Slain Hollywood star's son was trouble for many years with red flags everywhere

LOS ANGELES — Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son arrested in the stabbing deaths of his parents, Hollywood director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, has a well-documented history of severe drug addiction that began in his teens and strained family relationships for years.

Nick Reiner first entered rehabilitation around age 15, according to interviews he and his father gave while promoting the 2015 film "Being Charlie," a semi-autobiographical drama directed by Rob Reiner and co-written by Nick. The movie depicts an 18-year-old addict's turbulent battle with substance abuse, forced rehab stints and tense confrontations with his parents — dynamics the Reiners said closely mirrored their real-life experiences.

By age 22, Nick had been through approximately 17 rehab programs, he told People magazine in 2016. He described periods of homelessness in multiple states, including Maine, New Jersey and Texas, and admitted to desperate acts during his addiction, such as stealing prescription drugs.

Rob Reiner later reflected that he and his wife had relied heavily on professional advice advocating "tough love," often overriding their son's pleas that standard rehab programs weren't helping him. "When Nick would tell us that it wasn’t working for him, we wouldn’t listen," Rob told the Los Angeles Times in 2015. "We were desperate."

Nick achieved sobriety by around 2013-2014 and collaborated with his father on "Being Charlie" as a way to process the past. In interviews, both men said the project brought them closer, with Rob calling it the "most personal" film he'd ever made.

However, sources close to the family told TMZ and other outlets that in recent months, Michele Singer Reiner had confided to friends about renewed concerns over Nick's mental health and possible relapse into substance abuse. She reportedly said the couple felt "at their wits' end," having "tried everything."

The final known interaction between father and son occurred Saturday night, Dec. 13, at comedian Conan O'Brien's holiday party in Los Angeles. Family friends told the Los Angeles Times and TMZ that Rob, Michele and Nick attended together, but a "very loud argument" erupted between Rob and Nick. Multiple guests noticed Nick behaving erratically. The couple left early, while it's unclear if Nick remained or followed.

The next afternoon, Sunday, Dec. 14, the Reiners were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home, with throats slit and multiple wounds, sources said. Their daughter discovered the bodies. There was no forced entry.

Nick Reiner, who lived in a guesthouse on the property, was arrested that evening and booked Monday on two counts of murder. He is being held without bail. Police have described the killings as a domestic incident but released few additional details.

 

The case has resurfaced old interviews and clips from "Being Charlie" promotions, where Nick spoke candidly about his "dark years" and survival, and Rob expressed regret over past approaches to his son's addiction.

--REAL AMERICA'S VOICE

#####