Michele Singer Reiner, Rob Reiner and their son Nick in 2013.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Teen Vogue
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Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Teen Vogue
Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, is facing two counts of first-degree murder. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced the charges, including a “special circumstance” of multiple murders and a “special allegation” that Reiner used a dangerous and deadly weapon — a knife.
The charges could result in a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“At this point, no decision has been made regarding the death penalty,” added Hochman.
Hochman praised Rob Reiner as a prominent figure in the entertainment industry and Michele Singer Reiner as an acclaimed photographer and producer. The police were alerted to their deaths on Sunday following a call from the fire department. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell stated that the cause and timing of the deaths are currently unknown pending updates from the coroner’s office.
Deputy Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, Alan Hamilton, revealed that Nick Reiner was apprehended in public on Sunday in the Exposition Park area of Los Angeles, near the University of Southern California campus. When asked about Reiner’s potential drug use at the time of the arrest, McDonnell declined to provide details. Reiner has previously been candid about his struggles with addiction.
Regarding any potential evidence of mental illness in Nick Reiner’s history, Hochman stated that such information, if available, would be presented in court. Hochman declined to comment on whether Reiner confessed to the crimes, citing that such evidence would be revealed during court proceedings.
Hochman stressed that “charges are not evidence” and assured that his office would present evidence to a jury in a court of law. He urged the public to rely on credible sources and avoid spreading rumors about the case.
He emphasized that, as in any case, his office would consider “the thoughts and wishes of the family.”
Prosecutors are expected to file charges later on Tuesday. Reiner is undergoing medical evaluation as part of the standard procedure and will appear in court for arraignment, where he will enter a plea. Currently, Reiner is being held without bail.
