In a haunting revelation, cinematographer and close friend Barry Markowitz has disclosed that he was a house guest at Rob and Michele Reiner's Brentwood mansion mere weeks before the couple were found brutally murdered in their bed.
A Family Welcome With No Hint of Danger
Markowitz, a long-time confidant of director Rob Reiner, told Page Six that he stayed at the family's Los Angeles residence for five nights in November while attending the premiere of The Perfect Gamble. He said Rob personally insisted he forgo a hotel and stay with them, eagerly integrating him into their daily life.
For those five nights, Markowitz lived alongside the Reiners, sharing meals, watching films and basketball games, playing with their dogs, and spending evenings together. He described the atmosphere as completely normal and utterly devoid of any visible tension or fear.
'I slept in the same house as Nick,' Markowitz recalled, emphasising that at no point did Rob or Michele express any concern for their safety. Their son Nick, who has publicly battled drug addiction since his teens, was present and appeared to be doing well during the visit.
'He Was Just Normal': Nick's Behaviour Before the Tragedy
Markowitz described Nick Reiner as engaged and busy during his stay, playing tennis, shooting hoops, joining family dinners, and helping around the house. 'He was just normal in that sense,' Markowitz said, noting Nick washed dishes, took out the rubbish, and even brought him drinks.
The cinematographer said nothing about the family dynamic suggested impending danger. He characterised his time with them as 'a blast', a memory that now makes their horrific deaths on December 15th all the more 'puzzling'.
In the wake of Nick's arrest for the murders, Markowitz struggles to reconcile the brutal reality with the peaceful scene he witnessed. 'There was never a thought, I believe, in Rob's head [that Nick was a danger],' he stated. 'If he would have thought his life was in peril at any point, he would have handled the situation.'
Markowitz believes mental illness, not motive, lies at the heart of the tragedy. He stressed that Rob and Michele 'never, ever, ever' stopped trying to help their son with his addiction struggles.
The Aftermath and Legal Proceedings
Nick Reiner, 32, was formally charged on Tuesday with two counts of first-degree murder. If convicted, he could face life in prison without parole or the death penalty. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said no decision has been made on seeking capital punishment. The charges include a special allegation that he personally used a knife.
The charges follow the gruesome discovery of Rob, 78, and Michele Reiner in their $13.5 million mansion with their throats slit. Their daughter Romy, 27, found the bodies.
According to reports, Rob Reiner had a 'very loud argument' with Nick at a Christmas party hosted by comedian Conan O'Brien just hours before the murders. Witnesses said Nick was acting erratically. He was reportedly living in a guest house on the property, with a source describing his behaviour as a 'ticking time bomb' due to worsening drug use.
Nick was arrested without incident at a downtown LA intersection after police tracked him to a Santa Monica motel. A witness described seeing officers surround a calm Nick before slamming him to the ground. In his motel room, authorities allegedly found a shower 'full of blood'.
Still reeling, Markowitz paid emotional tribute on Instagram, writing he was 'so f**king devastated' by the loss of his best friends and mentors. 'I can't believe they're not here,' he told Page Six. 'Four, five days later, I'm here in this f**king nightmare.'
