Hollywood has been plunged into mourning and shock following the brutal murders of acclaimed director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele, with their son, Nick Reiner, now in custody and facing federal murder charges.
A bloody trail and a dramatic arrest
Dramatic images released by the Los Angeles Police Department show Nick Reiner, 32, being forced to the ground and handcuffed at a subway station in Exposition Park. The arrest location was approximately 15 miles from his parents' multi-million dollar Brentwood mansion. The LAPD’s robbery homicide division, assisted by US Marshals, made the arrest.
The arrest came after a grim discovery at The Pierside Santa Monica hotel. Nick had checked into the hotel at 4am on Sunday, just hours after attending comedian Conan O'Brien's holiday party with his parents. Hotel staff later found his room in a disturbing state: a shower was described as 'full of blood', a trail of blood led from the bed, and a window had been covered with bedsheets. Witnesses reported Nick appeared 'tweaked out' upon arrival, and he never officially checked out.
A family tragedy unfolds in Brentwood
The bodies of Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were discovered on Sunday at their $13.5 million Brentwood home. They had been knifed to death. The couple were found by their daughter, Romy, who immediately contacted police and close family friend Billy Crystal.
In a heartbreaking turn, Billy Crystal and his wife Janice rushed to the scene upon receiving the call. Sources indicate they arrived so swiftly that they saw the bodies of their lifelong friends as first responders tended to them, reportedly wishing 'to say their goodbyes.' Crystal was later seen visibly emotional, walking arm-in-arm with his wife and wiping tears from his eyes as police cordoned off the property.
Police have now stated that Nick Reiner is 'responsible' for his parents' deaths. He is being held without bail on federal murder charges. It is reported that his sister, Romy, initially told police a family member should be considered a suspect because they were 'dangerous.'
A long history of struggle and a fractured relationship
The tragedy follows years of publicly documented turmoil within the Reiner family centred on Nick's long-standing drug addiction and mental health issues. Just hours before the murders, Nick had reportedly engaged in a 'very loud argument' with his parents at Conan O'Brien's party, alarming other A-list guests. A source told PEOPLE he was 'freaking everyone out, acting crazy.'
Nick's struggles were severe. By age 22 in 2016, he claimed to have been to rehab 17 times and had experienced homelessness in multiple states after refusing treatment. 'I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas,' he told People at the time.
In a poignant attempt at reconciliation and understanding, Nick and his father had collaborated on the 2016 semi-autobiographical film 'Being Charlie', which depicted a strained relationship between a father and his addict son. The project was born from Nick's experiences, and he worked on it while in rehab. In promoting the film, Nick said it helped him feel closer to his father, with whom he admitted he 'didn't bond' well in his youth.
Just a year before the film's release, Rob and Michele expressed profound regret over how they handled their son's addiction, telling the Los Angeles Times they had failed to listen to Nick and instead relied too heavily on medical professionals. 'When Nick would tell us that it wasn't working for him, we wouldn't listen,' Rob said.
The couple's final public appearance as a full family was in September at the premiere for 'Spinal Tap 2', which Rob directed. A family statement released after their deaths read: '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 waves of grief through Hollywood, particularly for Billy Crystal, whose decades-long friendship with Rob Reiner began on the set of 'All In The Family' in 1975 and was cemented when Reiner directed Crystal in the iconic romantic comedy 'When Harry Met Sally'.
