The stabbing murder of Rob Reiner (78) and his wife Michele Singer (70) at their mansion in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood on December 14 continues to make headlines. Their son Nick (32) was arrested a few hours later for allegedly committing the crime.
New information regarding this case that has shaken Hollywood reveals that the night before the incident, while the Reiners were at the Christmas party of the well-known host Conan O'Brien (61), "they had such a serious and noisy argument that someone wanted to call the police to report it," a source revealed to the Daily Mail.
However, the host stood firm: "It's my house, my party, I'm not calling the police," the British media affirms. Apparently, as another source stated, the argument between the director of The Princess Bride (1987) and his middle son revolved around the possibility of admitting the young man for his mental health issues.
Three people close to the family told NBC that Nick had been diagnosed with schizophrenia some time ago and that a month before the crime, doctors had changed his medication to try to stabilize his behavior. But they were unsuccessful. "Nick was out of control," several witnesses nodded.
Nick Reiner was being treated at an exclusive mental health center in Los Angeles with a monthly cost of $70,000, as TMZ reported. This news portal also mentioned that on the night of the party where everyone was dressed formally, the young man "wandered around in his hoodie, didn't interact with people, kept to himself, and was very reserved."
The witness who spoke to the Daily Mail also pointed out what Rob Reiner said at that delicate moment: "I'm terrified of Nick. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'm afraid of my son. I think my own son can harm me." It has also emerged that Nick behaved erratically with some guests as People revealed that the detainee "was scaring everyone, acting crazy, constantly asking people if they were famous."
On Wednesday, December 16, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office revealed that the official cause of death for Rob and Michele Reiner was "multiple stab wounds" and the case was classified as a homicide. That same day, Nick appeared in court wearing a suicide prevention shirt but did not plead guilty.
The judge ordered that the reading of charges would take place on January 7. The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office accuses Nick of two counts of first-degree murder - the case is expected to be quite complex as the defense wants to take into account the mental health issues - which "carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or the death penalty."
The couple's other two children, Jack (34) and Romy (28) - the latter discovered their parents' bodies in the mansion - issued a statement to CBS News last Wednesday requesting respect and privacy for the situation to be resolved as painlessly as possible. Therefore, they asked for "speculations to be moderated with compassion and humanity."
They added, "The terrible and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They were not just our parents, they were our best friends (...) We appreciate the numerous condolences, acts of kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but also from people from all walks of life."
Rob and Michele Reiner were a much-loved couple by all who got to know them. For example, Michelle Obama, who along with her husband Barack was going to have dinner with them on the same day of the murder, confessed on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show that "they were some of the kindest and bravest people you could meet."
In the American director's resume are some of the best films of recent decades such as This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Stand by Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally (1989), or A Few Good Men (1992).