New details released in the investigation of Kathleen Durst's murder 40 years later
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, New York (WABC) -- New details have been released by the Westchester County DA's office about the investigation that lead to Robert Durst being charged for murdering his wife almost 40 years after she disappeared.
When Kathleen Durst disappeared in 1982 her husband Robert Durst-- an eccentric millionaire and real estate heir-- was a suspect that investigators couldn't connect to the crime, until recently.
After avoiding conviction for a separate murder in Texas, Robert Durst was apprehended in New Orleans in 2015.
Investigators were able to convict Robert Durst of murdering his best friend Susan Berman in 2000, which led to his indictment for murdering his wife.
Robert Durst was finally charged with his wife's murder in October of 2021 after his life sentence for murdering Berman.
Durst died shortly afterwards in January 2022 at age 78 frustrating the family of Kathleen and the investigators who reopened the case 20 years ago.
Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah said her office was committed to providing transparency into the investigations as she released new details at a press conference on Wednesday.
""My office is issuing an investigative report that summarizes facts, not subject to grand jury secrecy, that were gathered during the investigation into the disappearance of Kathleen Durst and sheds some light on why it took nearly 40 years to charge Robert Durst with her murder," said Rocah. "These are all things about which there has been much speculation over the years and I believe that sharing facts with the public, where possible, is the best way to enhance public trust in our criminal justice system."
Some these same details were revealed in the HBO documentary "The Jinx" in which Robert Durst made several incriminating statements.
The DA acknowledged that mistakes were made during the initial investigation, like claims of domestic abuse against Robert Durst going unchecked.
While the DA says this report is meant to help Kathleen's family, their attorney Robert Abrams said they were not invited to the press conference.
ALSO READ | Family of Kathleen Durst speaks out after Robert Durst charged with her murder
"There is absolutely no doubt that Robert Durst murdered Kathie," said Abrams. "The evidence to prove this beyond a reasonable doubt has been available for almost forty years. There have been numerous individuals, including members of the Durst family, that have knowingly and intentionally participated in a criminal conspiracy to help Robert Durst avoid prosecution. Today, the Westchester County District Attorney has sanctioned those illegal acts and attempted to explain away how money, power, and influence allowed a killer to escape justice."
Abrams went on to say that DA Rocah should resign immediately for "misrepresentations and omissions" in the case.
The family of Kathleen will address other issues with the investigation on the 40th anniversary of her death later this month.
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