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Robert Durst, 78, has died while serving a life sentence for fatally shooting his longtime confidante Susan Berman at point-blank range at her Los Angeles home in 2000 - before he could be tried for the murder of his wife Kathy.

He has long disputed killing Kathie, who has been missing since she disappeared from New York in 1982 and was presumed dead in 2017.

Last November - nearly 40 years after she vanished - a grand jury in Westchester County charged Durst with her second-degree murder after District Attorney Miriam Rocah and state police reopened the case.

Rocah in a statement expressed disappointment that Durst did not live to be prosecuted for his first wife's death. 

'After 40 years spent seeking justice for her death, I know how upsetting this news must be for Kathleen Durst's family,' Rocah said. 'We had hoped to allow them the opportunity to see Mr. Durst finally face charges for Kathleen's murder because we know that all families never stop wanting closure, justice and login slot thailand accountability.'

Kathie's family declined comment through their lawyer's office. 

Durst died in a state prison hospital facility in Stockton from natural causes due to a number of health issues early Monday, his attorney Chip Lewis said.

In this December 15, 2021 picture, he was seen looking frail and with a breathing tube in a mug shot released by the California Department of Corrections

Durst tested positive for Covid-19 on October 16, just days after he was he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the execution-style killing of his longtime friend and confidant, Susan Berman in 2002

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Los Angeles prosecutors proved during Berman's murder trial that Durst killed his pal - who helped cover up Kathie's killing - in order to silence her.

The eccentric millionaire was in 2003 also accused of killing neighbor Morris Black but was acquitted in 2003 after testifying it was self defense when they both struggled for a gun.

He has been behind bars since 2015, when the HBO documentary The Jinx: The Life And Deaths of Robert Durst, unearthed new evidence in Berman's killing.

Durst discussed the cases and made several damning statements including a stunning confession during an unguarded moment during the six-part documentary series.

The show made his name known to a new generation and brought renewed scrutiny and suspicion from authorities.

Robert Durst, convicted murderer and subject of the HBO true crime doc, 'The Jinx,' died while serving a life sentence in prison. He was 78-years-old. He is pictured on March 17, 2015

Robert Durst was indicted by a New York grand jury last November and set to stand trial for the murder of his wife, Kathie, who disappeared in 1982 and was presumed dead in 2017. Pictured in 1982

In the immediate aftermath of Kathie's disappearance, Susan Berman (above) helped Robert craft a phony alibi and stepped in to act as his publicist

He was arrested in Berman's killing the night before the final episode, which closed with him mumbling to himself in a bathroom while still wearing hot mic saying: "You're caught. What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course."

The quotes were later revealed to have been manipulated for dramatic effect but the production - done with Durst's cooperation against the advice from his lawyer and friends - dredged up new evidence including an envelope that connected Durst to the scene of Berman's killing as well as incriminating statements he made.

 Durst's health has steadily worsened in recent years.

Last December, he was seen looking frail and with a breathing tube in a mug shot released by the California Department of Corrections. 

Just months earlier, Durst - who has numerous medical issues, including contracting COVID-19 - was seen in a wheelchair throughout most his trial in California.

Durst's lawyers said he was suffering from a 'myriad of life-threatening issues' including bladder cancer last September. 'His health deteriorated over the weeks of the trial,' said his lawyer Dick DeGuerin. 'He looked like death warmed over.'

Last October, Durst was sentenced to life for Berman's slaying. Prosecutors alleged his motive was to prevent her from revealing what she knew about the vanishing of his wife, Kathleen McCormack Durst in 1982.

Throughout his trial, his defense attempted to postpone his case due to ongoing health problems, including chest pains, breathing problems, pain while dressing and from having a catheter, and urinary tract infections due to his bladder cancer. 

A week after his sentencing, he was indicted for the murder of his first wife Kathie Durst in 1982. 

His death leaves behind many unanswered questions surrounding Kathie's unsolved case; and renewed public interest into the deluded misdeeds of one of America's most bizarre killers.

Pictured: Durst spins his wheelchir in place during his trial in Inglewood, California on September 8, 2021

Durst, born on April 12, 1943, was the eldest son of a prominent New York real estate dynasty. His grandfather, the family patriarch, Joseph Durst, was a tailor from Poland who immigrated to New Yok in 1902 with $3 sewn into his lapel.

In a few short years, Joseph moved up from peddling children's clothing on pushcarts to being a partner in a garment factory. 

He soon after expanded into real estate in 1915 with the purchase of his first building on 34th Street. He also founded Capital National Bank, which made loans to the garment district and was eventually sold - giving him seed money for his budding real-estate empire. 

Today, the Durst Organization is worth $8 billion with towering skyscrapers that dominate Manhattan's iconic skyline. The family-run business owns more than 16 million square feet of real estate in New York City, including a 10% stake in One World Trade Center.  

Robert Durst's childhood was marred by tragedy when he witnessed his mother, Bernice, commit suicide by jumping off the roof of their family home. (Family members would later claim that it was an accident and dispute that Robert was anywhere present at the time). 

Robert Durst was the eldest son of a prominent New York real estate family. He had a very troubled childhood. From early on he was prone to violent outbursts and pathological lying

Robert's childhood was marred by the death of his mother, Beatrice (right) in 1950. His 32-year-old mother died after falling from the roof of their Scarsdale residence in New York. However, Robert, only seven at the time, claimed he saw her jump from the roof and commit suicide

Robert's relationship with his brother, Douglas, only 18 months apart, was perennially fraught. Robert underwent counseling for the violent sibling rivalry that often ended in physical fights

Robert's relationship with his brother, Douglas, only 18 months apart, was perennially fraught. 

<div class="art-ins mol-factbox news floatRHS" data-version="2" id="mol-96098510-724c-11ec-9262-fd2cb2a9d802" website Attorney consoles family of Robert Durst, 78, victim