Robert Durst Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday Facts

Robert Durst Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday

Robert Durst is a real-estate heir turned convicted murderer whose high-profile life and legal travails made global headlines.

Introduction

Robert Alan Durst (born April 12, 1943) emerged from one of New York City’s most prominent real‐estate dynasties, but his name is synonymous less with property deals than with decades of investigation, criminal trials and dramatic downfall. At the time of his death he faced not only murder convictions but also the re-opening of the disappearance of his first wife. Estimates place Robert Durst net worth variously in the tens of millions of dollars—far below the multibillion-dollar fortune of the family brand. His personal life was complicated and laden with intrigue, and his relationships and assets have been closely scrutinised by media and legal authorities alike.
In this profile we explore Robert Durst net worth, relationships, age/birthdate and birthday—while tracing the arc of his personal life, financial standing and public image.

Quick Facts

A Heir’s Path Shadowed by Ambition and Turmoil

Robert Durst’s upbringing placed him at the heart of a significant New York real-estate legacy. He was born on April 12, 1943, into the prominent Durst family. His father, Seymour Durst, and grandfather, Joseph Durst, built a vast urban property empire. 
Durst attended Scarsdale High School and later earned a BA in economics from Lehigh University in 1965, followed by brief doctoral studies at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). 
Instead of stepping seamlessly into the family business, his path became fractious. He opened a health-food store in Vermont in the early 1970s, only to be drawn back to New York by his father’s influence. 
Defining moments in Robert Durst’s journey include:

• Settlement of his share in the family trust — in 2006 he accepted about $65 million in exchange for giving up his stake in the family properties. 

• The 1982 disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen McCormack, which cast a long shadow over his life. 

• The 2000 murder of friend Susan Berman and the 2001 killing of neighbour Morris Black, which led to multiple investigations and ultimate conviction. 

• The HBO documentary series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015), which brought renewed scrutiny and evidence that helped secure his 2021 conviction. 

By tracing both financial privilege and personal upheaval, Durst’s story blends wealth, suspicion and notoriety in equal measure.

The Core Pillars of Robert Durst’s Wealth

The core pillars of Robert Durst’s wealth include:

• Inheritance and Trust Settlement: Durst settled his interest in the family trust around 2006, accepting approximately $65 million. 

• Real-Estate Holdings and Transactions: He maintained personal real-estate assets—such as a Harlem townhouse and Houston condominiums—and realised substantial gains on certain property sales. 

• Residual Income from Family Trust: Between the mid-1990s and 2006 Durst reportedly received about $2 million annually from the family trust. 

• Legal and Settlement Events: His wealth was also impacted by lawsuits and estate freezing orders, especially after his criminal conviction and the filing of wrongful-death actions by relatives of his first wife. 

Relationships & Family Life

Robert Durst’s personal relationships were complex and often public.
He married Kathleen McCormack in 1973; she disappeared in 1982 and was later declared legally dead. 
On December 11, 2000, Durst married Debrah Lee Charatan. While formally married, the relationship was described as unusual and at times distant. 
Key insights into Robert Durst’s relationships and personal life:

• His first marriage to Kathleen was marked by estrangement, a move to a separate residence and her disappearance putting enormous strain on the union. 

• His second marriage to Charatan reportedly functioned more as a legal-financial alliance than a traditional romantic partnership; at the time of his 2015 arrest she was reported to be living apart. 

• Durst’s relationships were also shaped by his friendships and business associations — for example his long-time connection with Susan Berman, who later became his friend and confidante until her murder in 2000. 

• Family-wide, his relationship with his brother Douglas Durst and other Durst family members was strained, especially after he was passed over to run the family firm and took legal action to settle his portion of the family fortune. 

Lifestyle, Assets & Interests

Beyond career success (and controversy), Robert Durst led a lifestyle that reflects both passion and purpose, including:

• Ownership of a Harlem townhouse in New York City, reported at around $1.75 million purchase price in 2011. 

• Holdings of multiple condominium units in Houston and real-estate restructuring following lawsuits and settlements. 

• Associations with high-end social clubs and nightlife in his earlier years, including double dates and outings with friends that eventually drew media attention. 

• Legal drama over his assets: for instance, while his estate was being targeted by the family of his missing first wife, a federal judge froze assets linked to his second wife’s holdings. 

• Minimal prominent public philanthropy; instead, much of his personal time became consumed by legal matters, illness and incarceration, which greatly affected his lifestyle.

Net Worth Breakdown & Analysis

Understanding Robert Durst net worth requires piecing together varying estimates and sources. His real-life fortunes were considerably smaller than the multi-billion-dollar Durst family empire.

Analysis:
While the broader Durst family was listed by Forbes with a net worth of about $8.1 billion for the group.  Robert Durst’s personal wealth was substantially lower—largely due to the 2006 settlement relinquishing his claim to the family’s core assets, combined with legal expenses, criminal convictions and litigation impacting his estate. The range of $65 million to $100 million reflects both the reported settlement payout and the approximate value of his personal real-estate and investment holdings at the time his legal troubles culminated.

Public Image, Legacy & Influence

Robert Durst occupies a unique place in the intersection of wealth, crime and popular culture. Initially viewed as a privileged heir, his notoriety skyrocketed with the airing of The Jinx and subsequent courtroom drama. Many of his media portrayals focus less on business acumen and more on the chilling narrative of a scion turned defendant.
His legacy is complicated: on one hand, the Durst name remains associated with New York’s skyline and real-estate power; on the other, his personal narrative is one of tragedy, suspicion and criminal conviction. His influence is less about strategic entrepreneurship and more about the cautionary tale of wealth unmoored from accountability.
In popular culture, his story spawned books, films and podcasts; his case has become emblematic of a broader fascination with dark wealth and real-estate intrigue. While his actual professional impact on the real-estate sector may have been limited compared to his family, the media echo of his life resonates widely.

Conclusion

Robert Alan Durst’s journey—from heir to the Durst real-estate empire to incarcerated convict—underscores how privilege and suspicion can coexist and collide. With an age/birthdate of April 12, 1943 and a birthday of April 12, his life spanned decades of wealth, estrangement, legal battles and notoriety. His estimated net worth—though several tens of millions of dollars—was dwarfed by his family’s empire, yet the scale of his personal controversies made him far more visible. His relationships were marked by marriage, disappearance, estrangement and legal wrangling.
Ultimately, Robert Durst’s legacy is one of contrasts: vast inherited privilege undone by personal turbulence, high-profile wealth overshadowed by criminal conviction, and a birthday that belies a life increasingly defined not by building fortunes but by unraveling legacies. In that sense, his story remains a haunting chapter in the annals of American real-estate and crime.