The shocking conclusion to a true crime documentary series proved to be the undoing of millionaire property heir Robert Durst, who inadvertently confessed to multiple murders while forgetting his microphone was still recording. This pivotal moment brought justice for victims after decades of mystery and legal battles.
A Lifetime of Suspicion and Tragedy
Robert Durst, scion of a prominent New York real estate dynasty, lived under a cloud of suspicion for most of his adult life following the mysterious disappearance of his wife Kathie McCormack in 1982. The 29-year-old vanished without trace from their Westchester County home, with Durst consistently denying any involvement in her fate. Despite being declared legally dead, the case remained officially unsolved, casting a long shadow over Durst's controversial life.
A Pattern of Violence and Evasion
Durst's troubled history included being acquitted of killing a neighbour in Texas under controversial self-defence claims, though prosecutors alleged he dismembered the victim's body. His chaotic existence saw him repeatedly in and out of legal trouble while becoming increasingly estranged from his wealthy family, particularly after his brother Douglas was chosen to lead the family business empire instead of him.
The case took another dark turn in 2000 when Susan Berman, Durst's close confidante and a crime writer, was found shot execution-style in her Los Angeles cottage. Investigators discovered her body after receiving an anonymous letter stating there was a "cadaver" at 1527 Benedict Canyon in what was misspelled as 'Beverley' Hills. Durst again protested his innocence, but financial records revealed he had given Berman $50,000 shortly before her death, raising suspicions about their relationship.
The Documentary That Changed Everything
Everything changed in 2015 when Durst participated in the HBO documentary series 'The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst'. During extensive interviews totaling over twenty hours, filmmakers uncovered crucial evidence that would prove devastating to Durst's claims of innocence.
The Critical Spelling Mistake
Investigators for the documentary discovered a letter Durst had written to Susan Berman in March 1998 that contained the same distinctive misspelling of Beverly as 'Beverley' found in the anonymous letter alerting police to her body. When confronted with this damning evidence during filming, Durst excused himself to use the bathroom, apparently forgetting that his microphone remained active.
Alone in the restroom, he was recorded muttering to himself: "There it is… I’m caught," before adding: "What a disaster. What the hell did I do? ...Killed them all, of course." This inadvertent confession would become the centrepiece of the legal case against him.
Legal Consequences and Final Justice
Durst was arrested for Berman's murder in 2015, coinciding with the broadcast of the documentary's final episode. Prosecutors alleged that Berman had been preparing to confess to authorities that she helped Durst cover up his wife's 1982 murder, providing motive for her killing.
Strange Behaviour and Capture
At the time of his arrest, Durst had been evading capture for months while disguised as a mute woman in Texas, complete with a shaved head and wig. He was finally apprehended after shoplifting a chicken sandwich despite carrying thousands of dollars in cash, a bizarre end to his period on the run.
During his trial, Durst's defence team argued that the documentary recordings had been manipulated, but the evidence proved overwhelming. He was convicted of Berman's murder in September 2021 and received a life sentence. Merely a month later, prosecutors brought formal charges against him for Kathie's 1982 murder as well.
Health Struggles and Final Days
The trial saw Durst battling numerous health problems, including contracting COVID-19 shortly after his conviction. He frequently appeared in court in a wheelchair while suffering from multiple medical conditions including bladder cancer, respiratory issues, and complications from a catheter. His legal team repeatedly attempted to delay proceedings citing these health concerns.
Robert Durst died of cardiac arrest in January 2022 while in custody, just three weeks after his final mugshot was taken showing him breathing with assistance. His attorney Chip Lewis stated the death resulted from natural causes stemming from his multiple health conditions.
Families Still Seeking Closure
Kathie McCormack's family released a statement following the charges, saying: "Not a single day goes by that we do not think about our beautiful, smart, and kind sister, Kathleen. Today, more than ever before, it is clear that she was murdered by Robert Durst in Westchester County, New York on January 31, 1982. The evidence is overwhelming."
They added that while Durst had been rightly convicted of killing Susan Berman, who helped him conceal the truth about Kathie's death, they were still waiting for full justice for their sister. The documentary's chilling finale, captured because of a forgotten microphone, finally brought some measure of accountability for crimes that had remained unresolved for nearly forty years.
The Durst family property empire, estimated to be worth billions and including New York's One World Trade Centre, continues under different leadership, forever separated from the notorious relative whose secret killings were finally exposed by his own careless words.
