 25, 1997, the day Karen Mitchell vanished.
In 2003, Robert Durst was acquitted of the murder of Morris Black, despite admitting to dismembering his body.
In 2003, Robert Durst was tried for the murder of Morris Black, where he claimed self-defense and was later acquitted.
On December 21, 2004, Robert Durst pleaded guilty to bail jumping and evidence tampering, receiving a five-year sentence.
On July 15, 2005, Robert Durst was paroled from prison after serving part of his sentence.
In a 2005 deposition, Robert Durst said that Susan Berman called him shortly before her death, saying the LAPD wanted to talk to her about McCormack's disappearance.
In a 2005 deposition, Robert Durst stated that his marriage to Debrah Lee Charatan was a "marriage of convenience," intended to allow her to receive his inheritance, as he intended to kill himself.
On March 1, 2006, Robert Durst was released from custody again after violating the terms of his parole.
In 2006, Durst's disclosure violated the terms of his 2006 agreement with the family, which had disbursed to him a lump sum of trust assets.
In 2006, Robert Durst gave Debrah Lee Charatan around $20 million of his $65 million trust settlement.
In 2006, Robert Durst settled his case regarding the family trust, giving up any interest in his family's properties and trusts in exchange for a one-time payment of about $65 million.
In 2006, Robert Durst was bought out of the family trust for $65 million after suing for his share of the fortune.
In 2010, the film "All Good Things," inspired by Robert Durst's life, was released.
In 2011, Robert Durst purchased a $1.75 million townhouse on Lenox Avenue in Harlem and was being kept under surveillance. Durst also owned three condominia in Houston.
In 2011, Robert Durst purchased two properties for $8.65 million, which he reportedly sold in 2014 for $21.15 million.
In 2012, Robert Durst's family members sought and received restraining orders against him, citing fear for their safety.
In 2012, the FBI created an informal task force to work with investigative agencies in jurisdictions where Robert Durst was known to have lived, including Vermont, New York, and California, though they could not connect him to the Long Island serial murders.
In 2013, Robert Durst's family members sought and received restraining orders against him, citing fear for their safety.
In July 2014, Robert Durst was arrested after turning himself in to police following an incident at a Houston CVS drug store in which he allegedly exposed his genitalia and urinated on a rack of candy.
In December 2014, Robert Durst pleaded "no contest" to misdemeanor criminal mischief in connection with the July 2014 incident at a Houston CVS drug store and was fined $500.
In December 2014, Robert Durst was acquitted of trespassing charges in New York City and the court vacated thirteen orders of protection his family members had taken out on him.
In December 2014, prior to the airing of "The Jinx", Douglas Durst told The New York Times that he believed his brother, Robert Durst, was "practicing killing and disposing [of] his wife with those dogs," referring to the Alaskan Malamutes Robert owned in the early 1980s.
In 2014, Robert Durst reportedly sold two properties for $21.15 million after purchasing them in 2011 for $8.65 million.
On March 14, 2015, Robert Durst was arrested by FBI agents at the Canal Street Marriott in New Orleans, registered under the false name "Everette Ward", after being tracked through phone calls. He was observed wandering aimlessly and mumbling to himself, having driven from Houston four days prior.
On March 15, 2015, New York State Police investigator Joseph Becerra removed sixty file boxes of Robert Durst's personal papers and effects from Susan T. Giordano's home in Campbell Hall, New York. These items had been sent for safekeeping three years prior by Durst's then-wife, Debrah Lee Charatan. Videotaped depositions related to the Black case were also stored there.
In December 2019, evidential hearings were held regarding the admissibility of statements Robert Durst made in March 2015 just after his arrest in New Orleans, in an interview with Lewin.
In March 2015, Susan Criss commented on Robert Durst's skills in dismembering Morris Black's body.
In March 2015, The New York Times reported that Andrew Jarecki was given "unrestricted access" to Robert Durst's personal records, including videotaped material, for use in "The Jinx".
In a March 2015 interview with The New York Times, Douglas Durst denied that his brother Robert had witnessed their mother's suicide.
On March 16, 2015, Robert Durst waived extradition and was set to return to California. However, Louisiana State Police filed charges against him for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possession of a firearm with a controlled substance, delaying his return. He could face up to life in prison on those charges.
On April 23, 2015, Louisiana authorities dropped weapons charges against Robert Durst after negotiations with his defense team.
On May 1, 2015, the New York Post reported that Douglas Durst had settled litigation against Andrew Jarecki, confirming that Robert Durst was the source of videotaped depositions that appeared in "The Jinx". This settlement could allow Douglas to reclaim up to $74 million of Robert's assets.
On September 21, 2015, Robert Durst's trial on the federal weapons charge was scheduled. At this time, his attorney confirmed rumors Durst was in poor health.
In October 2015, Kathleen McCormack's brother attempted to file a wrongful death suit against Robert Durst on behalf of his mother but was challenged by one of his sisters.
In November 2015, Kathleen McCormack's sisters and mother sued Robert Durst for $100 million, citing his role in her murder and denial of the "right to sepulcher".
On November 16, 2015, a New Orleans federal judge ordered Robert Durst rearraigned on the weapons charges and scheduled a hearing for December 17. His attorney stated that Durst did not kill Berman and wanted to resolve the other charges to expedite his extradition to Los Angeles.
On December 7, 2015, Kathleen McCormack's family members filed a suit asking the court to freeze Robert Durst's assets.
On December 16, 2015, prosecutors and defense attorneys stated in a joint motion that scheduling conflicts ruled out all dates before a January 11 trial date for Robert Durst.
At the time of his 2015 arrest, the FBI estimated Robert Durst's net worth at approximately $100 million; The New York Times estimated his net worth at $110 million.
From 2015 on, Robert Durst had a number of significant medical issues, including surgeries for esophageal cancer, having a shunt installed in his brain for hydrocephalus, and cervical spinal fusion. When arrested in New Orleans in 2015, he was found to be in possession of various drugs.
In 2015, "The Jinx" ended with Robert Durst moving into a bathroom, where his microphone recorded him seemingly confessing to multiple murders.
In 2015, Debrah Lee Charatan was reported to be living with Stephen I. Holm, a real estate attorney who handled transactions for both Durst and Charatan.
In 2015, Matt Birkbeck published his book "A Deadly Secret" which reported that credit card records placed Robert Durst in Eureka on November 25, 1997, the day Karen Mitchell vanished.
In 2015, Robert Durst's participation in the documentary miniseries "The Jinx" led to him being charged with the murder of Susan Berman.
In 2015, a recording of the July 2014 Robert Durst incident at a Houston CVS drug store was released on videotape.
In 2015, after the documentary "The Jinx" began airing in February, Debrah Lee Charatan reportedly had not spoken with Robert Durst and had distanced herself from his affairs following the Black trial.
In 2015, the documentary miniseries "The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst," co-produced and directed by Andrew Jarecki, was broadcast on HBO, which led to new legal troubles for Durst.
In May 2019, Robert Durst's attorneys filed a motion claiming evidence from his 2015 arrests were obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment and should be excluded.
On January 11, 2016, Robert Durst's weapons trial was originally scheduled. His attorneys requested a later date saying they would need more time to prepare after rulings on pending motions.
On February 3, 2016, Robert Durst's trial was rescheduled, and he changed his plea to guilty to the federal gun charge and received an 85-month prison sentence.
In July 2016, Kathleen McCormack's family asked the Surrogate's Court in Manhattan to declare that Kathie died on January 31, 1982, when she was murdered by Robert Durst, so the sepulcher lawsuit could proceed.
In 2016, Kathleen McCormack's family asked to have her declared legally dead.
In February 2017, a conditional hearing was convened where Nick Chavin testified that Robert Durst had confessed to murdering Susan Berman.
In October 2017, Robert Durst's preliminary hearing was initially scheduled, but was postponed to April 2018 to accommodate his defense team, who suffered damage from Hurricane Harvey.
In 2017, the court granted the request and Kathleen McCormack was declared dead in absentia.
In April 2018, Robert Durst's preliminary hearing was rescheduled after being postponed from October 2017.
In October 2018, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark Windham ruled that enough evidence existed to try Robert Durst for the murder of Susan Berman.
On November 8, 2018, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark Windham ruled that enough evidence existed to try Robert Durst for the murder of Susan Berman and that he would be arraigned.
In 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals had revised the date of McCormack's death to match the January 1982 day she disappeared.
In January 2019, Judge Windham set Robert Durst's trial date as September 3, 2019.
In May 2019, Robert Durst's attorneys filed a motion claiming handwriting samples and other evidence from his 2015 arrests were obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment and should be excluded.
In August 2019, Robert Durst's attorneys argued, "What the note demonstrates is that the person who mailed it was aware that there was a body at the house, not that the individual murdered Susan Berman".
In August 2019, a wrongful death lawsuit against Durst, filed by Carol Bamonte, was dismissed.
On September 3, 2019, Robert Durst's trial date was set for September 3, 2019.
On October 17, 2019, Stephen I. Holm, a real estate attorney reportedly living with Debrah Lee Charatan, died. While some sources called Charatan his wife, she denied being married to him.
In December 2019, additional evidential hearings were held regarding the admissibility of statements Robert Durst made in March 2015 just after his arrest in New Orleans, in an interview with Lewin.
In a surprise move on December 24, 2019, Robert Durst's lawyers contradicted his previous statements and filed court documents admitting that Durst wrote the "cadaver note."
In 2019, it became known that the filmmakers of "The Jinx" altered the sequence of Robert Durst's comments recorded in the bathroom at the end of the show, increasing the apparent severity of his musings.
On March 2, 2020, Robert Durst appeared in court to begin his trial, which was expected to take several months. However, the proceedings were postponed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March 2020, the McCormack family first asked for the Manhattan District Attorney's office to look into Durst and Charatan's relationship
In June 2020, a motion by the defense for a mistrial because of the delay was denied in the Robert Durst case.
In April 2021, Robert Durst's trial was scheduled to resume on April 12, 2021, after delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was then postponed again until May 17, 2021.
In April 2021, Windham ruled that a further delay until April 2021 was necessary due to the pandemic, but he would allow the trial to proceed if Durst agreed to a bench trial, without a jury. Durst declined this option.
On May 13, 2021, Robert Durst's lawyers filed a motion saying Durst had developed bladder cancer, and moved that the court postpone the trial indefinitely and to release him on bail to receive medical treatment that was currently being provided. The motion was denied.
On May 17, 2021, during Durst's trial for Berman's murder, Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah announced that McCormack's disappearance had been reclassified as murder.
On June 10, 2021, Robert Durst was hospitalized after being found "down and not in his wheelchair." Windham sent the jury home with plans to resume on June 14. Lewin expressed suspicion that the defendant was faking a medical crisis to force a mistrial.
On June 28, 2021, Robert Durst's brother Douglas appeared as a prosecution witness, stating he feared his brother and believed he was capable of murder.
On July 29, 2021, Robert Durst's defense team asked again for an emergency halt to the case based on his poor medical condition, saying he was not able to testify on his own behalf, but was rejected on August 2.
On August 5, 2021, Robert Durst was expected to testify on his own behalf, but court was adjourned until August 9 due to a positive COVID-19 test of a relative of Durst's legal team.
On September 14, 2021, the jury was charged with reaching a verdict by Judge Windham in Robert Durst's trial.
In September 2021, following Robert Durst's conviction for murdering Susan Berman, a lawyer for Kathleen McCormack's family sent a letter to the Manhattan District Attorney claiming Durst's marriage to Debrah Lee Charatan was a sham to aid his financial crimes and murders. They requested an investigation into these claims and the issue of Durst's potential bigamy due to Charatan's claimed marriage to Holm.
On September 17, 2021, Robert Durst was convicted of the first-degree murder of Susan Berman and faced a possible life sentence. He was also found guilty of multiple special charges. Durst's lawyers expressed disappointment and announced their intention to pursue all avenues of appeal.
On October 14, 2021, Robert Durst was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the murder of Susan Berman. The court denied Durst's request for a new trial, citing the abundance of evidence against him. Durst's legal team immediately filed appeals, but his death may lead to the dismissal of these appeals.
In October 2021, Westchester County prosecutors announced they would empanel a grand jury to explore charges against Durst in the McCormack case.
On October 16, 2021, Robert Durst tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed on a ventilator. His attorney had mentioned his poor condition at his sentencing two days prior.
On October 22, 2021, Robert Durst was officially charged with the murder of Kathleen McCormack.
As of 2021, the Durst family's real estate holdings are worth more than $8 billion, but Durst's brother Douglas has been in control of the Durst Organization since the early 1990s.
In 2021, Robert Durst was among those listed in the Pandora Papers leak, which exposed the offshore sheltering of financial assets.
In 2021, Robert Durst was convicted of the murder of Susan Berman and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
On January 10, 2022, Robert Durst died while facing charges for the murder of his first wife, Kathleen McCormack.
In January 2022, the McCormack family filed a wrongful death suit against Robert Durst's estate, marking the fourth such suit since 2015, seeking to claim Durst's assets.
On March 25, 2022, a federal judge in the Southern District of New York ruled that Debrah Charatan, Durst's second wife, must appear in court to justify why she should be allowed to manage his $100 million estate.
In March 2023, a federal court judge ruled that the wrongful death case filed by Kathie Durst's family against Robert Durst's estate could proceed, determining the lawsuit was not untimely due to Durst's death.
In April 2023, a conference was scheduled following the ruling that the wrongful death case filed by Kathie Durst's family against the estate of Robert Durst could proceed.
In November 2023, HBO announced "The Jinx – Part Two", a six-episode continuation of the series, was in production with the same producers and director.
On April 21, 2024, HBO premiered "The Jinx – Part Two", a six-episode continuation of the original series. This part covers the eight years between the original series in 2015 to present time, including new interviews, hidden material, and Durst's prison calls.
Home Box Office HBO is a flagship American pay television...
California is the most populous US state located on the...
Connecticut the southernmost New England state is situated between Boston...
Los Angeles L A is California's most populous city and...
New Orleans Louisiana is a consolidated city-parish situated on the...
Texas located in the South Central region of the United...
25 minutes ago Tsitsipas and Ruud Start Strong in Barcelona, Aiming to Improve Rankings
25 minutes ago Bengals Sign Quarterback Logan Woodside Amidst NFL Draft Preparations: Roster Update
26 minutes ago Charlie Ward to Coach Florida A&M Men's Basketball: A Heisman Winner Returns
26 minutes ago Alexander Zverev Shows Faith, Advances in Munich; Rouen Metropole Schedule Released.
26 minutes ago Hank Azaria Expands Springsteen Tribute Tour and Discusses Apu Retirement on Simpsons.
1 hour ago Live365 Expands Internet Radio to Mexico, Integrating with iHeartRadio for Broadcasters and Listeners
Doug Ford is a Canadian politician and businessman currently serving...
The Real ID Act of is a US federal law...
Justin Trudeau served as the rd Prime Minister of Canada...
Bernard Bernie Sanders is a prominent American politician currently serving...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is a celebrated American...