Romy Reiner was told by emergency responders that her mother had been murdered after she found her father’s body at the family house in Los Angeles.
The youngest child of Rob and Michelle Singer Reiner, Romy hurried to her parents’ mansion in Brentwood when a massage therapist rang the gate and mentioned that no one had answered. “He didn’t pick up, so I called our friend to see if something was wrong,” a family acquaintance relayed to the New York Times.
At 28, Romy lived just across the street. She and a roommate checked the front gate, only to come upon the body of her famed director father, immediately realizing the gravity of what she had uncovered.
She fled, called 911 with her roommate’s help, and reached out to Billy Crystal, a close friend from “When Harry Met Sally.” Crystal and his wife also rushed to the scene, where they reportedly witnessed the tragic discovery.
The police and paramedics were the first to break the devastating news: Michele Singer Reiner had also been killed. The family said Romy never saw her mother’s remains. The source added she was deeply saddened by the loss.
Rob and Michelle had been dead for several hours, with signs of rigor mortis, before Romy found them. Courts documents suggest the murders occurred in the early morning, hours before the 3:30 p.m. shock that unfolded.
Romy informed investigators that her older brother Nick was staying in the on‑property guesthouse.
Nick, now 32, was taken into custody a few hours later and charged with the murders of the Reiner parents. Those close to the family mentioned there had been no recent indications of violent potential, even though Nick has long battled substance abuse and mental health challenges.
The day before the killings, Nick reportedly got into a heated argument at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas celebration, escalating into a loud confrontation that left guests unsettled. During the same event, he allegedly interrupted Bill Hader while they were celebrating, as a witness recalled.
When Hader mentioned he was engaging in a quiet conversation, Nick stared before walking away in anger, allegedly because he was refusing yet another treatment plan after multiple rehab stints. His father had previously warned that his brother’s condition seemed to be deteriorating.
Nick faces two counts of first‑degree murder with a special circumstance and could potentially face execution if convicted. A hearing has been moved to Wednesday because he was medically cleared for court appearance. Authorities said the decision on seeking the death penalty would consider the family’s wishes, although California’s moratorium on the death penalty is still in effect.
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