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tv   Dateline  MSNBC  March 25, 2023 10:00pm-11:00pm PDT

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next generation 10g network. get started for just $49 a month. and ask about an $800 prepaid card. >> i'm craig million. comcast business. powering possibilities™. >> and i'm natalie morales. >> and this is dateline! >> it is a murder mystery, he
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has got a wealthy family. it's difficult for everybody. there is a club of people consumed by trying to figure out what happened. i have never seen anything like it. >> a missing wife. >> everything about this wreaks of murder. >> a murdered best friend. a dead neighbor. >> they try to understand. >> now, the stories that you have not heard. as the friends of robert durst speak out. >> i hope and i pray, when all this is done, we all get answers. >> and here they own account of the strange life. the reclusive millionaire spent much of his time on the road, so where was he? what was he doing? who was he with? >> what does it die of his wealth doing hanging out at a homeless shelter, soothe kitchen. >> for decades, suspicions, and questions raised and no.
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will their family be answers? >> -- cases and vernon? >> the twisted tale of robert durst, and a mystery. >> where are you? >> he definitely is -- ♪ ♪ ♪ >> hello, and welcome to dateline. robert durst was born into privilege, he never seem to crave the limelight, but over the years, his possible ties to a strength of mysterious disappearances, and gruesome deaths placed him under the bright glare of suspicion. the tale has been the subject of books, television shows, and movie plots. it is a stranger than fiction story with twists and turns, a complicated yarn that has been unraveling for decades. here is keith morrison, with robert durst, the last years. >> there is a letter, written
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more than 60 years ago, a prophecy? perhaps. a warning? certainly. a doctor, writing about a very troubled ten year old boy suffering from hostility issues. sufficient to produce a personality decomposition, and possibly even schizophrenia. a troubled little boy? his name is well known robert durst. ♪ ♪ ♪ by now you have heard the bizarre saga, the multi million -- the disappeared wife, the dead friend, the dismembered neighbor. he has been the subject of several dateline episodes, and the star, though not in the way that he intended, of hp is the jinx. but does anyone know the truth
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about robert durst? the story behind the story, the tale that we followed, the revelations that we encountered, the personal account that he wrote and we were given which has led us to a very weird place, the last years of the infamous. robert durst. the tale is like quicksand, it's sucks you in. >> bob is endlessly fascinating, and always surprises me. >> he was certainly elusive. material, sometimes desperate. always in motion. we track him, his dissent, his change detour off the road, off the grid. a life that no one, not even his family or close friends could fathom. >> he has a good heart inside. i really think so. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> we begin with two people who know and love the man that they
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called bobby. godfather and son. close friend of more than 40 years, long before the rest of the world heard from him. when did you meet him? >> we went to high school together. >> stewart and emily altman, spoke to us after robert durst was arrested. >> they show assad of bob that he is not a monster. he has a heart. but it has caused me a great deal, that i can't get up my head around, is what happened to bob. it's hard. >> they altmans, shared personal photos. and the story of bob that they lived and breathed. starting with the family disaster that tormented him. >> his mom committed suicide when he was ten years old. it was a devastating experience from a. >> compounded by bobs strange relationship with his brother, douglas, and his father see
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more. then, you they introduce bob to a woman. and the whole twisted tale was set in motion. >> i was on his 52nd street, on the second floor. kathy was on the third floor. and bomb earned the building. he used to come and collect the rat. >> kathy? was kathleen mccormack, stewart's younger and beautiful upstairs neighbor. >> he was prince charming, and she was a princess. he was the love of her life. >> but it did not last. a few years later, the altmans, watch the prince and princess grow apart. >> she became more independent. it wasn't a fairytale anymore. >> now, in fact caffey's brother, jim, told us it was more like a horror movie. >> there is a dark side above that it was very well
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camouflaged when they first were going out and getting married, and it escalated ultimately into psychological abuse, economic, physical abuse. >> remember the doctors letter warning that the ten year olds robert durst suffered from hostility issues? kathy gave a copy to her friends, including strauss, just in case. >> kathy warned all of us that if anything ever happened, look to bob, don't let him get away with it. >> and then, in 1982, kathy durst disappeared. >> how did he take it? >> bob. he asked if we had seen her, heard anything, no anything. >> but they did not. no one did. >> he was typically almost detached. in his demeanor. almost, i don't know nothing, i don't know anything. >> on the outset, bob denied
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any outlets in kathy's disappearance. he distance himself from investigators. new york times reporter, charles, has covered the empire for more than three decades. and when kathy vanished, he said, bob's protective friend susan berman, a name you've probably heard of. became his unofficial spokesperson. >> and susan would call back, and say, well bob is really not feeling well right now. i'm going to handle a lot of business. >> bob himself was incommunicado. but we have obtained this, his own account, his version of things. which he wrote later. here is what he wrote about kathy's disappearance. >> after my life kathy left, my compulsive use of alcohol, drugs, and food change from an infrequent problem to a daily event. >> he did not come into work
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for about two years. >> later, when bob began showing up at work again, sporadically, it wasn't anything like the buttoned up executive. >> he enjoyed smoking pot in a social situation. burping, and farting. because it disturbed people. and he like to watch the reaction. >> right. so these stories about misbehaving, peeking in a wastebasket. >> being in a wastebasket, all of, that it gave pause to the family. >> and it was no great surprise. when the family patriarch, seymour durst, chose bob's younger brother to run the family business. >> did he really think up until the point where douglas was take, that he had a shot at it? >> he was groomed for it. it was supposed to be his job. he was upset. it had an effect on bob. ♪ ♪ ♪
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>> and that is when, the little known and reclusive robert durst went on his own to embark on a strange new life. what we want to know is how and why trouble seem to be his traveling companion. >> coming up! the peak at his new life on the last coast. >> hanging out at a homeless shelter soup kitchen. >> wait a minute, he bought a house and he hangs out at a homeless shelter? >> when dateline continues! if you're tired of staring down your copd,... ♪ it's a new dawn, ♪ ♪ it's a new day... ♪ ...stop settling. ♪ ...and i'm feelin' good. ♪ start a new day with trelegy. no once-daily copd medicine has the power to treat copd in as many ways as trelegy. with three medicines in one inhaler, trelegy makes breathing easier for a full 24 hours, improves lung function, and helps prevent future flare-ups. trelegy won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems.
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last coast. and almost mystical corner of northern california, where bob hearst came to get lost himself? it was 1995, after he was dumped from the company. 13 years after kathy disappeared. bob walked into the office of local real estate developer jane. >> he told me he was a writer for the wall street journal, he said he wanted to have a place with an ocean view. >> bob forked over nearly 400,000 in cash for a big family house in the town of trinidad, in the pacific, where he lived like a hermit. >> no one really same have around. he didn't seem like he had contacts, or very many best friends. >> and that personal account of his, he explained why.
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>> i hated to have more than a brief conversation with someone, because i immediately found myself being asked, what do you do? the true answer was nothing. i live off the family estate. what was true enough, but it wasn't exactly idle either. said author, matt, who followed the jurors case for over 15 years. and wrote a book about it called, a deadly secret. bob durst was buying other properties, he, said but some of his choices did not seem to make sense. >> not just homes, we are talking storage facilities and peel boxes. >> you mean he would buy one storage place? >> got an address, and it ended up being a storage facility. what is he doing with all of these storage facilities? >> the main town near trinidad's eureka, where we found bob spent many of time in the secondhand clothing store. primarily for women. >> i think he wanted to be
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across stressor, and maybe he was experimenting with it. do you know what i mean? >> he always came alone, said shopkeeper. >> he would buy something, pretty plain like. this you know, it wasn't outstanding. and he would get a skirt. and try to match it up. most of the time he could not. so i was trying to help him match. >> she had seen her share of cross dressers, but there was something different about this one. >> he wanted to be somebody else besides robert durst. >> which might explain another interesting story of those years, an odd and so far unexplained habit of frequenting the cities cd side. hanging out at a homeless shelter soup kitchen. >> didn't have one? >> he bought a house, he home hangs out at a homeless shelter?
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>> he hangs out at a homeless shelter. >> but, says charles vaguely, he was also restless. >> he was in constant motion, whether he was here, in texas, or california, or -- >> or los angeles, where he [inaudible] spoke for him after kathy disappeared. and was now trying to make it as a hollywood screenwriter. >> she and bobby i felt were always tight. >> this is susan berman's friend, kim langford. >> she was very protective of body. >> susan lived in a grand down cottage in l.a.'s benedict canyon. and occasionally bob would stop by. and look at gypsy, what seemed to be gone again. sometimes flying back to trinidad where he questioned his driver, ross. >> he was kind of specifically asking questions about the sheriff's department been out
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here, have you seen anything going on? >> and in 1997, while bob lived here, something did happen. a local teenager named karen mitchell vanished after leaving a woman's shoe store. that later bob was known to frequent. by the year 2000, the case was cold. but that of course as one across the country in new york, another case was suddenly hot again. the investigation into the disappearance of bob's wife kathy. reopened by west chester da janine bureau, who later became a tv host on fox news channel. >> i had an instinct. everything about this wreaked of murder. we had evidence that she was battered by him, which has since confirmed. it was clear to me that he chose her. >> investigation was supposed to be top secret. but as we know, bob durst found out. >> yes, he did. >> then lawrence kathy's
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friends, you met, her ellen strauss, offered the cops attempt. >> i told the police to interview his best friend [inaudible] i showed them all my research. i knew susan berman was the key. -- >> did plan on interviewing susan berman. the problem was they waited a little too long. >> coming up -- >> my first thought was, what were they waiting, for the dough? >> when dateline continues. with mucinex nightshift, it's not cold and flu season. it's always comeback season. need relief for tired, achy feet? or the energy to keep working? there's a dr. scholl's for that. dr. scholl's massaging gel insoles have patented gel waves that absorb shock to hard-working muscles and joints, for all-day energy. ♪ ♪
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westchester county's investigation of the missing billionaire's wife, kathy durst, had been talking quietly for months. when the story broke, i found himself in the media glare, again. it had been 18 years since kathy disappeared. and public opinion, he wrote, turned against him, unlike before. in 1982, the tone of the publicity was of a scandal of a rich man who had a terrible marriage. people did not distance themselves from him because of it. in 2000, i was a murderer who everyone disliked. of course, susan berman had kept a bad press at bay in 1982. now investigators wanted to talk to her.
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and what did dom do then? he got married. not to susan berman, but to new york real estate broker deborah keratin. >> it was a marriage made in heaven. that was clearly a marriage of convenience in that bobby was saying, in the event i'm arrested, i have someone to bail me out. and settle my affairs. >> wow, of course, that's just an opinion. maybe it was a love match. but it did come with spousal privilege. which meant debra didn't have to talk to the cops about her would-be husband. yes, the reporters had -- a substantial share of her's money. >> -- benefits. >> a character reference i'm not sure i want to have. >> she is a savvy businesswoman. -- meanwhile, out in hollywood, susan berman was struggling to make it as a screen writer. >> things were not quite going as well as she would've liked
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with her career. >> for years, susan had relied on bob for help. and he responded. sometimes with big checks. two of these were $25,000. >> it was some kind of cookie energy that went on between them. >> we had some unique insight from a woman she claims that she was susan berman's confidence. her name is barbara stephen or. and she told us that she knew what susan was thinking. in fact, she gave the police many hours of her recorded conversations with susan. in which, during the last months of 2000, according to barbara, susan grew increasingly worried. did susan ever tell you that she was afraid of robert? >> she did tell me she was fearful of him because i had the feeling she was afraid of him that because she was afraid
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that he [inaudible] >> was more than, that's at the psychic. susan was afraid of bob, she said, because she knew too much. she knew his secrets. >> towards the end of her life, she was very agitated with him. >> did he save her? susan did, no said barbara. and then just before christmas 2000, she said, susan let her know that bob was on the way. with money. >> he said, i'll bring it. and that's what happened. and i can't prove it. >> l.a. cops have long suspected that bob goes to susan's house in l.a.. but not to bring her more money. to prevent her from talking, ever. we do know from flight records and bob's own personal account that he did go to california. christmas 2000, robert durst was on the move again, late december, he flew here to
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eureka, california. he had owned a house in this area for several years but had recently sold it. he wasn't coming to stay here. he got a car, when inside it, pointed south. in bob's own personal account, he notes the driver, bill 600 miles from los angeles. after, that we can follow his trail. we do know that late on december 22nd, or early the 23rd, susan berman was murdered by a bullet to the back of her head in her home and ali. and on the 23rd, flood records confirmed bob took off from san francisco on the red eye to new york. and soon after, this matter postmarked december 23rd shows up at the beverly hills pd. >> i call it the cadaver note. >> oh yes, the favorite famous note. directing police to her body. a note likely written by her killer. news of susan berman's murder
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traveled fast. >> it was -- my first thought was, what if they listen to me? they did not interview susan berman and a timely matter. what were they waiting for, the dough? >> bob skipped susan berman's memorial service. and a few weeks later, he surfaced in galveston, texas. not a good place to get lost. except, of course, trouble eventually found him there. a killing, a dismemberment, and an unforgettable acquittal. we all know the story. but not this version. >> coming up -- did robert durst rehearse telling the truth? >> his wife and friend, murdered a reporter [inaudible] he discussed with them whether he believed the store that he was telling. >> when dateline continues. d emerge your best every day with emergen-c
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top stories. and mississippi, at the emergency management saying 26 people are dead after a tornado swept through the state. at least 12 of them hit mississippi and alabama friday night according to the national weather service. the governor there declared a state of emergency in all counties affected by the severe storms. then we take it just outside of philadelphia, authorities saying that five people are still unaccounted for after the explosion at the chocolate factory. two people confirmed dead. because of that blast is on deaf unclear. now back to dateline. >> ♪ ♪ ♪ >> at the end of the highway, and galveston's, texas is the roadside. this is where bob durst went to vanish. he actually moved here just
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weeks before susan berman's murder and initially he was not a suspect but he took pains to keep themself hidden. and he told his friends the obvious -- >> don't be looking for robert durst in a 300 dollar month apartment under a fake name. >> the name of an old high school classmate named dorothy signer. although in his log he wrote that he didn't like where he was. it it's not in my eyes which made my head sweat. but, the version bob told over the years -- doesn't tell the real story. certainly not the famous killing of his elderly neighbors, mars play, or bob's activities in galveston or elsewhere. >> it was really strange, him in black, around galveston amongst the homeless. >> why is a guy of his wealth and his family's influence doing, stealing identities?
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>> in fact, in the spring of 2001, at the same time as he as dorothy signer was living in galveston, he had another place in new orleans, under the name die and win. he found the place -- where [inaudible] >> he was wearing a blouse with small breezier, a wig. >> he lived on the top floor and the neighbors often saw him wearing women's clothing. >> he wasn't a drag queen. he was just in disguise. >> and then he would fly off somewhere else, new york, california, connecticut. always returning as he carefully noted in his personal account to that down mark at a town apartment and galveston where, in september 2001, he shot more as black, accidentally and in self-defense, he claimed. and then dismembered the man and through his body parts in
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the galveston bay. here's how durst described it. >> jack daniel's, marijuana, barbosa, i'm not deep enough. determined for bigger bosa, [inaudible] electric sauce, and acts did it. they believe that bob's claims about the killer were attempts after the fact to sanitize what the evidence suggests was a brutal murder. >> it makes no sense, and if you look at the autopsy report, it shows that mars had been beaten severely in the upper torso and perhaps suffered a heart attack. so obviously something else was going on. >> after his arrest, bob called his friend the altmans and try to explain what happened. >> he said he wasn't an out of body experience, -- what it's hard to understand.
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>> [inaudible] bob durst also called his new wife, debrah charatan, who helped arrange 3000 tax for bail. [inaudible] got a car and traveled the taxi. sometimes you say morris blacks i.d.. it was weeks later when they finally got him, shoplifting in bethlehem, pennsylvania, well more than 38,000 in cash was in his car. the arguments visited him in jail. >> imagine how he's doing. and he said, not doing great. he talked about how he pretty much was going to do maybe [inaudible] >> bob of course didn't pull that particular trigger. and was sent back to texas for trial where his -- feet the murder charge. >> it was a simple case of a struggle over a gun. and the gun went off. if it truly was self-defense,
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then what happened after the killing doesn't change that. >> bob wasn't so confident he would get off. in fact, he asked his friends altmans to help them -- would be like for him. >> he thought that if we got to know the ins and outs, that maybe would be easy for him once he was on the inside. >> right about how he would hear his favorite music, for example. >> he was gonna find out if maybe there was a radio station we could buy so that if he were in jail, he could have music that he liked. >> bob knew that his chances of acquittal dependent on large biden winning the juries sympathy. for that, he went on a crash diet. >> bob was trying to use every way within his power to look frail when he was on trial in galveston. >> he also went to considerable trouble to practice his testimony as presiding judge
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susan -- from a recorded statement in jail. >> he had his wife and friend make a little cassette recorder into the jail. he would practice his testimonies, make the tapes back to them, and then discuss with them whether or not he sounded believable but the story he was telling. >> all the defendants please rise. >> the altmans said bob was convinced, 99.9% certain, that he would be convicted. >> will the jury find the defendant robert durst not guilty. >> the jury took five days to save him from 25 years to life in prison. though he later served a little time in federal prison for skipping bell and dismembering moore's back. but in 2005, he was a free man again. not the only person who could catch bob durst was, bob durst.
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>> coming up -- what was you thinking? caught off camera and seemingly off-guard, did robert durst confess? why did he give that interview? >> to show he's not a horrible person. >> when dateline continues. dupixent can cause allergic reactions that can be severe. get help right away if you have rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines, including steroids, without talking to your doctor. ask your specialist about dupixent. ♪ i gotta good feeling about this, yeah ♪ including steroids, without talk♪ i'm with it ♪tor. ♪ i gotta good feeling about this ♪ ♪ yeah, ♪ ♪ so let's get it ♪ ♪ i'm feeling good vibes ♪ there's an invisible threat in your backyard that could cause deadly heartworm disease for your dog. but not if you protect him every month with heartgard plus, the #1 choice of dogs.
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a most unlikely turn. the pass of galveston long behind him, he settled in this luxury high rise. mark susan was the congo president. >> mr. durst was mostly the shallow who didn't look like he 's hair was kept, it was messy. he looked like a street bomb. >> he was 67 by then. and seem to have done away with his cross dressing. you might have lived out his days of quiet and isolation. but then the durst story went hollywood. a movie called all good things was released based on robert durst's life, played by ryan goslyn. it was directed by filmmaker andrew directly. >> bob liked that movie. that's what he got in involved with korecki think. >> he was offer his side of the story that bob sat for too long interviews for with turkey would pitch would eventually
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become the hbo series called the jinx. >> i told him not to do it. i begged him not to do it. >> why he did it, only bob knows. >> what did he think he would get out of it? >> he would be able to show that he is not a monster, he's not a horrible person. >> bob watch the james at the same time as everybody else did. and a lower according to turkey, the filmmakers had given authorities to the authorities to years before the show aired, which [inaudible] the show was far from objective reporting. >> they edited probably 50 or more hours down to a few minutes and i think the editing job was designed to make him look bad. >> but it was a simple comparison of handwriting samples that on its own seem to condemn robert durst. it was episode five of the junk series in which a letter he admitted sending two susan berman was compared to the infamous cadaver note the
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presumed killer sent the cops. soon after seeing that episode, bob packed up and left houston. but because -- the cops were monitoring his cell phone and they tracked him to the j w marriott hotel in new orleans. >> now, two fbi agents threw up at the hotel and are talking to the clerk. you have anyone booked here under the name of dorothy sign? or no. they go through ten other aliases. no. no. no. damn, where is he? they turn around, and there is bob walking in the lobby heading for the elevators. >> later, they accompanied him to his room. >> and ultimately, they turn up, cash, a gun, and some pot. >> bob durst was booked for possession of a handgun and
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marijuana in louisiana. and also arrested for the murder of susan berman in los angeles. and the very next day, the final episode of the jinx aired. featuring the now infamous off camera bathroom -- what was, it a confession? >> i killed my wife. worse what. >> did you think of what you saw on? there >> well god. i looked at stewart, and we were speechless. i burst into tears. because it was like a knife. >> after his arrest, a package arrived for him from that new orleans hotel. the police opened it. >> the repair of shoes in it and $117,000 in cash. >> right. >> so he was definitely getting ready for something. >> a pair of shoes and money, that's kind of what you need, isn't it? >> that's right. >> and his attorney stepped in again.
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this time, he acknowledged because of bob's trip to new orleans, getting him out of jail might not be so easy. >> i acknowledged early on the chance of him making bail right now, the chances are slim to none. and slim just let down. >> robert durst pleaded guilty to illegal gun possession. he was sentenced to seven years in federal prison. as for the susan berman case, the attorney did insist that he had nothing to do with her murder. the trial got underway, but was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. it resumed 14 months later. with deguerin continuing his battle against a tough deputy da named schauf german. -- a frail i testified from his wheelchair, and he made the stunning admission. [inaudible]
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i did not kill susan berman. [inaudible] >> in september 2021, a jury found robert durst guilty of first degree murder. he was sentenced to life without parole. two months later, a grand jury in new york indicted him for the death of his first wife, kathleen durst. but a jury would never hear that case. in january 2022, robert durst died and a california hospital. while serving his life sentence. he was 78. and in a final twist, john lewin, the prosecutor of the berman case, said that because durst was appealing that verdict at the time of his stuff under a california law, his conviction would be vacated.
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robert durst may be gone, but the mysteries remain. >> coming up -- a missing teenager. investigators wonder if there are links. >> robert durst is a person of interest in this case. >> when dateline continues. ♪ always satisfying ♪ ♪ gimme blue diamond! ♪ ♪ crunchy, tasty. sweet or savory, ♪ ♪ always satisfying, gimme- ♪ blue diamond almonds. find your beat ♪ alwyour moment of calmme- ♪ find your potential then own it support your immune system with a potent blend of nutrients and emerge your best every day with emergen-c nexgard is the flea and tick protection that's #1 with vets. your vet trusts it for her patients...
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durst wandered, this was not just a favorite, but now the sight of a lingering mystery. california's lost coast. in 1997, a pretty teenager named karen mitchell was helping out at the any casper shoe store. >> i did not ever meet robert durst but my manager, she said she remembered him because he just dresses like a woman. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> karen may well that merge robert durst [inaudible] she often helped eureka's own population. people among whom bob was known to mingle. we can't know for sure. but we do know she was in bob's neighborhood more than once. >> she used to go to trinidad on the bus. they could've met definitely a possibility. she liked unusual people, she liked to pick their brain and talk to them. >> the day she vanished, karen
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left the shoe store to go to her job at a nearby they care center where she had any pick her up after work. >> as i came, done had a weird feeling like something was off. >> it was. karen never made it to work. her mother, mary casper, lived in los angeles. no forgetting what that phone call was like. >> we drove from southern california up here and i remember hanging flyers at the rest stops. my daughter -- this is not happening right now. how could this be? karen, where are you? >> a massive search produced no sign of her. though there was one curious lead. a witness who said he saw a young woman get into a car with an older man on this busy eureka road. the witness worked for police artist to use this.
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but nothing much came of it, at least not back then. years past and then matt byrd bank who wrote a book on durst called a deadly secret, got a tip from some independent investigators also working the case. a possible connection. >> there were clinical records that placed durst in the eureka area the day that this girl disappeared. >> the transaction was just up the coast in trinidad, maybe 20 minutes or so by car. that spot where the witness saw girl picked up on the road in eureka. and then, before the trial on galveston, brett beck heard this -- >> at a really good source that was close to the defense team, i was told that durst was extremely concerned about karen mitchell and was so concerned, he thought he was gonna get charged. >> i brought this up on his own with his defense attorney? >> yes, and he said bobby, let's worry about one case at a time. >> not true said dick deguerin. >> i never had any concern
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about. it >> did? bob >> no. >> when durst was arrested in your own leans, the case was reborn. andy mills was the eureka police chief at the time. >> robert durst is a person of interest in this case. he definitely is in the mix. he's in the mix. someone that we will consider as part of our larger investigation. >> the chief was not alone. the fbi and the humble county j.a. were also investigating a possible connection with bob. however durst was not the only person of interest. there were five others. >> the evidence, the substantial evidence, it's just not there at this point. >> battle composite sketch for example, could this be robert durst? the chief isn't quite sure it's particularly accurate. >> let's face it, more were you impressed by the similarities? >> i'm impressed by the similarities but my questions are, are we able to recognize
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someone on a small space in window and being able to recount that in our description, it's pretty precise. >> that sketch -- was said attorney dick deguerin. >> i know bob pretty, well that looks like mr. potato head. >> so, who was that witness of 18 years ago when he still remember? the cops hadn't spoken to him recently said we found him. riding his tractor in the hills above eureka. his name was randy -- a local carpenter, did he remove her? >> yelling at him because that guy cut him off when he stopped his car to pick up a teenage girl. >> you know, i eyeballed him all the way around as i was coming around the car. >> he insisted the girl got into the car, as if she knew the man. so now, 18 years later, we
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showed films his sketch and a picture of robert durst. what is your gut reaction when you see those two photos? >> that's the man that i saw. >> how sure are you you got it right? >> in my heart i know. i remember. >> and he certain he said the girl who got in the car looked like a photo that police showed him of karen mitchell. >> it was her because she -- we made eye contact. >> but, issues. there's no proof that it was karen mitchell who got into the car. and bob durst eyes were not blue. and, said chief mills, constant come over 12 months after the incident. >> but we don't want to do is take something that is sensational and put that person into the midst of an investigation that may or may not have anything to do with them. >> but the investigation
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continues. and some [inaudible] believe there may be more. >> i never said definitively that he was a serial killer. what i said was that there is so much out there about him that clearly there's something going on here. and that law enforcement needs to look into it, and thankfully they are doing it now. >> at least [inaudible] said dick deguerin. >> there is no evidence, and to think that to have a theory that he's some kind of a serial killer and when he's not a syrup ill, or. >> but the notion of robert durst's serial killer has come up. >> it sells magazines, it sells books. it tells people to turn the tv. >> a dismembered neighbor, a friend. this is how -- thirst is defined now. where did it all go long?
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>> that's all for this edition of dateline. i'm natalie morales. thanks for watching.

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