10 things you didn’t know about The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst

The popular crime documentary The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst features a series of interviews of real estate heir Robert Dursk, the suspected man behind three murders – his wife, a family friend and his neighbour, a case which is yet to be solved. 

The documentary is a result of nearly a decade of research by filmmakers Andrew Jarecki and Marc Smerling which includes police files, key witnesses and private prison footage and documents which have never been seen before!

Here are 10 things you didn’t know about Jinx:

1. Jinx, the series is directed by Andrew Jarecki, who previously directed “All good things” which was loosely based on Robert Durst’s life.

2. Robert Durst was arrested a day before the airing of Jinx finale by the FBI on a first-degree murder warrant obtained in the connection of Berman’s death by Los Angeles Police Department. 

3. Durst spent 20 hours with Andrew Jarecki over the course of several years for the interviews which made Jinx possible. Durst hasn’t co-operated with any journalist in the past.

4. Barmen’s stepson, Sareb Kaufman contacted the filmmakers during the conclusion of the 5th episode and asked them to review things that were left after Berman’s murder. He highlighted an envelope from Robert Durst to Susan Berman in March 1999, the hand-writing of this envelope matched an envelope sent to the police on December 2000, anonymously, about Berman’s murder. 

5. A forensic document examiner confirmed that the handwritings in both the envelopes could come from only one person, hearing this director Andrew Jarecki managed to get an interview with Durst where he confronted him about the letters. Durst acknowledged the similarity but denied writing the letter. Robert Durst unaware of the microphones on him went to the bathroom after the interview and made a statement, off-camera which ended with “What the hell did I do? Killed them, of course”

6. According to a report, the 1999 letter unearthed by the filmmakers of the Jinx provided key new evidences in the case which eventually led to the filing of murder charges against Robert Durst. 

7. Andrew Jarecki, the director of Jinx was approached by Robert Durst's a week before the release of “All good things” which was loosely based on Durst. He liked the film and then decided to open up about his side of the story.

8. Before meeting with Robert Durst in person, Andrew Jarecki claims to have spoken with him a lot over the phone. They then met for the very first time in Peninsula Hotel. Andrew described Durst in the first meeting as very gracious, punctual and polite but felt an electricity while shaking hands with him, given his history. He said, “You can’t ignore the fact that you’re shaking the hand of somebody who has dismembered someone.”

9. The idea of presenting Robert Durst’s story in an episodic format came from Breaking Bad, as when the producers sat in the editing room to discuss the storytelling they were simultaneously watching Breaking Bad.

10. During the interview sessions, Andrew Jarecki also came to know that Robert Durst is also a cross-dresser, but if you ask him he had an explanation for that too.

If serial killings and murders get your adrenaline high, The Jinx is made just for you.

Watch The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst on Sunday, August 11th at 9 pm on Star World.