The Jinx on HBO Max: The Story Behind Robert Durst and His Arrest in 2015
The second season of the documentary series follows the aftermath of the sensational confession and Robert Durst's escape attempt
What is the series about?
The Jinx: Season 2 on HBO Max is the long-awaited continuation of Andrew Jarecki's groundbreaking documentary series from 2015. The series picks up exactly where the first season left off, namely at the sensational revelation where the American real estate heir Robert Durst confessed to having killed them all into a hot microphone. In the first episode of the new season, 'The Arrest and Confession', we see the dramatic events surrounding Durst's arrest in New Orleans, which took place just one day before the finale of season 1 aired on national television.
The real case
The real case of Robert Durst spans four decades and involves three separate deaths in three different states. It began in 1982 with the disappearance case of his wife, Kathleen McCormack , in New York. The case remained unsolved for years until his close friend, Susan Berman, was found shot in the back of the head in her home in Los Angeles in 2000. Shortly after, Durst fled to Galveston, Texas, where he lived disguised as a mute woman. Here, he was charged in 2001 with the murder of his neighbor, Morris Black, whose body was found dismembered in the bay. Although Durst admitted to the dismemberment, he was initially acquitted of the murder itself by claiming self-defense.
In the second season of the documentary series, it is revealed how Robert Durst tried to escape justice once again. At the arrest in New Orleans in 2015, police found him in possession of a latex mask, over $40,000 in cash, a loaded firearm, and documents indicating a flight plan to Cuba. The series also highlights the shocking detail that a juror from his first trial in Texas helped him remove evidence from his apartment in Houston before the police could arrive.
Timeline of the case
The events surrounding Robert Durst are marked by legal intricacies and incredible coincidences. After the infamous microphone confession in 2015, the investigation into the murder of Susan Berman was reopened with renewed vigor. The crucial evidence became the so-called 'cadaver note' — an anonymous message to the police about Berman's body — where the handwriting matched Durst's own, including a specific misspelling of the word 'Beverly Hills'. This ultimately led to his conviction in 2021, where he received a life sentence without the possibility of parole.