Nick Reiner, 32, the son of acclaimed Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, has been arrested in connection with the couple’s deaths at their Brentwood home, according to Los Angeles County jail records.
The couple, aged 78 and 68, were found stabbed to death on Sunday afternoon in what the Los Angeles Police Department is investigating as an apparent homicide. Nick Reiner was taken into custody late Sunday night, around 9:15 p.m., and booked early Monday on a felony charge, with bail set at $4 million.
Formal charges have not yet been announced to the public by police as of press time.
Police responded to the residence on Chadbourne Avenue around 3:40 p.m. Sunday following a medical call. The Robbery-Homicide Division is now leading the ongoing investigation, with no signs of forced entry initially reported. Sources have told reporters at The New York Times that the bodies were discovered by one of the couple’s children.
Nick Reiner’s arrest is a dramatic development from Sunday’s initial reports, in which Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said no suspect had been identified and no one was in custody.
Nick Reiner has a long documented history of struggling with drug addiction, beginning in his teenage years. He entered rehab for the first time around age 15 and allegedly went through extended periods of homelessness.
In 2015, Nick co-wrote the screenplay for “Being Charlie,” a semi-autobiographical drama directed by his father about a young man’s battle with addiction and strained family relationships. The film was loosely based on Nick’s experiences and helped strengthen his bond with his parents at the time. “Being Charlie” currently has a 24% Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Now, some speculators are saying that the film showed signs or “clues” of Nick’s breakdown and might even have foreshadowed some of the tragedy seen on Sunday, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Rob Reiner, known for iconic films such as “This Is Spinal Tap,” “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally…,” and “A Few Good Men,” as well as his role as “Meathead” on “All in the Family,” was an icon in Hollywood and Democratic politics.
Rob and Michele, a photographer and producer whom he married in 1989 after meeting on the set of “When Harry Met Sally…,” shared three children: Jake, Nick, and Romy. Rob also had a daughter, Tracy, from his previous marriage to Penny Marshall.
The family issued a statement Sunday expressing their overall sorrow, while also requesting privacy at this time.
Hollywood and political figures continue to mourn the loss, with tributes online pouring in from stars like Kathy Bates, Stephen King, and Jamie Lee Curtis, as well as leaders including Gov. Gavin Newsom and former President Barack Obama.
Increased police patrols reportedly continue in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood as the investigation continues.
