A drag queen who was friends with Robert Durst when he was living as deaf , mute woman has revealed how fascinated the scion was with wigs and make-up . The 71-year-old real estate tycoon used to live on Galveston Island , on the Texas Gulf Coast and went by the name of Dorothy in the early 2000s . Clair Schuler , who goes by the stage name Cici Ryder , told Click 2 Houston that when he met Durst he was pretending to be a deaf , mute woman . Clair Schuler , who goes by the stage name Cici Ryder , ( pictured ) is a drag queen who was friends with Robert Durst when he was living as deaf , mute woman . Clair Schuler told Click 2 Houston Durst was 'very infatuated with the drag queens that performed , and their hair and their make-up , especially the hair and the make-up ' Schuler said Durst even carried around a tablet to communicate his thoughts at Garza 's Kon-Tiki . He said he was not fooled by Durst 's apparent deafness and just thought he was an older divorcee coming to grips with his sexuality . 'He was very infatuated with the drag queens that performed , and their hair and their make-up , especially the hair and the make-up , ' said Schuler . `` When you saw him in drag honey , eww , it was not pretty . It was blue eye-shadow and red lips , not pretty , '' said Schuler . He said that Durst was shy and never let anyone touch him or take photos . Schuler ( pictured at Garza 's Kon-Tiki ) said Durst even carried around a tablet to communicate his thoughts.He said he was not fooled by Durst 's apparent deafness and just thought he was an older divorcee coming to grips with his sexuality . Schuler said Durst was a generous tipper and although there were some strange things about his nature he did not think of him as a threat . A few months later Durst was arrested for allegedly killing and dismembering his neighbor , Morris Black - he was found not guilty . Last week Durst 's first court date culminated in a shouting match after none of his lawyers ' witnesses showed up . He is awaiting extradition to face murder charges in California appeared in New Orleans accused of illegal gun possession . Controversial : Robert Durst , 71 , ( file image pictured ) is now facing the death penalty in California , where he is accused of murdering his longtime friend Susan Berman in 2000 . His defense team was expected to challenge the case by accusing police of searching Durst 's hotel room in the city without a proper arrest warrant . However , as a shackled Durst appeared to be sleeping in the courtroom , the judge raged at his attorneys for being unprepared as they requested to delay the hearing . Durst was arrested on March 14 on charges of possession of a weapon by a felon and possession of a gun with a controlled substance , which carry a combined maximum sentence of 30 years in prison , but has yet to be formally charged . It was the day before the final HBO episode aired of The Jinx : The Life And Deaths Of Robert Durst . Authorities who searched the room , where Durst stayed under an alias , claim to have found over $ 42,000 in cash , a revolver , marijuana and a latex mask that could fit over his neck and head . FBI agents arrested Durst over fears he would flee the country , the agency has said . On Thursday , the judge eventually agreed to postpone the hearing until next week , when the witnesses - two FBI agents and a state trooper - could be charged with contempt of court for failing to appear . Long a suspect in the disappearance of his wife , Kathleen Durst , in 1982 in New York , Durst was acquitted in the dismemberment killing of his neighbor in Texas in 2003 . He is now facing the death penalty in California , where he is accused of murdering his longtime friend Susan Berman in 2000 . The real estate heir was temporarily placed on suicide watch soon after his arrest . His lawyers claim his Asperger 's Syndrome led him to erroneously trust the HBO producers , who screened semi-confessional interviews that will now be used against him in trial . Durst , who prosecutors have said is worth up to $ 100 million , has long been estranged from his powerful family , which has major New York real estate holdings . He has been held without bail at a facility for mentally ill inmates about 70 miles ( 110 km ) from New Orleans , with local authorities having labeled him a suicide risk .
71-year - old tycoon came to live in buffalo and went by name of Dorothy . mark Schuler , who goes by the stage name Cici Ryder , said that when he met Durst he was pretending to be a deaf , mute woman . Said that Durst was shy and never let anyone touch him or take photos . Schuler said he was a generous person and although there were some strange things about his nature he did not think of him as a hero .