The adult child of celebrated film director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner has been arrested and booked on suspicion of murder after the couple were found dead in their LA home.
The Los Angeles Police Department stated on the start of the week that the 32-year-old son, 32, had been detained and was in custody with no bail.
The deceased couple's young adult daughter, Romy, found her mother and father in their home with several knife-inflicted injuries on Sunday, as per information provided to media sources.
Emergency Response and Police Details
First responders were dispatched to provide medical aid at the family's West Los Angeles property at approximately 15:38 local time on that day.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said two people - later identified as Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele, aged 68 - were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police stated Nick Reiner was taken into custody several hours later, at about 21:15 local time. Investigators have not publicly outlined a possible reason and indicated the investigation remains ongoing.
History of the Son and Family
Nick Reiner has been open about his battles with addiction and homelessness. His experiences served as inspiration for the partly based on his life film Being Charlie, which he co-wrote with his dad in 2015.
The family's home is in an upscale LA neighborhood, a affluent area popular with stars full of large mansions, boutique shops and dining spots. On the following day, a security guard was posted outside the home as media assembled outside the entrance.
Rob Reiner's Illustrious Career
Rob Reiner, the child of comedy great his father Carl, started in entertainment in the 1960s and rose to fame playing Meathead in the classic television series 'All in the Family'.
He cemented his success with the iconic spoof documentary 'This Is Spinal Tap' in the 1980s, which he directed and appeared in.
The director was wed to Laverne & Shirley actress his first wife from 1971 to 1981 and is the adoptive father to Penny Marshall's daughter, actress Tracy.
He married Michele in 1989, who he reportedly stated he met during the making of the beloved romantic film When Harry Met Sally. The pair had three children together.
Michele Reiner's Career and Political Context
Mrs. Reiner was an performer, photographer and producer, and the creator of her own company, a photography agency and film production firm.
Rob Reiner was also recognized for his outspoken advocacy and backing of Democratic candidates.
In a post calling their deaths "tragic", an ex-president criticised the director, saying that they "reportedly" died "due to the hostility he inspired others through his massive, relentless, and obsession" with "Trump Derangement Syndrome".
"It was said to have greatly agitated individuals by his intense focus of the former president," the message stated.
The specifics are unclear what information the former president was referring to, and while the investigation is being treated as a murder, authorities have yet to comment on any potential reason.
A number of political figures criticised the former president over the post, including one-time supporter a congresswoman, who said the deaths were a "personal loss, not about partisan issues or political enemies".
"Many families deal with a loved one with drug addiction and mental health issues. It's incredibly difficult and should be handled with compassion especially when it ends in a violent death," she added.
Hollywood Reaction and Condolences
The political comments were also received criticism by some of the family's friends.
In a post on a platform, a journalist and friend, the ex-wife of California and close friend of the Reiners, said the couple were "caring mothers and fathers".
"They deeply loved all their children and they persistently tried trying to care for them," she said.
Music icon Elton John, who had a cameo in this recent 'Spinal Tap' sequel, commented: "It's hard to believe at this report of the Reiners.
"They were two of the most beautiful people I'd ever met and they deserved better."
Fellow actor the actor John Cusack, who starred in the director's 1985 film 'The Sure Thing', referred to him as "a great man", while Elijah Wood, who starred in the 1994 movie North, expressed he was "shocked" by the couple's deaths.
