Just three months before he and his wife were found dead in their Los Angeles home, filmmaker Rob Reiner gave an interview in which he painted a positive picture of his son Nick's recovery from addiction. The 78-year-old director of When Harry Met Sally told NPR's Fresh Air in September that his 32-year-old son was doing "great" and had been drug-free for over six years.
A Grisly Discovery and Swift Arrest
The stark contrast between that public optimism and private tragedy came into brutal focus this week. Nick Reiner was arrested on Monday and is now charged with the murders of his father, Rob, and his mother, Michele Singer Reiner, 68. The couple were discovered in their $13.5 million Beverly Hills mansion with their throats slit, in what a source described to People magazine as a "Hollywood horror-scene nightmare."
Their bodies were found by their daughter, Romy Reiner, who immediately told investigators her brother was "dangerous" and should be considered a suspect. Police sources revealed the couple had likely been dead for several hours, already in a state of rigor mortis, and may have been attacked while asleep in bed.
Charges and a Troubled History
On Tuesday, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman filed two counts of first-degree murder against Nick Reiner. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty, though it is not yet clear if prosecutors will seek capital punishment. Nick is currently being held without bail on suicide watch.
The arrest caps years of documented struggle with drug abuse and mental illness for Nick. In a poignant twist, he and his father collaborated on the 2015 film Being Charlie, which Rob directed from a screenplay co-written by Nick. The film was a semi-autobiographical portrait of Nick's battles with addiction, rehab, and homelessness.
During promotions for the film, Rob Reiner admitted to the Los Angeles Times that he and his wife had initially failed to listen to their son regarding his treatment. "When Nick would tell us that it wasn’t working for him, we wouldn't listen," he said. Michele added, "We were so influenced by these people. They would tell us he’s a liar, that he was trying to manipulate us. And we believed them."
The Night Before the Tragedy
The events leading to the murders appear to have been set in motion at a holiday party hosted by comedian Conan O'Brien the night before the bodies were discovered. Nick attended with his parents but reportedly caused concern among guests. He was dressed in casual clothes amidst formally-attired celebrities and reportedly clashed with comedian Bill Hader.
A source told NBC News that Nick interrupted Hader and, when told he was in a private conversation, stared angrily before storming off. He was also allegedly heard arguing loudly with his father. After leaving the party, Nick checked into the Pierside Santa Monica hotel, where staff later found a shower "full of blood" and a bloody trail leading to his bedroom.
A source close to the investigation told the Daily Mail that detectives are investigating whether Nick killed his parents shortly after they all returned home from the party. "He could have done it not long after they all went home, meaning he went there and slit their throats in the middle of the night," they said.
The Reiner family gathered at the home of Rob's brother, Lucas, on Tuesday as they began to process the unimaginable loss, while Nick awaits his next court appearance in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility.
