Worldwide Hunt For Max Factor Heir

He was a no show at his trial again Thursday and now an international manhunt is on for 39-year-old Andrew Luster, reports CBS News Correspondent Manuel Gallegus

Authorities said Luster fled his beachfront home Friday in his sport utility vehicle, accompanied by his dog.

The great-grandson of Max Factor went on trial Dec. 16 on 87 charges, including rape, sodomy and poisoning, and will continue to be tried in absentia. The trial is expected to last a couple more weeks.

If convicted, Luster could be sentenced to up to 150 years in prison.

His abrupt disappearance produced surprise in the Los Angeles area and an angry editorial in the Los Angeles Times.

"He's the rich great-grandson of cosmetic king Max Factor, is on trial on 87 criminal counts including sexual battery and poisoning, put up most of the $1-million bail himself, lives alone at the beach, made videotapes of sexual intercourse with allegedly drugged women and at 39 years of age faces spending the rest of his life in prison, if convicted. Gee, why would anyone ever think this scion might flee?" the newspaper said.

The case began 2 1/2 years ago when a 21-year-old college student told authorities Luster drugged and raped her after she met him in a bar.

Authorities searched his house and seized 17 home videos they said show other victims who may have been given the date-rape drug GHB and raped.

In one tape played in court after he disappeared, Luster is seen on camera having sex with a woman and declaring: "That's exactly what I like in my room: A passed-out beautiful girl."

His attorneys say the sex was consensual, suggesting the women were feigning sleep to help him film pornographic movies.

They also dispute that Luster is a fugitive and suggest he could have been abducted or involved in an accident.

"Mr. Luster may not be here for a lot of reasons. He may have been harmed by people who have a motive to hurt him," said his attorney Roger Diamond.

But prosecutors didn't buy it.

"I suppose there is a possibility he was abducted by aliens, but it's not very reasonable at this point," said Ventura County prosecutor Anthony Walsh.

Luster, who lived off a trust fund and real estate investments while pursuing his hobby of surfing, was under a form of house arrest in which he wore an electronic monitoring device.

The restrictions were eased before the trial, allowing him to be away from home from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on court days and during a two-week holiday break. The relaxed restrictions, authorities said, gave Luster at least a 12-hour head start when he left.

Luster's beach front bungalow was abandoned, with papers still on the table and a surfboard out front, said Gallegus. Authorities said he left behind his cold-weather clothes, meaning he may have headed for a warm climate.