A Deadly Secret: The Strange Disappearance of Kathie Durst
Encyclopedia
A Deadly Secret is the true story of Robert Durst
, the heir to a New York real estate dynasty who is suspected of killing his wife Kathie in 1982. The story is written by journalist and author Matt Birkbeck
, and was published by Berkley/Penguin. A Deadly Secret was published in hardcover in 2002 and in paperback in 2003.
Birkbeck
covered the Durst
case for People
Magazine and Reader's Digest
. A Deadly Secret reveals how Durst
stole numerous identities in a bizarre cross-country trek that ultimately resulted in the murder/dismemberment of a drifter named Morris Black, in Galveston, Texas
in 2001. Durst
was acquitted of murder in the Black case in 2003. Durst
is also a suspect in the 2000 murder of his friend Susan Berman.
In the 2003 paperback edition, Birkbeck
also links Durst
to the disappearances of two teenagers, Kristen Modafferi
, who went missing in San Francisco in 1997, and Karen Mitchell, who vanished in Eureka, CA in 1997.
Robert Durst
Robert Alan "Bobby" Durst is a son of the late New York real estate mogul Seymour Durst, and brother of commercial developer Douglas Durst.-Early life:...
, the heir to a New York real estate dynasty who is suspected of killing his wife Kathie in 1982. The story is written by journalist and author Matt Birkbeck
Matt Birkbeck
Matt Birkbeck is an American author and award winning investigative journalist. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Reader's Digest, Boston Magazine and a host of other magazines, including People, where he served as a correspondent for a decade. In 2004, he...
, and was published by Berkley/Penguin. A Deadly Secret was published in hardcover in 2002 and in paperback in 2003.
Birkbeck
Birkbeck
-People:*Elena Birkbeck , first wife of William Knox D'Arcy, mining entrepreneur*George Birkbeck , a doctor, academic, philanthropist and pioneer in adult education, founder of Birkbeck, University of London....
covered the Durst
Durst
Durst Phototechnik AG is a manufacturer of photographic and printing equipment, based in Brixen, Italy.-History:Established in 1936 by two brothers, Julius and Gilbert Durst, who were enthusiasts in the field of photography, encouraged by their mother, who was also a keen photographer and had her...
case for People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
Magazine and Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
. A Deadly Secret reveals how Durst
Durst
Durst Phototechnik AG is a manufacturer of photographic and printing equipment, based in Brixen, Italy.-History:Established in 1936 by two brothers, Julius and Gilbert Durst, who were enthusiasts in the field of photography, encouraged by their mother, who was also a keen photographer and had her...
stole numerous identities in a bizarre cross-country trek that ultimately resulted in the murder/dismemberment of a drifter named Morris Black, in Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
in 2001. Durst
Durst
Durst Phototechnik AG is a manufacturer of photographic and printing equipment, based in Brixen, Italy.-History:Established in 1936 by two brothers, Julius and Gilbert Durst, who were enthusiasts in the field of photography, encouraged by their mother, who was also a keen photographer and had her...
was acquitted of murder in the Black case in 2003. Durst
Durst
Durst Phototechnik AG is a manufacturer of photographic and printing equipment, based in Brixen, Italy.-History:Established in 1936 by two brothers, Julius and Gilbert Durst, who were enthusiasts in the field of photography, encouraged by their mother, who was also a keen photographer and had her...
is also a suspect in the 2000 murder of his friend Susan Berman.
In the 2003 paperback edition, Birkbeck
Birkbeck
-People:*Elena Birkbeck , first wife of William Knox D'Arcy, mining entrepreneur*George Birkbeck , a doctor, academic, philanthropist and pioneer in adult education, founder of Birkbeck, University of London....
also links Durst
Durst
Durst Phototechnik AG is a manufacturer of photographic and printing equipment, based in Brixen, Italy.-History:Established in 1936 by two brothers, Julius and Gilbert Durst, who were enthusiasts in the field of photography, encouraged by their mother, who was also a keen photographer and had her...
to the disappearances of two teenagers, Kristen Modafferi
Kristen Modafferi
Kristen Modafferi is a former college student from Charlotte, North Carolina, who vanished without a trace on June 23, 1997, barely three weeks after her eighteenth birthday. Having just completed her freshman year at North Carolina State University, she had gone to spend the summer in the San...
, who went missing in San Francisco in 1997, and Karen Mitchell, who vanished in Eureka, CA in 1997.