Nick Reiner charged with parents' murders; death penalty possible

by · UPI

Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Nick Reiner, son of slain director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, was charged with murder in his parents' deaths on Tuesday.

Nick Reiner, 32, is accused of stabbing his parents to death Sunday in the primary bedroom of their home in Brentwood, Calif.

He is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and could face the death penalty if found guilty, Forbes reported.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the charges against Reiner during a news conference where he said he has not determined whether he would seek the death penalty. The alternative is life in prison without the chance of parole, Hochman said.

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"Prosecuting these cases involving family members are some of the most challenging and heart-wrenching cases that this office faces because of the intimate and often brutal nature of the crimes involved," Hochman told media.

The charges were formally filed Tuesday against Reiner who was absent because of an unspecified medical issue. Hochman Nock Reiner will be arraigned in court after he is medically cleared.

"Hopefully he'll be cleared tomorrow and we can get him here," Nick Reiner's attorney, Alan Jackson, told reporters outside of the courthouse in Los Angeles.

Jackson didn't say what the medical issue was, describing it as "procedural."

Reiner was arrested Monday on suspicion of killing his parents. He was held without bail.

The Reiners were found dead in their home by their daughter, Romy Reiner, People Magazine reported.

Rob Reiner was an actor and filmmaker whose credits include All in the Family, This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, Stand by Me, Misery, A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle. He was the son of actor, writer and comedian Carl Reiner, who died in 2020 at 98.

Rob Reiner, 78, was a native of the Bronx, N.Y., and Michele Reiner was 68.

Nick Reiner has a history of struggling with substance use disorders, which reportedly began when he was a teenager. He previously said that he has been in and out of addiction treatment and has spent time living on the streets.

The night before the couple was found dead, Rob and Nick Reiner reportedly got into a "very loud argument" at a Christmas party hosted by Conan O'Brien, People Magazine reported.

Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama were scheduled to spend time with the Reiners on the day they were killed.

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