LAPD says Nick Reiner is 'responsible' for parents' deaths

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed Monday the arrest without bail of Nick Reiner, son of renowned film director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, as part of the investigation into the couple's murder. Both were found dead on Sunday at their residence in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

In an official statement, the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division reported that detectives arrested Nick Reiner, 32, after a preliminary investigation pinned him as the alleged perpetrator in the death of his parents. The arrest occurred around 9:15 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, and the suspect remains in custody without bail, authorities confirmed.

According to the police report, officers responded to a death investigation call around 3:40 p.m. Sunday at a home located on the 200 block of South Chadbourne Avenue. Once inside the home, officers found two victims, later identified as Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. Detectives from the Homicide Division immediately began investigations to determine the circumstances of the deaths.

After the initial investigation, the LAPD determined that this was a double homicide and proceeded to locate and arrest the couple's son. The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office this Tuesday for formal evaluation and possible filing of charges.

Following the statement, the LAPD released images of the arrest, showing Nick Reiner being subdued by officers.

Initially, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell had indicated that bail was set at $4,000,000, although it was later confirmed that Reiner would remain in custody with no possibility of release, at least for now.

The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed the deaths at the scene, while the investigation remains ongoing and authorities have not yet given details of the exact causes of death.

A spokesman for the Reiner family said in a statement that relatives are "deeply devastated by this sudden loss" and asked for privacy amid the investigation.

A turbulent life

In the past, Nick Reiner went public about his struggle with drug addiction.

In previous interviews, he recounted that he first entered rehab during his teenage years and even went through periods of destitution. In 2015, Reiner wrote the film Being Charlie, directed by his father, partially inspired by his personal experience with addiction.

Rob Reiner was a central figure on American television in the 1970s for his role in "All in the Family" and later established himself as one of Hollywood's most influential directors, with landmark films such as "When Harry Met Sally," "The Princess Bride," "Misery" and "A Few Good Men." In recent years, he had scaled back his film activity, although in September he released a sequel to "This Is Spinal Tap."

Political leaders in California, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom, publicly mourned the couple's death, noting their cultural impact and activism in social causes.