GALVESTON, Texas – Following his arrest, six-week flight from authorities and nearly two years in jail, a New York real estate heir was due in court Monday to face charges that he killed his neighbor in Texas.

Opening arguments in transvestite Robert Durst’s murder trial are scheduled for Monday afternoon.

Durst, 60, is accused of killing his 71-year-old neighbor, Morris Black, then dismembering the body and throwing it into Galveston Bay in September 2001.

Durst, who lived in Galveston as a mute woman, was arrested after parts of Black’s body washed ashore. He posted $300,000 bond, then fled. Six weeks later, he was arrested trying to shoplift a $5.99 sandwich and bandages from a grocery store near Bethlehem, Pa. He had $500 in his pocket.

Durst has pleaded innocent by reason of self-defense and accident. If convicted, Durst could face from five to 99 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

A gag order has prevented any of the trial participants from commenting on the case.

Before opening statements, the prosecution and defense plan to discuss 36 hours of recorded telephone calls Durst made from a Pennsylvania prison after his shoplifting arrest. The question is what portion of the recordings could be introduced into evidence.

Opening statements were delayed last week to give attorneys time to review the recordings, which were only received last week by prosecutors.

Galveston authorities didn’t discover Durst’s true identity until he jumped bail in Texas. They also learned he was wanted for questioning in the unsolved disappearance of his former wife, Kathleen, 21 years ago in New York and the unsolved Christmas Eve 2000 shooting death of a friend in Los Angeles, who was set to be questioned about his missing wife.

Durst is the son of New York skyscraper tycoon, Seymour Durst.