What we covered here
• Nick Reiner appeared briefly in court today after being charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of his parents, Hollywood director Rob Reiner and producer Michele Singer Reiner. He also faces a special allegation that he used a knife, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
• The 32-year-old sat calmly through this court appearance while he was ordered to be held without bail pending an arraignment, scheduled for January 7, 2026.
• The Reiners’ son Jake and daughter Romy released a statement asking for privacy, saying they are experiencing “unimaginable pain” after the death of their parents.
• Rob Reiner’s prolific work includes directing “When Harry Met Sally,” “The Princess Bride” and “A Few Good Men.”
Our live coverage for today has ended. Read more about Nick Reiner’s court appearance or scroll through the posts below.
Rob and Michele Reiner were found dead in the master bedroom, LAPD says
Rob and Michele Reiner were found dead in the master bedroom of their home, according to the LAPD’S Assistant Chief of Police Dominic Choi.
Correction: An earlier version of this post gave the wrong day for Choi’s presentation to the meeting of the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, which was Tuesday.
What happened during Nick Reiner's first court appearance today
In a hearing that lasted only a few minutes, Nick Reiner made his first appearance in court today.
He was charged yesterday with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the death of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, who were found fatally stabbed in their Brentwood, California home on Sunday.
Here’s a recap of what happened:
- Nick Reiner was in an enclosed area of the courtroom set aside for people in custody. He appeared to be wearing a thick blue one-piece garment.
- He spoke only once, quietly saying, “Yes, your honor,” when the judge asked him to confirm he was waiving his right to a speedy arraignment.
- Nick Reiner will be held without bail pending an arraignment which has been scheduled for January 7, 2026.
- Outside the courthouse, Nick Reiner’s attorney Alan Jackson called the deaths a “devastating tragedy” for the family, and said that there are “very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case.”
- Jake and Romy Reiner, son and daughter of Rob and Michelle Reiner, released a statement asking for privacy. The two siblings also expressed gratitude for the messages of support from family, friends and strangers.
- Surveillance video from the gas station near where Nick Reiner was arrested shows him buying a drink and calmly walking around the store. Another video from the gas station shows the moment police arrive to arrest him across the street.
CNN’s Stephanie Elam, Norma Galeana, Josh Campbell, Jason Kravarik and Lauren Mascarenhas contributed reporting to this post.
Gas station store surveillance shows Nick Reiner before and during his arrest
Moments before he was arrested, Nick Reiner is seen on surveillance video calmly buying a drink at a gas station in Los Angeles on Sunday night.
The video shows Reiner, in jeans and a jacket, carrying a red backpack, enter the store. He walks around before getting a drink out of the back coolers. Reiner when walks to the front and waits in line to purchase the beverage.
He’s seen looking around the store several times as he waits for the person in front of him to check out, according to the video.
After Reiner leaves the store, the gas station’s surveillance camera captures law enforcement arresting Reiner. He was arrested near Exposition Park, which is across the intersection from the store.
Reiner was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and is accused of killing his parents Rob and Michele Reiner.
What we know about the high-profile Los Angeles attorney representing Nick Reiner
Los Angeles-based attorney Alan Jackson — who has taken on a number of famous clients in his work as a defense attorney — is representing Nick Reiner, who was charged in the murder of his parents.
A former Los Angeles prosecutor who unsuccessfully ran to be district attorney in 2012, Jackson has since focused on defending a number of controversial clients.
His most recent success in court came in defense of Karen Read, who in June was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in the death of her boyfriend, John O’Keefe, in 2022. Jackson argued investigators exhibited “blatant bias” that tainted the case.
The verdict resulted in a feature profile in Vanity Fair for Jackson, and his firm’s website maintains a section dedicated to press coverage of the case.
Jackson represented Kevin Spacey in a 2019 sexual assault case in Massachusetts. The charge was dropped by prosecutors “due to the unavailability of the complaining witness,” a court filing said.
In Hollywood, Jackson is best known for defending Harvey Weinstein against rape and sexual assault charges, ending in conviction and a 16-year sentence. Jackson argued some accusers had been involved in a “transactional relationship” with Weinstein.
When it comes to his new client, Jackson declined yesterday to tell reporters how he became associated with the case or who would be paying his fees.
“I can’t comment,” said Jackson.
CNN’s Norma Galeana contributed to this post.
"Being Charlie" producer says Reiner family was hopeful Nick would overcome addiction struggle
Johnson Chan, a producer who worked closely with Rob and Nick Reiner on the 2015 film “Being Charlie,” remembered them as a loving family in a statement given after Nick was accused of killing his parents over the weekend.
Chan was the producer of “Being Charlie,” a movie that Rob Reiner directed and Nick Reiner co-wrote, loosely inspired by the latter’s experiences with addiction.
“Everyone was so involved with making ‘Being Charlie’ that it became more like a family affair than a film project,” Chan said in the statement. “We were all so hopeful, looking forward to Nick getting better and overcoming his struggle.”
The producer said they were halfway through creating a new project after the movie was finished when Nick Reiner disappeared. Chan said he “kept thinking he would return when he was ready.”
“My deepest hope now is that everyone can focus on the well-being of Jake and Romy,” he said, referring to the Reiners’ other two surviving children.
Chan also shared a photo of Nick and Rob Reiner, in which they are seen smiling, with the father’s arm around his son. “This is how I remember them… just love,” Chan said.
CNN’s Jason Kravarik contributed reporting to this post.
Nick Reiner was seated and calm during his first appearance in court
Nick Reiner was seated calmly during his brief first appearance Wednesday in front of a judge after being charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Reiner, who was in an enclosed area of the courtroom set aside for people in custody, appeared to be wearing a thick blue one-piece garment.
A judge ruled before the hearing began that the media could not take video or photos of Reiner himself, and he was seated in a position where the TV camera’s view of him was blocked by the enclosure and his three attorneys.
Reiner spoke only once – quietly saying, “Yes, your honor,” when the judge asked him to confirm he was waiving his right to a speedy arraignment.
Jake and Romy Reiner ask for privacy as they mourn the loss of their parents
Jake and Romy Reiner, son and daughter of Rob and Michele Reiner, released a statement Wednesday asking for privacy after the death of their parents.
Rob and Michele Reiner had three children together – Jake, Romy and Nick. Nick Reiner has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of his parents.
“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends,” the statement read.
The two siblings expressed gratitude for the messages of support from family, friends and strangers.
“We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.”
Correction: An earlier version of this post misspelled the first name of Michele Reiner.
There are "very complex" issues in this case, Nick Reiner's attorney says
The attorney for Nick Reiner, who is accused of killing his parents, said their deaths were a “devastating tragedy” for the family, following his client’s first court appearance today.
“We all recognize that. Our hearts go out to the entire Reiner family,” Alan Jackson said outside the courthouse.
Jackson said there are “very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case” and called for a careful analysis moving forward.
Reiner’s next court date is January 7 for his arraignment.
Reiner has previously said he’s had numerous stints in rehab and at times been homeless. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said yesterday Reiner’s mental health could come up during hearings in the case.
Nick Reiner told judge he accepted waiving his right to a speedy arraignment
When the judge asked Nick Riener if he was OK waiving his right to a speedy arraignment, he replied, “Yes, your honor” during his brief court appearance today in Los Angeles.
Reiner is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
Nick Reiner held without bail in brief court appearance
Nick Reiner’s brief first court appearance concluded Wednesday morning in Los Angeles with no plea from the son of Rob and Michele Reiner, whom he is accused of killing.
Surrounded by a team of three attorneys, Reiner was ordered to be held without bail pending an arraignment, scheduled for January 7, 2026.
Nick Reiner is in the courtroom
Nick Reiner is in the courtroom. He is seated behind glass.
Three attorneys are also in the room, according to a CNN producer in court.
Nick Reiner expected in court today
Nick Reiner is expected in court today for a hearing, a spokesperson with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told CNN.
The 32-year-old is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
What charges does Nick Reiner face and what comes next?
Prosecutors charged Nick Reiner, 32, with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of his parents, Rob Reiner and producer Michele Singer Reiner.
The charges include a special allegation for allegedly using a knife, and the case rises to a “special circumstance first-degree murder case” as there were multiple murders, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Tuesday at a news conference.
Conviction on the charges carries a penalty of life in prison without parole or the death penalty, Hochman said. His office hasn’t decided if it would seek the death penalty and would take the “thoughts and desires of the family into consideration,” he said.
Reiner is being held without bail ahead of an arraignment, the district attorney’s office said. He is going through medical screening, a standard procedure, Hochman said.
What we know so far about the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner
Charges against Nick Reiner were filed yesterday in connection with the fatal stabbing of his parents, Hollywood director Rob Reiner and producer Michele Singer Reiner.
Their close friends, including the actors Billy Crystal, Martin Short and Larry David, released a statement Tuesday about the tragic deaths, recalling how they “had devoted a great deal of their lives for the betterment of our fellow citizens.”
What we know about 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.
- The detectives 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. Nick stood out at the party for how little he engaged with anyone else and his scruffy clothes, according to a source who attended the gathering.
CNN’s Andy Rose, Nick Watt, Taylor Romine, Norma Galeana, John Miller and Cindy Von Quednow contributed to the report.
