Robert Durst: New York real estate heir arrested in connection with 2000 murder of Susan Berman

Reports say the 71-year-old was brought before a court on Sunday morning

Robert Durst has been arraigned on murder charges (Getty)

A New York real estate heir who is currently the subject of a television series probing an unsolved murder and the disappearance of his first wife, has been arrested in connection with the murder of a friend.

Robert Durst, 71, was arrested in New Orleans on Sunday morning. Susan Berman was shot in the back of the head in 2000.

Mr Durst, estranged son of the billionaire Seymour Durst, has long been the subject of police inquiries into the killing of Ms Berman and the 1982 disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen Durst. Mrs Durst has been declared legally dead, but Mr Durst has not faced any criminal action in connection with the disappearance of his wife.

Robert Durst has been arrested in connection with a 2000 murder (AP)

Mr Durst is the subject of an HBO documentary exploring the murders and the disappearance. The final episode of the series, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, was scheduled to air on Sunday. The previous and fifth episode presented new evidence suggesting that on the day Ms Berman was killed, Mr Durst knew incriminating details about her death.

Mr Durst has previously evaded the police by skipping bail, travelling across the country and living as a woman. Despite admitting to dismembering his neighbour's body in Texas in 2001, he managed to convince a jury at trial that he was not guilty of killing him.

Mr Durst has denied knowledge of Ms Berman's murder and his wife's disappearance many times, most recently last week telling the New York Times he didn't have the “faintest idea” who killed Berman.

On Sunday morning Mr Durst was brought before the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court where he was read charges of first-degree murder. He appeared wearing an orange jumpsuit, reports said. Mr Durst is being held without bail.

Mr Durst's lawyer, Chip Lewis, said his client will be transported to Los Angeles.

"He's maintained his innocence for years," Mr Lewis told the Associated Press. "Nothing has changed."