Nick Reiner to face murder charges in killing of Hollywood filmmaker parents

Los Angeles prosecutors on Tuesday said Nick Reiner, the son of acclaimed actor and director Rob Reiner, will be charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents at their home in the Brentwood area of the city.

Announcing the decision, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the 32-year-old would face special circumstance charges relating to multiple murders, along with an allegation that a dangerous weapon — a knife — was used. The announcement was made at a joint news conference with Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell.

The charges are expected to be formally filed later on Tuesday. Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead from apparent stab wounds at their residence on Sunday. Nick Reiner was arrested several hours later and is currently being held in jail without bail.

Nick Reiner had been scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday, but his lawyer, Alan Jackson, said his client was not brought to court for medical reasons. Jackson told reporters that the appearance is now expected no earlier than Wednesday, but declined to comment further on the case. No plea has yet been entered.

Police have not disclosed a motive for the killings, and investigators have said only that the couple appear to have died from stab wounds. Authorities have also declined to provide further details about the circumstances leading up to the attack.

Rob Reiner was an Emmy-winning actor best known for his role on the sitcom All in the Family, before becoming one of Hollywood’s most successful directors with films such as When Harry Met Sally…, The Princess Bride, This Is Spinal Tap and A Few Good Men. The son of comedy legend Carl Reiner, who died in 2020, he was also a prominent liberal activist and a long-time supporter of Democratic causes.

Michele Singer Reiner was a photographer, film producer and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. The couple had been married for 36 years and were well known for their involvement in social and political causes.

Tributes poured in from across the entertainment and political worlds following news of their deaths. Actor Kathy Bates, who won an Academy Award for her role in Reiner’s 1990 film Misery, described him as “brilliant and kind”, adding that Michele was “a gifted photographer”. Former US President Bill Clinton also paid tribute, calling the couple “good, generous people who made everyone who knew them better”.

Nick Reiner had previously spoken publicly about his struggles with addiction and periods of homelessness. He and his father worked together on the 2016 film Being Charlie, which explored the relationship between an addicted son and a famous father, drawing on elements of their own lives.

The case has shocked Hollywood, not only because of its brutality, but also because of the Reiner family’s long-standing association with comedy, film and public life. Investigations into the killings are continuing.

With PTI inputs