Nick Reiner has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the stabbing deaths of his parents, Hollywood and his producer wife Michele Reiner, who were found murdered in their Los Angeles home over the weekend.
The Reiners’ younger son was taken into custody without incident on Sunday evening at a park near the University of Southern California’s downtown Los Angeles campus, several hours after authorities discovered his parents’ bodies. His arraignment is scheduled for a future date, and he is presently receiving medical clearance.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman stated at a Tuesday press conference that prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty, noting that his office will consider the family’s wishes in reaching that decision, as is standard practice in all capital cases.
Even if prosecutors seek the death penalty and obtain a conviction, a moratorium on executions established by California Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2019 executive order would block the sentence from being carried out. However, this could change following the 2026 gubernatorial election.
Hochman observed that the case qualifies for “special circumstances” because of the alleged multiple homicides, and that Reiner will face a “special allegation” regarding the alleged use of a knife.
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said investigators have not yet determined whether the murders of Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Reiner, 68, took place Saturday night or Sunday.
“We are awaiting the coroner’s efforts to determine the time of death as accurately as possible,” he said during a press conference at the Los Angeles Hall of Justice on Tuesday.
The timing of the stabbings could affect the prosecution of the case. Nick Reiner was reportedly spotted with his father Saturday night at a holiday gathering hosted by television personality Conan O’Brien in Los Angeles.
Reiner had reportedly been residing in the guest house on his parents’ property, though he was absent when authorities arrived at the scene.
The LAPD’s robbery-homicide unit, gang and narcotics detectives, and a U.S. Marshals Service task force all contributed to locating Nick Reiner, representing “good, solid police work,” according to McDonnell.
Authorities are not revealing whether Reiner’s relatives supplied information that resulted in his arrest.
“Moving forward, that information will be addressed in the proper forum, namely the courtroom,” LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton stated.
Reiner has previously stated that he has attended rehabilitation programs on multiple occasions and has experienced homelessness. He has also discussed disputes with his parents during his struggles with addiction.
McDonnell refused to comment on whether Reiner was intoxicated when he was apprehended on Sunday.
Officials indicate that the defendant’s mental health could influence upcoming hearings.
“If mental illness evidence exists, it will be introduced in court at whatever level of detail the defense chooses,” Hochman said.
Los Angeles-based attorney Alan Jackson, who has represented other high-profile clients, said he will be representing Reiner. Jackson is well known for representing convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein, actor Kevin Spacey in a 2019 sexual assault case where charges were , and, recently, Karen Read, who in June was acquitted of second-degree murder in the death of her boyfriend, John O’Keefe.
Jackson said the timing of Reiner’s initial court appearance remains uncertain.
“He must receive medical clearance before being transported to the courthouse, which he has not yet obtained,” Jackson said.
Jackson declined to discuss how he became involved in Nick Reiner’s case.
Close friends of Rob and Michele Reiner released a joint to the Associated Press in which they remembered that the couple “had devoted a great deal of their lives for the betterment of our fellow citizens. They were a special force together-dynamic, unselfish and inspiring. We were their friends, and we will miss them forever.”
The statement was signed by Billy and Janice Crystal, Albert and Kimberly Brooks, Martin Short, Alan and Robin Zweibel, Larry David and Ashley Underwood, Marc Shaiman and Lou Mirabal, Barry and Diana Levinson and Ambassador James Costos and Michael Smith.
Less than 24 hours after the Reiners’ bodies were discovered in their home, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, attacking Rob Reiner’s politics and groundlessly attributing his death to them, citing his “incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME” and his “raging obsession” with the President.
Trump’s comments sparked from figures across the political spectrum, including those within his own party.
“This statement is wrong,” Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, whose district voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race. “Regardless of one’s political views, no one should be subjected to violence, let alone at the hands of their own son. It’s a horrible tragedy that should engender sympathy and compassion from everyone in our country, period.”