In a shocking Hollywood tragedy, the daughter of legendary director Rob Reiner is reported to have identified her own brother as the prime suspect after discovering her parents brutally slain in their Los Angeles home.
A Daughter's Horrific Discovery
Romy Reiner, 28, made the grim discovery on Sunday afternoon after becoming concerned for her parents' welfare. According to sources speaking to the Daily Mail, she had gone to check on her father, 78, and mother, Michele Singer, 70, after their masseuse reported they failed to answer the door around 2pm.
Upon arriving at the couple's $13.5 million mansion in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles, Romy found both her parents deceased. Reports allege they had suffered fatal slash wounds to their throats.
In a state of horror, Romy is said to have immediately informed police that a family member 'should be a suspect' because they were 'dangerous'. This reportedly led investigators to focus on her 32-year-old brother, Nick Reiner.
A Troubled Son's Arrest and a Family's Fractured History
Nick Reiner, known to have a long and public history of drug addiction and volatile mental health, was arrested later on Sunday night. By Monday morning, Los Angeles Sheriff's Office records confirmed he was booked on a federal murder charge and is being held without bail after police determined he was 'responsible' for his parents' deaths.
The tragedy unfolded just hours after the family had attended a holiday party on Saturday night, hosted by comedian Conan O'Brien. Sources told PEOPLE that Nick caused concern among the A-list guests by getting into a 'very loud argument' with his parents before they left. 'Nick was freaking everyone out, acting crazy, kept asking people if they were famous,' a source said.
The arrest marks a devastating turn in a complex family dynamic. Romy had previously described Nick as her 'best friend' and revealed she supported him through his addiction battles. Her Instagram was filled with happy family images, including a post from December 1 showing a recent holiday, captioned 'thankful for family'.
However, the relationship between Nick and his parents was reportedly more strained. In the months before her death, Michele was said to be anguished over her son's spiralling mental illness and drug issues, telling friends 'we've tried everything', according to TMZ.
A Lifetime of Struggle and a Semi-Autobiographical Film
The Reiners had been open about their son's struggles. In a 2015 interview with the LA Times, they discussed Being Charlie, a film Nick co-wrote from rehab that was inspired by his experiences. The family expressed regret over how they handled his addiction, admitting they listened to medical professionals over their son.
'When Nick would tell us that it wasn't working for him, we wouldn't listen,' Rob Reiner said at the time. 'We were desperate and because the people had diplomas on their wall, we listened to them when we should have been listening to our son.'
Nick himself had detailed a harrowing journey, first attending rehab around his 15th birthday and experiencing periods of homelessness. By age 22, he claimed to have been to rehab 17 times. He co-wrote Being Charlie to depict the impact of addiction on a family, a narrative that tracked closely with his own life.
The film ends with an apology from the father character for his harsh treatment, mirroring real-life tensions. In a 2016 interview, Nick said working on the project 'made me feel closer to him'.
The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed it was called to the Brentwood home just after 3:30pm on Sunday. The deaths are being investigated as homicides. A family spokesman confirmed the tragedy, stating: 'It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss.'
The case has sent shockwaves through the entertainment community, highlighting a deeply personal tragedy behind a very public family's struggle with addiction and mental health.
