As the remarkable events surrounding Robert Durst’s arrest unfolded in 2015, just before the season one finale of ‘The Jinx’, the filmmakers behind the acclaimed documentary revealed that director Andrew Jarecki had received information from the FBI indicating that Durst had gone on the run.
Jarecki explained that he was aware of Durst’s flight for four to five days due to concerns about the filmmaker’s safety. However, this knowledge was not widely known at the time, including during the submission of evidence to the police investigation into Durst’s involvement in the 2000 murder of his close friend, Susan Berman.
The filmmakers clarified that they initially handed over evidence in 2013, years before the show’s premiere. They also discussed the discovery of Durst’s shocking bathroom confession, which they shared with authorities.
Jarecki expressed his initial belief that the police would promptly arrest Durst upon receiving evidence of murder. However, he was met with a different response from L.A. deputy district attorney John Lewin, who explained the typical five-year timeframe for such cold cases.
Concerned about Durst’s potential to harm others, the filmmakers emphasized the urgency of the situation. Lewin acknowledged the risks but stressed the importance of building a strong case before proceeding with prosecution.
In the latest episode of their podcast, Jarecki and executive producer Zac Stuart-Pontier elaborated on Jarecki’s fear for his safety before Durst’s eventual apprehension in New Orleans. The premiere of ‘The Jinx’ had exposed the parallel events of Durst going on the run while the first season aired in 2015.
Durst fled after watching the penultimate episode, which revealed that his handwriting matched that of the ‘cadaver note’ believed to be written by Berman’s murderer. Jarecki and Durst had developed a friendship of sorts, and the filmmaker expressed confusion over Durst’s apparent shift in attitude towards him.
‘The Jinx’ documented Durst’s steps as he fled, but the series did not delve into Jarecki’s conversations with the FBI at the time. Jarecki revealed that he had expressed concerns about his safety, prompting the FBI to monitor Durst’s movements.
Stuart-Pontier stated that Jarecki hired security as a precaution, given the absence of information on Durst’s whereabouts. The FBI eventually traced Durst to a hotel in New Orleans, where he was apprehended on March 15, 2015, just before the finale of ‘The Jinx’ aired.
The filmmakers also discussed Durst’s choice of alias, Everett Ward, which he derived from another individual who had purchased a bow saw around the same time as Durst.
When ‘The Jinx’ premiered, Durst was known as a New York real estate heir suspected of three murders. He had never been convicted, despite facing investigations into the disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen McCormack Durst, the execution-style killing of Berman, and the dismemberment of his neighbor, Morris Black.
At the time of his arrest, Durst was found with over $40,000, a loaded firearm, a map of Cuba, and a lifelike flesh-colored mask, which he had commissioned as a disguise. The filmmakers were able to locate the contact for the mask maker and used it in recreations shown in ‘The Jinx’.
In the podcast, the filmmakers played excerpts from Lewin’s questioning of Durst following his arrest, including Durst’s claim of being on methamphetamine during his interviews. Jarecki and Stuart-Pontier expressed skepticism about this claim, noting that Lewin had dismissed it as ‘bullshit’.
While awaiting extradition in New Orleans, Jarecki attempted to visit Durst in jail, hoping to gain further insights. However, Durst declined the visit, leaving Jarecki somewhat disappointed.
In September 2021, Durst was convicted of Berman’s murder, receiving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Two months later, he was indicted on charges related to Kathie Durst’s killing but died in state custody before a trial could begin.
