Los Angeles police have arrested Nick Reiner in connection with the killing of his parents, Hollywood legend Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner. Officers found the couple dead in their Brentwood home on Sunday afternoon. On Monday, the LAPD confirmed that their 32-year-old son is the prime suspect.
Specifically, authorities took Nick Reiner into custody on Sunday night and booked him for murder. He remains in county jail without bail. Meanwhile, homicide detectives plan to present their findings to the district attorney’s office on Tuesday to seek formal charges.
According to the LAPD, investigators determined that the Reiners died in a homicide and that their son committed the killings. Notably, the couple’s daughter discovered their bodies, as the Los Angeles Times and TMZ reported.
For years, Nick Reiner has spoken openly about his struggles with substance abuse. In fact, he entered rehab at age 15 and completed at least 17 treatment programs. His battles with addiction and homelessness—especially when he refused help—deeply affected his family.
Those experiences directly inspired the 2015 film Being Charlie, which Nick co-wrote with his father. At the time, Rob Reiner called it “the most personal thing I’ve ever been involved in.”
In the days before the tragedy, local media reported that Nick argued with his parents at a holiday party hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien on Saturday night. Just months earlier, the family appeared together at the Los Angeles premiere of Rob’s final film, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. However, photos showed Nick with a shaved head and beard—the only one not smiling.
Rob Reiner, 78, was a towering figure in entertainment and activism. As an actor, he rose to fame as “Meathead” on All in the Family and won two Emmy Awards. Later, he directed iconic films like When Harry Met Sally…, The Princess Bride, Stand by Me, Misery, and A Few Good Men.
Beyond Hollywood, he championed progressive causes—he campaigned against California’s 2008 same-sex marriage ban and produced ads for Democratic candidates. His wife, Michele, once photographed Donald Trump for the cover of Trump: The Art of the Deal.
Following the news, tributes poured in. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass praised Reiner for “improving countless lives through his creative work and advocacy.”
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump falsely claimed online—without evidence—that the Reiners’ deaths stemmed from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Law enforcement has found no link to support that claim.
Rob Reiner is survived by three children with Michele and an adoptive daughter from his marriage to Penny Marshall. Now, as the legal process unfolds, the entertainment world mourns a beloved icon—while confronting a heartbreaking family tragedy rooted in long-standing personal struggles.
Ultimately, the Nick Reiner murder case has shocked a community that admired his father’s legacy—highlighting how private pain can erupt into public crisis, even in the most celebrated families.
