Andrew Luster
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Andrew Stuart Luster (b. December 15, 1963) is an heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune who was convicted of a series of rapes in 2003.
Luster had spent much of his life living off a $3.1 million trust fund as he traveled and surfed at various beaches.
In 1996, 1997 and 2000, however, Luster allegedly gave three women GHB, a known date-rape drug, and raped them while they were unconscious. Luster was brought to trial in 2002. Soon afterward, police officers found videotapes of Luster raping the women in question, including one tape labeled "Shauna GHBing." On January 3, 2003, after one of the victims had testified, but before the jury viewed the "Shauna" tape, Luster vanished from his house, along with his dog and his truck. Luster was later convicted in absentia to 124 years in prison by a California court. The California Court of Appeal refused the appeal his attorneys filed on his behalf [link], ruling that as a fugitive from justice, Luster had forfeited his right to appeal. The California Supreme Court [link] and the United States Supreme Court [link] later refused to disturb this ruling.
Luster found his way to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he was taken into custody by bounty hunter Duane Chapman, his son, an associate, and two TV crewmen, in a noisy scuffle on June 18, 2003. The next day he was returned to the U.S., and was imprisoned.
After he vanished, a movie called A Date with Darkness: The Trial and Capture of Andrew Luster was made based on him and his victims. The film was supposed to end with a picture of the real Andrew Luster, asking the audience to notify authorities if they should see him. When Luster was finally captured, the film was still shooting. The ending was re-written to incorporate his capture.
External links
- [Bail enforcement agent Duane "Dog" Chapman's website]
- [CBS News site, describing the capture of Luster]
- [CNN site, "Max Factor heir returns to face prison term" (June 20, 2003)]
- [A film based on Andrew Luster & his crime.]
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