CA - Murder victims Identified as Rob Reiner and wife Michele - LA Dec 14 2025

[Chimera]

I don't see a reason to offer a plea deal. Seems like a slam dunk case, they don't need the location of the bodies, and CA has a moratorium on the Death Penalty, so what's the point?

Agreed.
I probably could have clarified --- will there need to be a trial , or can he admit to it due to the plethora of evidence and have a judge decide the penalty ?
Was trying to think of other cases where it didn't go to trial ?

So sorry for that poor sister who found them.
Hope she has many loving people around her, including the other brother and family friends ?
Imo.

 

[Chimera]

Yes, there seem to be conflicting stories in MSM.

New details suggest that legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were dead for hours before their bodies were discovered, insiders say.

Rigor mortis “appeared to have set in” by the time the couple’s daughter, Romy, arrived to find their bodies mangled and their throats slit on Sunday afternoon, sources told TMZ.

The grisly scene was described as a “nightmare” and the work of a “madman.”

New Details Reveal Likely Timeline of Reiners’ Grisly Killing

The famed filmmaker’s son has been officially charged with murder.

www.thedailybeast.com

Awful.
Very brutal, up close, and so personal.
What a demonic rage the perp must have been in.
Like they didn't help their son (in his eyes), and yet they did everything they could !
Rob and Michele deserved to live out their lives and retire after years of hard work.
Omo.

 

[LinasK]

Agreed.
I probably could have clarified --- will there need to be a trial , or can he admit to it due to the plethora of evidence and have a judge decide the penalty ?
Was trying to think of other cases where it didn't go to trial ?

So sorry for that poor sister who found them.
Hope she has many loving people around her, including the other brother and family friends ?
Imo.

He could opt for a Bench Trial (by judge) or he could just confess/Plead Guilty if he wanted to spare everyone a trial.

 

[MistyWaters]

According to this article, N could possibly face the death penalty. Is this the significance of specifying the Special Circumstances?

BBM

Los Angeles district attorney allows prosecutors to seek death penalty again

Nathan Hochman ends progressive predecessor’s moratorium as legal advocates condemn move as ‘cruel’

www.theguardian.com

“Los Angeles district attorney Nathan Hochman is allowing county prosecutors to seek the death penalty again, reversing a ban put in place by his predecessor and making good on a campaign promise.

The county prosecutorial office said on Monday the death penalty will be pursued only in “exceedingly rare cases” and the “most egregious”.

“I remain unwaveringly committed to the comprehensive and thorough evaluation of every special circumstance murder case prosecuted in Los Angeles County,” Hochman said in a statement……

…..Under California law, the death penalty can only be sought if someone is charged with murder with special circumstances, which can include killings where there are multiple victims or if the victim is a law enforcement officer.”

 

[MassGuy]

Reiner on 60 Minutes last year.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2001030079200067594

 

[steeltowngirl]

I don't know that we know this. Yes, it's in "MSM" (mostly tabloid-type rags IMO).

With that said, in the presser the DA of LA County Nathan Hochman said this:

"You will hear in the media... rumors. You will hear speculation. You will hear hearsay. What I'm asking everyone to do is to rely on trusted sources. If it doesn't come from the District Attorney's office, from LAPD, from the Coroner's Office, or from the courtroom itself, there is a good chance you are hearing misinformation. Because at the appropriate time the actual evidence involved in this case will be presented in a court of law. So I ask for your patience until that is done, but again, please do rely on rank speculation, rumor or hearsay, to believe that you understand anything about what went on with this case."

Cued up:

Excellent reminder @Gemmie

 

[ttjo]

Nick doesnt appear to be wearing a hoodie when arrested, ( it’s been said he wore a hoodie at Conan’s party) so he changed at some point ( likely after the murder) and was at the hotel by about 4am?? With travel time. With her injuries would Michele Reiner stayed alive that long? Roughly 12 hours .
Maybe thats one of the reasons they needed a search warrant, to check the guest house Nick was staying in.
Photo from TMZ

Mod note Added link to TMZ site:

New Video Shows Nick Reiner's Arrest

Surveillance footage shows the moment Nick Reiner was swarmed by police and arrested for allegedly murdering his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner.

www.tmz.com

 

[HawthorneJuniper]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed> ... unless you’ve needed to navigate psychiatric problems in an adult child you may not be fully understanding the difficulties involved.

One of my 27 year old twins just had a psychiatric crisis where he was arrested for assaulting my husband & others. He is delusional, thinks Elon & Trump are protecting him and are going to get us for trying to have him killed. His building manager & other residents constantly call 911.

We tried leveraging his criminal case via the DA and simultaneously getting an Emergency Temporary Guardianship secured with a $7,000 emergency psychiatric assessment indicating schizophrenia to try & get him in treatment.

We had to fly across the country to do this. We’ve spent about $20k so far and when the jail released him and the court order sent him to treatment, then the treatment center said outpatient would be fine and sent him home.

We finally got him to treatment and they sent him home. So now we’re back to square one.

This has only been over two months. The Reiners dealt with their son for YEARS. Why wouldn’t they continue to believe they could surely somehow, someway, find a course of action that would make Nick better. You never stop wanting them to be happy & whole.

I can imagine myself in their shoes all too well.

 

[Wishbone]

It doesn’t seem to be a question if N is guilty of murdering his parents and so reasons won’t matter for the guilt phase of a trial. In fact if an attorney were to introduce reasons his client murdered two people he’d be proclaiming him Guilty as Charged!

Mitigating or aggravating factors (aka reasons) ) come into play during the sentencing phase when determining the most appropriate sentence to fit the crime. Given his privledge in life, I’d be surprised if any would be considered valid. His parents forcing him to go with them to C O’Briens Xmas party would hardly be a convincing argument for having endured cruelty, pain or suffering.
JMO

I guess we will hear about his troubled life. Mental, emotional and drug issues not to leave out how very hard it is to deal with having rich famous family. Issues stemming from when he was very young. And maybe even how his parents enabled him in his drug usage and supported him financially. Also I won't be surprised to hear how hard RR was on him at various times.......JMOO and a guess

 

[Elley Mae]

Rob Reiner's Son Nick Could Be Ineligible for Inheritance Because of 'Slayer Statute': Legal Experts (Exclusive)

Reiner was arrested on Dec. 15 in connection to the double homicide of his parents, Rob and Michele

people.com

…

I hope this is true and he is ineligible.

 

[LinasK]

Rob Reiner's Son Nick Could Be Ineligible for Inheritance Because of 'Slayer Statute': Legal Experts (Exclusive)

Reiner was arrested on Dec. 15 in connection to the double homicide of his parents, Rob and Michele

people.com

…

I hope this is true and he is ineligible.

They had probably already made arrangements so that he wasn't getting a equal share, or that his share be tied up in a trust...especially since it's rumored that they were looking into a Conservatorship for him.

 

[Elley Mae]

They had probably already made arrangements so that he wasn't getting a equal share, or that his share be tied up in a trust...especially since it's rumored that they were looking into a Conservatorship for him.

Maybe they had a will as well. My Father did and left sister out thank goodness. She too was into drugs and died from that. What a waste of life she was. I’m a hard azz, have no sympathy for losers.
Just the way I am.

Jmo

 

[Cindizzi]

Reporter B.E. Posted this 5 hours ago.
Wonder why AJ was at the home .

https://twitter.com/x/status/2001026105718018358

 

[avalonisland]

Sounds like Nick checked into motel at 4am prior to killing his parents, as blood was not seen at check in but housekeeper discovered in shower next day of checkout. If so, premeditated. Why RR would bring his troubled 32 year old so with history of drugs, antisocial, and mental illness to a celebrity party is just weird and not appropriate in my opinion unless CO host invited NR to party.

 

[avalonisland]

Voluntary Manslaughter - Definition, Examples, Cases

Voluntary Manslaughter defined and explained with examples. Voluntary manslaughter is the intentional killing of another person with no prior intent to harm or kill.

legaldictionary.net

first-degree murder

www.law.cornell.edu

Voluntary manslaughter is a crime that occurs when someone kills another person with no prior intent to harm or kill, but under a sudden circumstance that made him mentally or emotionally distraught.

If, as you say in your post, they might have been murdered in bed asleep, that changes it to premeditated first degree murder.

So yes, where they were found murdered is an important question.

Was there a struggle when all 3 were awake and this was spur of the moment not planned? Or did the son plan ahead - planning under the cover of darkness - to sneak in and stab them while they slept in bed?

2 Cents

Not necessarily. Per that article, he wasn't observed to have any blood on him when he checked in at 4am. So maybe he checked in, then left, went to the Reiner home and committed the murders (ie 5 or 6am) and then returned to the hotel to clean up. Then obviously left again (unless that's where he was arrested)

This sounds like what happened! Maybe he checked in to hotel to do drugs or something 4am to let off steam and when he went home, he could not get access to his guesthouse and altercation with parents happened or something. He killed parents then back to hotel to shower and bolt. Seems like his dad was codependent and his son under his control of food, shelter, social scene. In watching video interviews of father-son, it seems like son could barely get a word in. But son chose to stay with parents and parents chose to have son stay and socialize with them even though he was clearly a drug addicted with mental problems and possibly violence tendencies per son during one of interview.

 

[LinasK]

Sounds like Nick checked into motel at 4am prior to killing his parents, as blood was not seen at check in but housekeeper discovered in shower next day of checkout. If so, premeditated. Why RR would bring his troubled 32 year old so with history of drugs, antisocial, and mental illness to a celebrity party is just weird and not appropriate in my opinion unless CO host invited NR to party.

I think it was to make sure that Nick wasn't doing drugs at home while they were at the party.

 

[BUF]

Reporter B.E. Posted this 5 hours ago.
Wonder why AJ was at the home .

https://twitter.com/x/status/2001026105718018358

To see if he could check out the crime scene?

 

[avalonisland]

Maybe they had a will as well. My Father did and left sister out thank goodness. She too was into drugs and died from that. What a waste of life she was. I’m a hard azz, have no sympathy for losers.
Just the way I am.

Jm

I am curious to know about the timing of the murders—I am guessing that it occurred in the early AM hours of Sunday following the public incident at Conan O’Brien’s party. Certainly, it’d be easiest to attack and kill two individuals with a bladed object while they were sleeping in bed, as opposed to when they were up and alert and moving about the house, capable of calling for help or even of attempting to flee.
Given that the murderer may have still been living in his parents’ guest house, as he evidently was for some period in the preceding years, I picture the family returning to their residence post-party, and then the elder Reiners turned in for the night while their miscreant son just waited in the guest house for their lights to go out before springing into action.
In addition for the tremendous sympathy I feel for the Reiners’ other children, I also feel badly for the Reiners’ friends and colleagues who must be grieving deeply—in particular, I worry about the emotional toll this will take on the wonderful but quite elderly Mel Brooks, longtime BFF of Carl Reiner and, I presume, a close friend of Rob and Michele R. as well. I don’t know if my heart could handle the loss of another true mensch and giant of American culture on the heels of this abysmal week of world events.

I agree with you but NR did not appear to be bloody when he checked in to motel at 4am using credit card.

 

[Arkay]

Bill Hader breaks cover after tense chat with Nick Reiner

The comedian looked tense while pacing back and forth during a phone call in Los Angeles, as he was pictured for the first time since his tense chat with Rob Reiner's son Nick Reiner.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Bill Hader’s reaction, at least according to the DM.

Very upset of course, and allegedly does not want any focus on whatever tiff he had with Nick at the party.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Seems like his dad was codependent

Where is this coming from? I vigorously disagree and see no evidence for that.