Murder Suspect Robert Durst, Subject Of HBO Series 'The Jinx,' Arrested In New Orleans
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Real estate heir Robert Durst, whose story inspired the true crime HBO series "The Jinx," has been arrested in New Orleans in connection to a cold case murder in L.A., the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Department reported.
The 71-year-old has been suspected in three murders in more than one state, but has never been convicted.
"The Jinx" sparked new attention to the unsolved murder of Susan Berman, daughter of a Las Vegas casino owner.
She was friends with Durst's first wife Kathleen, who had vanished in 1982, and Berman had been approached by authorities in New York to discuss her disappearance, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Berman's body was found in her Benedict Canyon home on Christmas Eve in 2000. She had been shot execution-style in the back of the head.
Around the same time, the Beverly Hills Police Department received an anonymous letter saying there was a cadaver at her house.
In "The Jinx," Berman's step-son shows the camera crew a different letter from Durst to Berman – something he says he just found.
They have block lettering and Beverly Hills was misspelled "Beverley Hills" both times.
Cathy Scott, the author of "Murder in Beverly Hills," which chronicles Berman's death, spoke to CBS2/KCAL9.
"I mean my jaw dropped. It was an incredible moment, and I visualized detectives having the same reaction when they saw it," Scott said.
In 2001, Durst was arrested in Galveston, Texas after authorities found his neighbor's body parts floating in Galveston Bay. Durst said he killed Morris Black in self defense and later was acquitted of murder.
Durst was arrested Saturday night on a first-degree murder warrant and his attorney told The New York Times he will not fight extradition to Los Angeles.
The billionaire also had a run-in with the law in 2001 while living in Texas. He was arrested after authorities found his neighbor's body parts floating in Galveston Bay. Durst said he killed Morris Black in self defense and later was acquitted of murder.
