What we know about the case against the son of Rob and Michele Reiner in their killings

By Aditi Sangal, Taylor Romine, Karina Tsui, CNN

(CNN) — Just two days after Hollywood director Rob Reiner and producer Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their home, their son, Nick Reiner, was charged with the first-degree murder of his parents.

Many aspects of what happened are uncertain as investigators keep details close during an active investigation. But the deaths of the two Hollywood fixtures have upended the entertainment industry, leaving colleagues, friends and fans to pay tribute to their legacy.

As the investigation unfolds, here is what we know about the case against Nick Reiner and what comes next.

Son faces first-degree murder charges

Prosecutors charged 32-year-old Reiner with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of his parents, they announced during a news conference Tuesday.

The charges include a special allegation for allegedly using a knife, and rises to the level of a “special circumstance first-degree murder case” as there were multiple murders, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said.

The charges, if convicted, carry a penalty of life in prison without parole or the death penalty, Hochman said. His office hasn’t decided if they would seek the death penalty, and they would take the “thoughts and desires of the family into consideration” when making that decision, he said.

If prosecutors decide to pursue the death penalty, a 2019 moratorium instituted by California Governor Gavin Newsom through an executive order will prevent the execution from being carried out. That could change when a new governor is elected in the 2026 election.

Cases that involve family members are among “the most challenging and the most heart-wrenching,” Hochman said at a news conference. That’s due to the “intimate and often brutal nature of the crimes involved,” he added.

Reiner is currently being held on no bail and will be arraigned at a later date, the district attorney’s office said. He is going through medical clearance, which is standard procedure, Hochman said.

Reiner is being represented by prominent defense attorney Alan Jackson, who has previously represented Kevin Spacey, Harvey Weinstein and Karen Read. Jackson told CNN on Tuesday that it wasn’t clear when his client would make his first court appearance.

More information on the day of the incident

Officials have previously given little details of what exactly happened in the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner, but clarified Tuesday that Nick Reiner fatally stabbed his parents in the “early morning hours of December 14” in their Brentwood home before fleeing, the district attorney’s office said in a news release.

The Reiners’ daughter, Romy, lives across the street from their home, and went to check on her parents around 3 p.m. local time Sunday when she discovered their bodies, a source said. She left the house, found a friend who was staying with her, and told her to call 911, the source said.

Nick was arrested later that evening in the Exposition Park area near the University of Southern California campus, Los Angeles Police Department’s Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said, adding Reiner didn’t resist.

Detectives spoke with family members and learned Nick had been staying at a guest house on his parent’s property and was not present when they arrived. They also learned of his history with drug addiction, as well as an argument that occurred between him and his parents the night before, the source said.

Nick Reiner’s mental health could come up in court “if there is evidence”

Nick Reiner’s mental health could potentially come up in future court hearings, Hochman said during the news conference.

After Reiner is arraigned, if there is evidence of mental illness, it will be “presented in court and in whatever detail the defense seeks to do that,” Hochman said.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell declined to answer when asked whether Reiner was under the influence at the time of his arrest.

Nick has previously spoken about his struggle with addiction, including multiple stays in rehab and, at times, being homeless.

In 2015, he co-wrote the film “Being Charlie,” loosely inspired by his experiences with addiction, and directed by his father. During the film’s promotional tour, he often appeared alongside his father to discuss how his personal experiences shaped the story.

During a joint appearance on AOL’s speaker series, “Build,” Rob Reiner called the project “the most personal thing I’ve ever done.”

“You don’t set out to have a cathartic experience or be therapeutic in some way,” the elder Reiner said, detailing how working on the film pushed both of them to confront and better understand each other’s perspectives.

“The fact that we were dealing with things that Nick had gone through … it forced me to have to see more clearly and understand more deeply what Nick had gone through, and I think it forced him to see things that I had experienced during this process,” he said.

Nick’s recovery has never been linear. He has often talked in the past about numerous stints in rehab and his experience of homelessness. He’s also spoken about arguments he had with his parents while in the throes of addiction.

But in a September NPR interview, Rob Reiner said his son had been doing well.

”You know, he’s been great. He hasn’t been doing drugs for over six years. I mean, he’s in a really good place, much better place. He’s a good place now,” Reiner said.

Catch up on everything we learned Tuesday:

The charges and what comes next:

• Nick Reiner was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
• He also faces a special allegation for allegedly using a knife.
• The charges carry a penalty of life in prison without parole or the death penalty. Prosecutors have not decided whether to seek the death penalty in the case.
• His arraignment will be set for a later date, the district attorney’s office said in a news release. He is being held without bail and is going through medical clearance, which is standard procedure, authorities said.
• LA-based attorney Alan Jackson — who has taken on a number of famous clients in his work, including Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein — says he is now representing Reiner.

What we know about the day of the incident:

• Reiner allegedly fatally stabbed his parents in the “early morning hours of December 14” before fleeing, the district attorney’s office said in a news release.
• He did not resist when he was arrested in the Exposition Park area near the University of Southern California campus, Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said. Photos show Los Angeles Police and US Marshals arresting Nick Reiner Sunday night.
• The Reiners’ daughter Romy lived across the street from their home, and went to check on her parents around 3 p.m. local time Sunday when she discovered their bodies, a source said. She left the home, found a friend who was staying with her and told her to call 911, the individual said.
• Detectives, speaking to family members, learned that Nick had been staying at the guest house on the property and was not present when law enforcement arrived. They also learned of his history of drug addiction and of an argument that occurred between him and his parents at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party the night before, the source added.

CNN’s Andy Rose, Norma Galeana, John Miller, Cindy Von Quednow and Elise Hammond contributed to the report.

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