The Los Angeles Medical Examiner's announcement on Wednesday afternoon, three days after the Hollywood couple's bodies were discovered inside their residence, revealed that Rob and Michele Reiner had succumbed to "multiple sharp force injuries." The manner of their deaths was a double homicide, as confirmed by the Medical Examiner's Office.
On the same day, 32-year-old Nick Reiner was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents and made his first appearance in court since his arrest on Sunday. He did not enter a plea and his arraignment was postponed until January 7 upon a request from his attorney, Alan Jackson.
During his court appearance, Nick Reiner was seen sitting behind protective glass in the Los Angeles courtroom, shackled and wearing a jail suicide prevention smock. The accused son was only heard briefly, muttering "Yes, your honor" as he agreed to his new court date.
Law enforcement sources had previously told TMZ that both Rob and Michele were found dead at their Brentwood home with "lacerations consistent with a knife." Nick was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder and is currently being held without bail.
On Tuesday, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell confirmed during a press conference that the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office had "formally filed charges against Mr. Reiner for the murder of his parents."
In the aftermath of their loss, Jake and Romy Reiner, the director's son and daughter, released a joint statement expressing their profound grief. "Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day," they said in a statement to People magazine. "The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren't just our parents; they were our best friends."
They continued, "We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life. We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave."
