With The Jinx Season 2 just around the corner, you might be wondering: is the man at the center of the case, Robert Durst, still alive? Here’s what you need to know.
While there are plenty of new true crime documentaries to look forward to this month, perhaps none are quite as anticipated as The Jinx Part Two.
The first chapter dropped back in 2015, centering on Durst, a New York real estate heir suspected of involvement in the 1982 disappearance of his wife Kathleen McCormack, and the murders of his friend Susan Berman and neighbor Morris Black.
It’s one of the best documentary series of all time, culminating in arguably the most shocking twist ending ever seen in the true crime realm. Now, Andrew Jarecki is returning with his team for a follow-up series — before it does, find out if Durst is still alive.
The Jinx: Is Robert Durst still alive?
No, Robert Durst died in a prison hospital on January 10, 2022, at age 78. His death was due to “natural causes,” having been suffering a number of medical issues due to his old age.
Durst started The Jinx as a free man, with Jarecki interviewing him in depth about his life and the suspicions surrounding him. Since Kathleen McCormack’s body was never found, it was difficult to pin him down. Additionally, he had been acquitted of the 2001 death of his neighbor after arguing self-defense — despite Durst dismembering his body and attempting to hide the evidence.
But in the case of his friend Berman, Jarecki and his crew took a deep dive into a letter addressed to the Beverly Hills Police Department in December 2000, just after her death. Alongside Berman’s address, it contained just one word: Cadaver. Meaning whoever wrote and sent the letter was the killer.
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In The Jinx, Berman’s step son finds a letter written by Durst, and the similarity between his handwriting and the killer’s is uncanny. When Jarecki confronts Durst about this in the docuseries, he appears to struggle to contain himself, letting out an involuntary belch and covering his face with his hands.
As the team starts packing up, ready to put a ribbon on the interviews, Durst gets caught on a hot mic. Unaware that he’s being recorded, he says to himself, “What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course.”
Thanks to his participation in The Jinx, Durst was arrested — just hours before the finale aired. Following trial delays due to the pandemic, Durst was found guilty of Berman’s murder in 2021 and sentenced to life in prison.
However, less than a year after his conviction, he died in prison. But there’s still plenty more of this story to be told. The filmmakers spent another eight years investigating the case, all of which will be explored in The Jinx Season 2.
The Jinx Season 2 premieres on HBO and Max on April 21, 2024. Until then, check out all the new movies hitting streaming this month, and the TV shows to add to your watchlist in April.
