Hollywood is reeling from a horrific tragedy after legendary director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found brutally murdered in their Los Angeles home. Their son, Nick Reiner, has been arrested and is being held without bail, with police confirming he was responsible for the deaths.
A Heartbreaking Discovery and a Friend's Final Goodbye
The couple were discovered with fatal knife wounds at their $13.5 million mansion on Sunday afternoon. The grim discovery was reportedly made by their daughter, Romy, who lives across the street. She immediately contacted the police.
In a deeply personal and tragic twist, close family friend Billy Crystal and his wife Janice were contacted by Romy following the discovery. According to reports, the Crystals rushed to the Reiners' home and arrived so swiftly that they saw the bodies of their late friends, wishing to say a final goodbye.
Photographs captured an emotional Billy Crystal inside the police cordon, walking arm-in-arm with his wife, his hands held to his face as he appeared to wipe away tears.
A Decades-Long Friendship Forged in Comedy
The profound grief felt by Crystal stems from a friendship that spanned nearly five decades. The two men first met on the set of the classic sitcom All In The Family in 1975, where they were cast as best friends. Their on-screen chemistry was so powerful they decided to continue the friendship off-camera.
"We became the closest of friends," Crystal once wrote. Their bond was cemented when Reiner directed Crystal in the iconic 1989 romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally. Crystal fondly recalled sitting with Reiner at the film's first screening, gripping each other's hands with excitement as the now-legendary orgasm scene brought the house down.
A Son's Troubled Past and a Family's Anguish
Nick Reiner, 28, has been booked for felony murder and is being held without bail. The LAPD has stated he was "responsible" for his parents' deaths. Nick has a long-documented history of struggling with drug addiction, having first entered rehab at age 15 and experiencing periods of homelessness.
In a painful echo of life imitating art, Nick co-wrote the semi-autobiographical 2015 film Being Charlie about drug addiction and its impact on a family, collaborating with his father. In interviews at the time, both parents expressed regret over how they handled his addiction, saying they should have listened to their son more.
Just months before the tragedy, in September, the entire Reiner family posed together happily at the premiere of Rob's film Spinal Tap 2.
The family has released a statement expressing "profound sorrow" and asking for privacy. The Los Angeles Police Department continues to investigate the deaths as homicides.
