Rob Reiner's son, Nick Reiner, was charged Tuesday with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents, which shocked their Hollywood communities and Democratic politics, where both were well-loved.
Nick Reiner, 32, is charged with the murder of 78-year-old actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced at a news conference with Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell.
"Their loss is beyond tragic and we will be committed to bringing their killer to justice," Hochman said.
Along with the two counts of first-degree murder, prosecutors added special circumstances of multiple murders and a separate allegation that the defendant used a dangerous weapon, a knife. The additions could mean a greater sentence.
Hochman said his office has not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty in this case.
“This case is heartbreaking and deeply personal, not only for the Reiner family and their loved ones, but for our entire city,” McDonnell said. “We will continue to support the Reiner family and ensure that every step forward is taken with care, dignity and determination.”
The announcement came two days after the couple was found dead from apparent stab wounds in their home in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood on the west side of Los Angeles. Nick Reiner did not resist when he was arrested hours later in the Exposition Park area near the University of Southern California, about 14 miles from the crime scene, police said.
Reiner was expected to make an initial court appearance earlier Tuesday, but his attorney Alan Jackson said he was not brought from jail to court for medical reasons and the appearance was postponed to Wednesday.
Rob Reiner was the Emmy Award-winning star of the sitcom “All in the Family” who went on to direct films including “When Harry Met Sally…” and “The Princess Bride.” He was an outspoken liberal activist for decades. Michele Singer Reiner was a photographer, film producer and LGBTQ+ rights advocate. They had been married for 36 years.
Representatives for the Reiner family did not respond to requests for comment. Police have not said anything about a motive for the killings.
Nick Reiner is being held without bail. He was arrested hours after his parents were found dead in their home in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on Sunday, police said.
Jackson, the defendant's attorney, is a high-profile attorney who represented Harvey Weinstein in his Los Angeles trial and Karen Read in her Massachusetts trial. He was a central figure in the HBO documentary about the Read case.
Investigators believe Rob and Michele Singer Reiner died from stab wounds, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official, who was briefed on the investigation, could not discuss details publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
The murders were particularly shocking given the family's storied comedy heritage. Rob Reiner was the son of comedy legend Carl Reiner, who died in 2020 at the age of 98.
Kathy Bates, who won an Oscar as the star of Rob Reiner's 1990 film "Misery," was among those who paid tribute to the couple.
“I loved Robin,” Bates said in a statement. “He was brilliant and kind, a man who made films of every genre to challenge himself as an artist. He also fought bravely for his political beliefs. He changed the course of my life. Michele was a gifted photographer.”
Bill Clinton called the couple "good and generous people who made everyone who knew them better."
“Hillary and I are outraged by the tragic deaths of our friends Rob and Michele Reiner,” he said in a statement. “They inspired and uplifted millions of people through their work in film and television.”
Three months ago, Nick Reiner was photographed with his parents and siblings at the premiere of his father's film "Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues."
He had been open about his struggles with addiction, going through treatment centers and periods of homelessness during his teenage years. Rob and Nick Reiner explored — and seemed to mend — their relationship through the making of the 2016 film, “Being Charlie.”
Nick Reiner co-wrote and Rob Reiner directed the film about the struggles of an addicted son and his famous father. It was not autobiographical, but it included some elements of their lives.
“It forced us to understand ourselves better than we had before,” Rob Reiner told the AP in 2016. “I said to Nick, while we were shooting it, I said, ‘You know it doesn’t matter, whatever happens to this thing, we’ve already won.’”
Rob Reiner was long one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood, and his work included some of the most memorable and endlessly watchable films of the 1980s and 1990s, including “This is Spinal Tap” and “A Few Good Men.”
He met Michele Singer Reiner on the set of “When Harry Met Sally…”, and their meeting would inspire the film’s transition to a happy ending, with stars Billy Crystal – one of Reiner’s closest friends for decades – and Meg Ryan ending up together on New Year’s Eve.
The Reiners were outspoken advocates for liberal causes and major Democratic donors.
President Donald Trump on Monday blamed Rob Reiner's outspoken opposition to the president for the actor-director's killing, making the unfounded claim in a social media post that appeared to aim to rebuke his opponents even in the face of tragedy.
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