Durst detective had sex with witness during investigation

The retired detective who investigated the disappearance of Robert Durst’s first wife three decades ago has admitted that he had sex with a witness at the time.

Former New York Police officer Michael Struk said he ‘went along’ with the unnamed witness’s sexual advances towards him after he was called to search a location.

In a Los Angeles courtroom yesterday, he admitted that his actions at the time had been ‘unprofessional’.

Durst, pictured in court earlier this year, denies the allegations against him

The revelation came at a hearing for a separate case in which Durst, 74, is accused of murdering his best friend, Susan Berman, in 2000.

Prosecutors allege that the billionaire real estate heir killed her to prevent her telling authorities what she knew about the disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen, in 1982. Durst denies killing both women.

Mr Struk said that he had received a call from a witness during the investigation asking him to search a location, the Los Angeles Times reports.

When he arrived there he was met by two witnesses but one of them left.

Mr Struk said the witness who remained then made sexual advances towards him and he reciprocated.

Durst pictured with his first wife Kathleen before her disappearance in 1982

When asked whether he was aware at the time that such actions were improper for a man in his position the former detective said: ‘I would agree with that.’

Mr Struk also testified that he had accepted tickets to see pop star Neil Diamond from one of Kathleen Durst’s friends, Geraldine McInerney, who he said had got them for free from her work.

At the court in Los Angeles the former detective said he regretted the decision but stressed that accepting the tickets had not compromised his investigation.

‘Sitting here today, I wish I had not done it,’ he said.

When asked whether he had ignored NYPD policy in accepting the tickets Mr Struk said: ‘It was a mistake – sure.’