The long-shadowed mystery surrounding the disappearance of Kathie Durst in 1982 has taken a significant turn. Real estate heir Robert Durst, already serving a life sentence for the murder of Susan Berman, has been indicted by a New York grand jury for the second-degree murder of his first wife. This indictment comes nearly four decades after Kathie Durst vanished, a case that has fueled speculation and contributed to Durst’s increasingly erratic behavior.
Robert Durst during his sentencing for the murder of Susan Berman.
Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah announced the indictment, which follows a criminal complaint filed in October by a state police investigator. This marks the first time Durst has been formally charged in connection with Kathie Durst’s disappearance. While already imprisoned in California, a warrant has been issued for his arrest in New York.
This indictment is a monumental step in a case that has spanned decades. DA Rocah emphasized the renewed focus her office has placed on the investigation since January, establishing a cold case unit and dedicating significant resources to unraveling the truth. The grand jury continued its proceedings even after the initial criminal complaint was filed, meticulously examining evidence and hearing witness testimony.
The case gained widespread attention following the 2015 HBO documentary “The Jinx,” where Durst seemingly confessed to multiple killings, muttering the infamous phrase, “Killed them all, of course,” into a live microphone.
Kathie Durst, a medical student just months away from graduation, was 29 when she vanished. Her marriage to Robert Durst, then 38, had been fraught with tension. Despite his subsequent divorce filing citing abandonment, her body has never been found. At the urging of her family, she was declared legally dead in 2017.
Over the years, several investigations have attempted to shed light on Kathie Durst’s fate, including searches of the couple’s home and a nearby lake. These efforts, however, yielded minimal results, leaving the case unresolved for decades.
The timeline of events surrounding Robert Durst paints a disturbing picture. In 2000, he murdered Susan Berman, his confidante who allegedly helped him cover up Kathie Durst’s disappearance. He then fled to Texas, where he lived disguised as a mute woman before killing his neighbor, Morris Black. While acquitted of murder in that case, he was convicted of dismembering and disposing of Black’s body.
Durst’s conviction for Berman’s murder in September 2021 solidified his image as a dangerous and manipulative individual. Prosecutors described him as a “narcissistic psychopath” driven to kill to protect his secrets. His sentencing to life in prison brought a sense of closure to Berman’s family, but the question of Kathie Durst’s fate remained unanswered.
The current indictment represents a significant breakthrough in the pursuit of justice for Kathie Durst and her family. It underscores the commitment of law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable, even after decades have passed. The indictment also highlights the importance of advocating for victims of domestic violence, a cause championed by DA Rocah.
Durst’s legal team has dismissed the indictment as “fake news,” and expressed concerns about his ability to travel to New York given his fragile health. He recently battled COVID-19, requiring hospitalization and ventilator support. He has since been transferred to a state prison hospital, but details regarding his current condition remain undisclosed.
This indictment reopens a painful chapter for Kathie Durst’s family, who have tirelessly sought answers for nearly 40 years. While the legal proceedings unfold, they hope to finally find some measure of justice and closure in this long-standing tragedy. The case continues to captivate public attention, serving as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of domestic violence and the enduring power of perseverance in the pursuit of truth.
The Durst family’s vast real estate holdings, including a stake in One World Trade Center, have also been a point of interest throughout the years. Robert Durst’s share was bought out by family members in 2006.
During his testimony in the Los Angeles trial, Durst maintained his innocence in Kathie’s disappearance, claiming he believed she had simply gone “out someplace having fun.” He downplayed concerns about her absence, attributing it to potential drug use.
This new indictment reignites the legal battle surrounding Robert Durst and brings the decades-long search for answers in Kathie Durst’s disappearance back into the spotlight. The complexities of the case, coupled with Durst’s history of violence and deception, promise a challenging legal process as the pursuit of justice continues.
