Robert Durst charged in wife's disappearance after being convicted of killing his friend

Robert Durst, the real estate heir who was found guilty of killing his friend, is now also being charged with murder in connection with his wife's disappearance.

A State Police investigator filed a criminal complaint in New York charging Durst with second-degree murder in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Kathie McCormack Durst, in 1982, The New York Times reports. The complaint "precedes a formal murder charge," the Times noted.

This comes after a jury last month found Durst guilty of murdering his friend Susan Berman in 2000. Prosecutors said Durst shot and killed Berman before she could speak with police about the disappearance of his wife.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

"He killed his wife and then he had to keep killing to cover it up," Deputy District Attorney John Lewin alleged, per The Associated Press.

Durst's case was covered on the HBO documentary The Jinx in 2015, which famously ended with the real estate heir speaking to himself in a bathroom while he apparently didn't realize his microphone was still on, saying, "There it is. You're caught." He could also be heard saying, "Killed them all, of course." His wife's body has never been found.

An attorney for Kathie McCormack Durst's family told The New York Times he was unaware of the new murder charge, but added, "Sometimes it takes 40 years for justice. We are grateful for the work, dedication and commitment of District Attorney [Miriam] Roca and her staff." The Westchester County District Attorney's Office confirmed the criminal complaint has been filed but didn't provide further comment. A grand jury was recently convened to hear testimony and consider charges against Durst, The Associated Press reports.

Durst was sentenced to life in prison without parole earlier this month. He recently contracted COVID-19 and was placed on a ventilator, and his attorney told NBC News he was having difficulty breathing and speaking.