Nick Reiner Charged with First-Degree Murder in Parents' Deaths

Nick Reiner Faces First-Degree Murder Charges

Nick Reiner, 32, the son of filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The charges were announced by Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman on Tuesday.

The indictment includes a 'special circumstance' of multiple murders and a 'special allegation' regarding the use of a dangerous and deadly weapon, identified as a knife.

If convicted, these charges carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. District Attorney Hochman stated that a decision regarding the death penalty has not yet been made.

Authorities were alerted to the deaths of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner on Sunday following a call from the fire department. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell reported that the exact cause and time of death are pending updates from the coroner's office.

Nick Reiner was arrested on Sunday in the Exposition Park area of Los Angeles, near the University of Southern California campus, according to Alan Hamilton, Deputy Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. When questioned, Chief McDonnell did not confirm whether Nick Reiner was under the influence of drugs at the time of his arrest. Reiner has previously publicly addressed struggles with addiction.

District Attorney Hochman declined to comment on the presence of mental illness evidence in Reiner's background or whether Reiner admitted to the crimes, stating such information would be presented in court.

Hochman underscored that "charges are not evidence" and that his office intends to present evidence to jurors in a court of law. He also noted that the family's thoughts and desires would be taken into consideration during the legal process.

Prosecutors are filing the charges on Tuesday afternoon. Nick Reiner is currently undergoing medical clearance, a standard procedure, before being brought to court for arraignment, where he will enter a plea. He is currently being held without bail.