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Brentwood Tragedy: Rob and Michele Reiner Died of “Multiple Sharp Force Injuries,” Son Charged with Murder
Los Angeles, CA – Filmmaker Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, 70, died from “multiple sharp force injuries,” the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Wednesday. This revelation follows earlier reports from authorities that the couple had been fatally stabbed.
The Reiners were discovered deceased on Sunday afternoon at their residence in the affluent Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, has been formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances in connection with their deaths, as announced by Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman on Tuesday. The charges include a “special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife,” according to the DA’s office.
Prosecutors allege that Nick Reiner fatally stabbed his parents in the early hours of Sunday morning before fleeing the scene.
Police reported that the bodies of Rob and Michele Reiner were found at approximately 3:40 p.m. on Sunday. Nick Reiner was subsequently located and arrested in the Exposition Park neighborhood of South Los Angeles around 9:15 p.m. the same day. As of now, authorities have not disclosed a potential motive for the killings or the specific details that led to Nick Reiner’s arrest.
Sources who attended a party at Conan O’Brien’s home on Saturday night, where both Rob and Nick Reiner were present, informed CBS News on Monday that a brief but audible argument occurred between the father and son.
Investigations into Nick Reiner’s movements after the alleged murders are ongoing. CBS News learned Wednesday that he checked into a hotel in Santa Monica, approximately four miles from his parents’ Brentwood home, early Sunday morning. Security video obtained on Tuesday also shows him inside a gas station convenience store shortly before his arrest.
Nick Reiner’s initial court hearing took place on Wednesday, with his arraignment scheduled for January 7.
District Attorney Hochman stated that the charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole or the death penalty. However, his office has not yet determined which penalty to pursue.
Rob and Michele Reiner, who married in 1989, had three children together. Their two other children, Jake and Romy Reiner, issued a statement on Wednesday describing the loss of their parents as “horrific and devastating.” The statement further read, “They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect Michele Singer Reiner’s age per the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.