Debrah Charatan wed a man whose first wife vanished for no apparent reason. And even when he confessed to killing a neighbor and dismembering the body, she continued to support him.
However, who is Debrah Lee Charatan, Robert Durst’s affluent heir? What part has she played in his life, and how?
Since her husband’s arrest in New Orleans over the weekend, Charatan has not made any public statements. CNN was unable to get in touch with her for a response.
In the HBO documentary “The Jinx,” which explores Durst’s life, she makes an appearance in a police interview that dates back over ten years. The series also features snippets of phone calls between Durst and Charatan that were recorded in the jailhouse.
Six years after Durst’s first wife vanished, according to Charatan, she first met him in 1988.
Only a few weeks before Durst’s lifelong friend Susan Berman was discovered dead in Beverly Hills, California, the two were married in a hurried ceremony. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed a first-degree murder accusation against Durst this week.
He has refuted this claim for a long time. Additionally, he has denied any involvement in the disappearance of his first wife.
He acknowledged shooting and dismembering the body of a neighbor in Galveston, Texas, during a 2003 trial, but he was found not guilty of murder after claiming he had acted in self-defense.
Recorded phone conversations from Durst’s detention in that case imply that Charatan served as his rock.
“Is it appropriate for me to be happy or serious?” Durst inquires during a discussion about how he ought to show up for his trial.
“I would just have as close to no expression, yeah, that’s what I think,” Charatan swiftly responds.
More About Debrah Charatan
Debrah Charatan had a major role in the decision to remove Michael Kennedy, the lawyer Durst’s affluent real estate developer family had hired to take on the case. She said at the time that Kennedy’s planned use of the insanity defense might have resulted in the removal of Durst and Charatan from the family wealth.
“He doesn’t want me to receive any of the trust money in the future because, well, you weren’t competent at the time, and I’m not your wife, so they are the only ones who can make decisions for you,” she adds in a different call.
Charatan is a significant figure in the New York real estate market, much like Durst.
“She’s not some money-grabbing swindler who stepped into Bob’s life. Well before she met Bob, she was a multimillionaire, a very successful woman, according to TheRealDeal.com publisher Amir Korangy.
After hearing hours of tapes and testimony, retired judge Susan Criss, who oversaw the 2003 trial, declared that it was evident that Charatan was driven by greed.
Criss stated, “It’s very evident that she only thinks about the money.”
Some former coworkers and friends have negative things to say about Charatan. Her failure to pay commissions has been successfully sued by former employees.
She only lived with Durst for a short time, according to sources, and they are still married but have split.
Why are there no more recent interviews with her in the HBO documentary?
According to Korangy, Charatan didn’t want Durst to be a part of “The Jinx,” and she hasn’t spoken to him since the show premiered.
Also read: Kathie McCormack (Robert Durst’s Wife) Wikipedia, Age, Murder, Height, Weight, Brother
How Old Is Debrah Charatan?
Debrah Charatan is in her 60s, as of 2024. She was born in New York, New York, U.S. She holds American nationality and belongs to mixed ethnicity.
Debrah Charatan Height & Weight
Debrah Charatan stands at a height of 5 feet 8 inches tall (1.72m). She weighs around 67 Kg (136 lbs). She has dark brown hair and has brown eyes.
Lesser Known Facts About Debrah Charatan
- Durst’s then-wife, Debrah Lee Charatan, had delivered all of these artifacts to Giordano for safekeeping three years earlier.
- Videotaped depositions of Durst, his brother Douglas, and Charatan—all connected to the Black case—were also kept at Giordano’s home.
- Shortly before the Berman killing, Durst married Debrah Lee Charatan, On December 11, 2000.
- According to a federal judge sitting in the Southern District of New York, Durst’s heir and second wife, Debrah Lee Charatan, is barred from using his $100 million estate for any purpose.
- According to the court records, Charatan and/or her lawyer must show up in court on March 25, 2022, and provide justification for why the order should not be granted.
