Nick Reiner has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the deaths of his parents, the actor-director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, the Los Angeles Police Chief, Jim McDonnell, confirmed.
The 32-year-old was taken into custody on Sunday evening. Initial jail records set his bail at $4 million, but he was later ordered to be held without bail.
Early reports also mentioned accusations of “gang activity,” though no details were provided. On Monday, McDonnell confirmed at a briefing that Reiner had been “booked for murder” in connection with the killings.
McDonnell described the deaths as “very tragic” and said investigators had “worked throughout the night on this case” before making the arrest.
The couple were discovered dead at their Brentwood home on Sunday afternoon. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a medical call at 3.30pm local time, finding a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman deceased. The pair were later confirmed to be Rob and Michele Reiner. It is understood that their daughter, Romy, who lives opposite, found them.
The LAPD said officers from the robbery homicide division launched an investigation and determined that the Reiners were victims of homicide. Nick Reiner was arrested at around 9.15pm and remains in custody with no bail.
The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney on Tuesday, who will consider charges.
A family spokesperson confirmed the deaths on Sunday evening. “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner,” the statement read. “We are heartbroken by this sudden loss and ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”
Tributes poured in from across the US, including former President Barack Obama, who praised Rob Reiner’s contribution to film and television.
The couple’s deaths were also politicised, with former President Donald Trump making unsubstantiated claims on Truth Social, prompting condemnation from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called Trump “a sick man”.
Rob Reiner rose to fame for his role in the 1970s sitcom All in the Family, winning two Emmy Awards. He later became an acclaimed director, with films including This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Stand by Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally (1989), Misery (1990) and A Few Good Men (1992).
Nick Reiner is a screenwriter who collaborated with his father on Being Charlie (2015), a film based on his experiences with addiction and homelessness. He began treatment for drug addiction as a teenager and said he had been in rehab more than 17 times by age 22.
Being Charlie tells the story of an 18-year-old struggling with addiction and tension with his parents. Rob Reiner previously described the film as partly autobiographical, noting his family’s attempts to help Nick through rehab.
Family tensions were public in the past. Nick Reiner spoke of feeling frustrated with his addiction and the impact it had on his life. Rob and Nick reportedly argued at a Christmas party at comedian Conan O’Brien’s home.
Michele Singer Reiner was a photographer whose work included the portrait of Donald Trump for his book The Art of the Deal. She was known for her outspoken criticism of the former president.
Rob Reiner was also the adoptive father of actor Tracy Reiner, daughter of his first wife, the late Penny Marshall. The couple had met in 1989 during the filming of When Harry Met Sally.
The deaths have left family, friends, and the film community in mourning.
Read: Film director Rob Reiner, wife found dead in Los Angeles home
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