Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Hollywood director Rob Reiner, remains in a Los Angeles jail cell without bail, awaiting formal charges for the alleged murder of his parents. As the investigation continues, deeply troubling details about the would-be heir's past have resurfaced from a candid 2017 podcast interview.
Chilling Podcast Confession Details Stolen Money for Sex
In a 2017 episode of the podcast Dopey, which specialises in stories of addiction and recovery, Nick Reiner described in detail how, as an anxious teenager, he stole money from his parents to pay a sex worker to lose his virginity. He recalled being around 14 years old and browsing profiles on Craigslist when a particular image caught his attention.
"I was just looking at the different profiles, and this one [was] just an a** shot - that's the only thing that was her profile picture - and it had a number," Nick stated on the podcast. He explained that knowledge gained from a fellow patient in a rehab facility gave him the confidence to proceed.
Nick claimed he took $200 from his parents, uncomfortable with asking for the money directly due to its intended purpose. The woman arrived at his home around 1 AM. Although he did not find her particularly attractive, the encounter, which he estimated lasted about 15 seconds, left him feeling "awesome," leading to an immediate addictive response.
"Then I realized I had more money on me and I called her back," he said, resulting in a second visit. He never learned her real name, referring to her only as "Cherry Red." Nick admitted he was under the influence of a cannabis brownie at the time but insisted he would have gone through with it sober.
A Life Marred by Addiction and Homelessness
This podcast revelation was not an isolated insight into Nick's struggles. He had been a frequent caller to the show, openly discussing a long and severe battle with substance abuse. By the age of 22, he had reportedly been to rehab on 17 separate occasions.
His addiction led to periods of homelessness in multiple states, including Texas, New Jersey, and Maine. Nick described being given ultimatums by his family to enter treatment or live on the streets, sometimes choosing the latter. "I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun," he told People magazine in 2016.
The complex father-son relationship was explored in the 2016 film Being Charlie, which they co-wrote. Rob Reiner said at the time that the project helped them understand each other better, calling the process therapeutic regardless of the film's commercial success.
A Double Homicide Shocks Hollywood
The lifeless bodies of Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Reiner, 68, were discovered at their Brentwood, California home on Sunday afternoon. Law enforcement officials believe they died from lethal stab wounds. Nick Reiner was arrested on suspicion of murder the following day, Monday, and is being held without bail.
As of Monday evening, it was unclear if he had secured legal representation. Detectives have not yet determined a motive for the double murder.
A spokesperson for the Reiner family 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, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time." Fans have since placed flowers on Rob Reiner's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
