On Friday last week, a court jury in Los Angeles found Robert Durst guilty of killing Susan Berman. The multimillionaire was found guilty of first-degree murder, which under California law may result in a life imprisonment sentence without parole. Berman’s murder case dates back to 2000 when she was found shot at the back of her head in her home in Benedict Canyon, LA.
Court Finds Guilty Robert Durst of Killing Susan Berman
After being postponed since March 2020, the murder trial of multimillionaire Robert Durst restarted earlier this year. Durst was accused of killing Susan Berman, who was the daughter of the Las Vegas mogul David Berman.
Now, the person, notorious for inspiring the HBO series dubbed “The Jinx,” was found guilty of first-degree murder. Last week Friday, Los Angeles, California, court found Durst guilty of killing Susan Berman, a case dating back more than 2 decades. Currently, the state has a moratorium on the death penalty. Durst may receive a life sentence in prison without parole for first-degree murder. His sentencing is planned to take place on October 18, 2021.
According to CNN, Durst’s attorney, Dick DeGuerin wasn’t happy with the court’s decision. Additionally, he revealed Durst recently had contact with someone who had COVID-19, which is why he remains under quarantine and was not present in court to hear the verdict. DeGuerin said that: “We fought hard, but came in second.“
A Murder Investigation Dating Back Two Decades
Susan Berman was the daughter of David Berman, a notorious Las Vegas mogul. In a memoir called “Easy Street: The True Story of a Gangster’s Daughter,” dated 1981, she described memories of her father being involved with crime syndicates and mobsters in Las Vegas back in the 1940s. Around that time, the casino mogul had also invested in downtown casinos in the gambling capital of the world.
Back in December 2000, Susan Berman was found shot at her home in Benedict Canyon, Los Angelis. That happened hours before she was planned to discuss details with the police regarding the disappearance of Kathie Durst. Kathie had disappeared in 1982. Although her body was never found and there were no charges filed against anyone for her disappearance or possible murder, she was declared dead in 2017.
All those circumstances led prosecutors to believe that Durst killed Berman to cover up his tracks regarding the disappearance of his wife, Kathie. Consequently, Durst was charged with one count of murder. On multiple occasions, he rejected the accusations, claiming he wasn’t responsible for Berman’s killing or the disappearance of Kathie.