Hollywood's Darkest Day: Rob Reiner Killed and His Son Already in Custody

Rob Reiner is dead. His wife Michele is dead. Both found stabbed in their Brentwood home yesterday afternoon, their daughter Romy reportedly the one who discovered them. By this morning, their 32-year-old son Nick is sitting in an LAPD jail on $4 million bail, booked on suspicion of murder.

I can't remember a Hollywood tragedy like this since O.J. Simpson's ex-wife was found murdered in 1994. And that comparison is about to matter a lot.

Rob Reiner gave us "The Princess Bride." "Stand By Me." "When Harry Met Sally." "A Few Good Men." The man was responsible for some of the most iconic films of the last forty years. He was "Meathead" on "All in the Family," the son of comedy legend Carl Reiner. He was 78 years old. Michele was 68. They were married 36 years.

And now their son faces the most serious charges our legal system can bring.

The Timeline That Concerns Me

Here's what we know: Around 3:30 PM Sunday, first responders were called to the Reiner home in Brentwood. By Sunday night, LAPD's Deputy Chief was holding a press conference saying they had no suspect. By early Monday morning, Nick Reiner was in custody.

That's fast. Really fast.

Look, I'm not saying they have the wrong guy. I'm not saying they have the right guy. I'm saying when someone is found dead in the afternoon and their family member is in handcuffs by morning, that timeline raises questions for anyone who watches how these investigations unfold.

Did they investigate all possibilities? Did they follow every lead? Or did they look at the most obvious suspect and stop there?

We've seen this story before. A family member is always the first suspect. Sometimes that's because they're guilty. Sometimes that's because investigators stop looking once they have someone convenient.

The Story Behind the Headlines

What the breathless breaking news coverage won't slow down to tell you is that Nick Reiner's story is complicated. He first entered rehab at 15 years old. Over the years that followed, he cycled through more than 17 treatment centers. He was homeless in Maine, New Jersey, Texas. He spent weeks living on the street.

In 2015, Nick co-wrote a semi-autobiographical film about his struggles called "Being Charlie." His father directed it. Rob Reiner called it his most personal film. In interviews at the time, both parents admitted they hadn't always listened to their son when he told them the treatment programs weren't working for him.

None of this excuses anything. If Nick Reiner killed his parents, he should face justice. But understanding the full story matters. Understanding that addiction is a disease matters. Understanding that family relationships are complicated matters.

The true crime community is going to descend on this case. Every detail will be dissected. Every family photo analyzed. Every old interview dredged up. That's fine. That's what we do.

But let's do it right.

What Comes Next

This case will be massive. A legendary Hollywood director. His wife of 36 years. Their son accused of killing them both. A family torn apart on every level imaginable. The media attention will be unlike anything we've seen since... well, since O.J.

Justice Is A Process will be here for all of it.

We'll cover the court proceedings as they become available. The arraignment. The preliminary hearings. The trial, if it comes to that. We'll watch how the LAPD handles this investigation. We'll watch how the DA's office handles the prosecution. We'll watch whether Nick Reiner gets the same treatment any defendant deserves, or whether his family's fame and his alleged crime's brutality result in the system cutting corners.

That's what we do here. We watch. We question. We hold the system accountable.

Right now, the Reiner family is experiencing the worst moment of their lives. Their patriarch and matriarch are gone. Their brother and son is accused of killing them. Their daughter found the bodies. There are no winners here. Only loss.

But even in tragedy, the Constitution applies. Due process applies. The presumption of innocence applies. That's not weakness. That's the foundation of everything we say we believe as a country.

More updates to come as this case develops.