It’s been nearly ten years since The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst aired its jaw-dropping finale. Directed by Andrew Jarecki, this HBO docuseries became one of the network’s most memorable documentaries. With the second part on the horizon, let’s revisit the highlights of the first installment.
In 2010, Jarecki directed All Good Things, a film inspired by Durst’s life, which caught Durst’s attention. Surprisingly, Durst offered to be interviewed, marking the beginning of a series of interviews spanning over 20 hours. These conversations formed the basis of the 2015 docuseries The Jinx.
The series explored three crimes linked to Durst: the disappearance of his first wife, Kathie Durst; the murder of his friend Susan Berman; and the murder and dismemberment of his neighbor, Morris Black. Although Durst had only confessed to the last crime, he willingly faced questions about all three.
Plot of The Jinx: Part One
Kathleen McCormack, Durst’s first wife, disappeared in 1982. Despite suspicions, Durst was never charged due to a lack of evidence. Years later, in 2003, he was charged with Morris Black’s murder in Texas.
Despite hiring top defense lawyers and being acquitted of the murder, he pled guilty to bail jumping and evidence tampering. During the making of The Jinx, Jarecki acquired two vital envelopes with handwriting matches.
One was a letter to Berman from 1999, and the other was an anonymous letter to the Beverly Hills Police Department about Berman’s death. When shown these letters side by side, Durst seemed shaken. In an unexpected moment, Durst, still mic’d, mumbled what sounded like a confession: “Killed them all, of course.”
The Jinx: Part Two
In 2015, shortly before the series’ shocking finale, Durst was arrested in New Orleans. Jarecki and the producers provided evidence connecting him to Susan Berman’s murder. The trial began in 2020, facing delays due to Durst’s health and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Durst passed away in prison on January 10, 2022, at 78. The Jinx — Part Two will continue the story, focusing on Durst’s arrest and his courtroom battle for Berman’s murder.
