The Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles was rocked by tragedy last Sunday when filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their home.
According to Fox News, the discovery came after their 27-year-old daughter, Romy Reiner, received a call from a massage therapist who had arrived at the house for an appointment but could not gain entry.
Alarmed, Romy rushed to the home with a roommate, only to find her father lifeless inside. The roommate called 911, while paramedics later informed Romy that her mother had also died.
The couple’s son, Nick Reiner, 32, who had been living on and off in the family home, was arrested Sunday night near the University of Southern California campus. On Tuesday, he was officially charged with the murders of both his parents.
If convicted, Reiner could receive life in prison without the possibility of parole or face the death penalty.
District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman acknowledged the gravity of the case, saying, “Prosecuting cases involving family violence are some of the most challenging and heart-wrenching we face because of the intimate and often brutal nature of the crimes. Rob Reiner was one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation. His murder and his wife of more than 35 years, Michele Singer Reiner’s murder, are shocking and tragic. We owe it to their memory to pursue justice and accountability for the lives that were taken.”
Reiner is expected to appear in court on Wednesday morning for his first appearance since the arrests.
During a press conference, Hochman noted that prosecutors would review any evidence of mental illness in Reiner’s background, stating, “If there is evidence of mental illness, it will be presented in court, and in whatever detail the defense seeks to do that.”
Reiner has retained high-profile defense attorney Alan Jackson, a former Los Angeles prosecutor turned star defense lawyer.
Jackson has previously handled some of Hollywood’s most notorious cases, including the convictions and defenses of Phil Spector, Harvey Weinstein, and Karen Read.
The Reiners were reportedly found with stab wounds in their Brentwood home, and the investigation remains ongoing. Jackson’s involvement signals that this will be one of the most closely watched and high-profile Hollywood criminal cases in recent memory.
As authorities continue to piece together the events leading up to the deaths, the city is left grappling with the shocking loss of a celebrated filmmaker and his wife, whose lives ended in their own home under tragic circumstances.
