The younger son of filmmaker and political activist Rob Reiner was formally charged on Tuesday with first degree murder in the stabbing deaths of his parents, whose bodies were discovered inside their Los Angeles home over the weekend, authorities said.
Prosecutors identified the suspect as Nick Reiner, 32, who now faces two counts of first degree murder in connection with the killings of his father, actor director Rob Reiner, 78, and his mother, photographer and producer Michele Reiner, 70. The case has stunned Hollywood and the wider Los Angeles community.
Los Angeles police said officers were called to the Reiners’ residence in the Brentwood neighborhood on Sunday afternoon, where the couple were found dead. Several hours later, homicide detectives arrested Nick Reiner without incident at a park near the University of Southern California campus in downtown Los Angeles.
Investigators later turned the case over to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. A criminal complaint filed in Superior Court on Tuesday listed two murder charges tied to the stabbing deaths, according to court records.
County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the case as deeply tragic. “Their loss is beyond tragic,” Hochman said at a news conference. “We will commit ourselves to bringing their murderer to justice.”
Prosecutors said the charges carry a possible sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Hochman added that capital punishment remains an option, though no decision has been made.
“We will take the thoughts and desires of the family into consideration,” he said when asked whether the death penalty would be sought.
Court documents and the district attorney confirmed that a knife was used in the killings, but officials declined to release further details about how the deaths occurred. Hochman said additional evidence, including whether the weapon was recovered, would be addressed in court proceedings.
Authorities said autopsies are still pending and will determine the precise cause, manner, and timing of death. Police have not publicly identified a motive, and investigators said the case remains active.
Some media outlets have reported that Nick Reiner had a heated argument with his parents at a holiday gathering hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien the night before the bodies were found. Law enforcement officials have not confirmed those accounts.
The killings rank among the most high profile family homicide cases in recent Los Angeles history, drawing inevitable comparisons to past celebrity murder trials that once gripped the city. Prosecutors said further hearings are expected as the case moves through the court system.
Africa Digital News, New York
