Robert Durst (Bobby)

Robert Alan Durst was born on April 12, 1943, in New York City. He was the eldest son of Seymour Durst, a prominent New York real estate developer and member of the wealthy Durst family.

Durst grew up in Scarsdale, New York, and later attended Lehigh University. He became involved with his family's real estate business but ultimately had a difficult relationship with his father and younger brother Douglas, who later assumed control of the Durst Organization.

Durst married Kathleen McCormack in 1973. Their relationship became troubled and the couple separated before McCormack disappeared in 1982.

Durst subsequently lived in a number of different locations and increasingly distanced himself from his family's business and wealth.

His unusual lifestyle and tendency to avoid publicity contrasted with the enormous wealth associated with his family name.

Robert Durst was convicted of murdering Susan Berman, his longtime friend, in 2000.

His name was also connected to the disappearance of Kathleen “Kathie” McCormack in 1982 and the death of Morris Black in Texas in 2001. Durst was never convicted of McCormack's disappearance and was acquitted of Black's murder.

The Berman murder ultimately became the central case against Durst. Prosecutors argued that Berman knew information concerning McCormack's disappearance and that Durst killed her to prevent her from speaking to investigators.

Durst's conduct following Black's death and his use of disguises and aliases also became significant parts of his public image and the later investigations surrounding him.

Durst's criminal history was characterized by deception, concealment and efforts to avoid detection.

He used aliases and disguises, moved between different locations and maintained an unusually private lifestyle. His conduct following the death of Morris Black involved dismemberment and disposal of the body.

In the Berman case, prosecutors argued that Durst deliberately targeted someone who potentially possessed damaging information about him.

The prosecution ultimately relied on a combination of forensic evidence, documentary evidence, witness testimony, Durst's own statements and evidence concerning his movements and behavior.

Durst remained free for years after Susan Berman's murder.

The investigation was dramatically revived through filmmaker Andrew Jarecki's work on The Jinx. During the documentary investigation, filmmakers uncovered evidence concerning an anonymous letter sent to police shortly before Berman's body was discovered.

The letter contained the misspelled word “Beverley”, a spelling that also appeared in a letter Durst had previously written.

The documentary's final episode contained an extraordinary recording of Durst speaking privately while apparently unaware that his microphone remained active. Among his comments were the words:

“Killed them all, of course.”

Durst was arrested in New Orleans on March 14, 2015, shortly before the documentary's finale aired.

Durst's trial for Susan Berman's murder began in Los Angeles in 2021.

Prosecutors presented evidence concerning Durst's relationship with Berman, the anonymous letter, his movements, his statements and his behavior following the murder.

Durst testified in his own defense and denied killing Berman. Prosecutors challenged him over inconsistencies in his previous accounts.

On September 17, 2021, a Los Angeles County jury found Durst guilty of first-degree murder. The jury also found that he had killed Berman while lying in wait and to prevent her from being a witness.

On October 14, 2021, Durst was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Durst died in a California hospital on January 10, 2022, while still in custody. He was 78 years old.