AdvertisementPolice believe Durst killed Berman, a crime writer and longtime confidante who sometimes acted as his unofficial spokeswoman, to prevent her from disclosing information about the 1982 disappearance of Durst’s first wife, Kathleen. The cadaver note was believed to have been written around the same time Berman died, and investigators have long believed the author of the note also killed her. After investigators obtained fresh writing samples from Durst in 2002, the same expert reversed himself and concluded Durst was the author. Superior Court Judge Mark E. Windham has barred the expert’s analysis from being introduced as evidence at Durst’s trial, calling the conclusion “garbage” during a hearing this year. Jury selection in Durst’s trial is tentatively scheduled to begin Feb. 10, though the proceedings could last into the summer.

Source: Los Angeles Times December 31, 2019 23:48 UTC