By Brian Melley
There is almost no physical evidence connecting New York real estate heir Robert Durst to the slaying of his best friend in Los Angeles 20 years ago.
What does link him to the killing of Susan Berman, though, is a cryptic note sent to police with her address and one word: “CADAVER.”
The slip of paper intended to lead authorities to her lifeless body in December 2000 was penned by Durst. His lawyers have admitted as much. Durst himself has said more than once that only the killer or someone involved in the shooting could have written it.
Prosecutors intend to use the note and a web of circumstantial evidence to put Durst behind bars for three killings he’s suspected of committing over nearly four decades. They will be up against a legal team that won Durst’s acquittal in one of those deaths.
“Our defense is, one, he didn’t do it, and, two, they can’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he did it,” defense lawyer David Chesnoff said. “It is a highly circumstantial case and we will have strong responses to explain the circumstances.”
Jury selection begins Wednesday in a case built around a story so sensational it inspired a feature film starring Ryan Gosling as Durst and a six-part documentary on his life that helped lead to his arrest.
https://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/Eccentric-millionaire-Durst-faces-trial-in-15062539.php