It has been a heavy few days when it comes to headlines. Amid the shocking stories was news that acclaimed director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, were killed in an apparent double homicide. Their son Nick, 32, was taken into custody Sunday night, and the LAPD has released a statement saying he was "responsible" for their deaths.
Nick was booked on murder charges on Monday morning around 5 am, and before the end of the day, the LAPD released a statement. “As a result of the initial investigation, it was determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide," they said, according to multiple outlets. "The investigation further revealed that Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Robert and Michele Reiner, was responsible for their deaths.”
The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday. Bail was initially set for $4M, but the LAPD later announced that he is being held without bail.
Who found Rob and Michele?
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to calls at about 3:38 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14. They arrived at the home and found the couple dead with multiple stab wounds.
Tragically, it was reportedly the couple’s daughter, Romy, 28, who found her parents inside the home, according to PEOPLE.
Nick was not at home at the time, and it's believed that he left after the stabbing. Sources told ABC News that the LAPD found him near the University of Southern California, where he was arrested.
The Conan O'Brien party
With puzzle pieces starting to come together for what led up to the tragedy, just one day before the tragic murders, Nick was at Conan O'Brien's holiday party with Rob when they got into a "very loud argument," per TMZ. The couple left the party.
A source told PEOPLE, "Nick was freaking everyone out, acting crazy, kept asking people if they were famous."
An insider also told Page Sis Nick “hated himself for not being as talented, prolific or beloved as his dad or grandad.”
There has been speculation about whether Nick, who has been open in the past about his struggles with addiction, relapsed. He was in and out of treatment facilities since he was 15.
In a 2018 podcast, he described himself as not sober because he was "smoking a little weed" and "taking a little Adderall." He opened up about his journey, admitting that he once destroyed the family's first house. “I started with the TV, and then I went over to the lamp and then [progressively], just everything in the guest house got wrecked,” he said, per The Hollywood Reporter. He said he couldn't remember all the details and felt "crazy" after.
Tracys tribute
In addition to Nick and Romy, the couple was also the parents of Jake, 34. In 1971, the filmmaker also adopted daughter Tracy, 61, after marrying the late Penny Marshall.
Following their deaths, Tracy told NBC News she had just seen her father the day before. “I came from the greatest family ever,” she told the outlet. “I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock.”