Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and Police Chief Jim McDonnell held a news conference Tuesday to detail the case involving murders of director Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle Singer Reiner.
Hochman announced that his office is charging a fee Nick Rayner on two counts of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of multiple murders.
Reiner also faces specific charges of personally using a dangerous and deadly weapon, namely a knife, Hochman said.
These charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. No decision has been made regarding the death penalty at this time, Hochman added.
“Allegations are not evidence,” Hochman said. “The evidence is what we will present in court to meet the standard of proof that we meet in every criminal case, which is beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Hochman said charges against Reiner will be formally filed later Tuesday. Reiner will be taken to court to face charges once he is cleared on medical grounds.
Hochman cautioned the public against rumors and rumors about the case, saying, “It's very likely that you're hearing misinformation.”
“If the information is not coming from the district attorney's office, the LAPD, the coroner's office or the courtroom itself, then there is a good chance you are hearing misinformation,” he added.
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“Investigating these cases involving family members is one of the most difficult and most heartbreaking cases this office encounters due to the intimate and often violent nature of the crimes involved,” Hochman said.
“Rob Reiner was a brilliant actor and director, and an iconic force in our entertainment industry for decades. His wife, Michelle Singer Reiner, was an equally iconic photographer and producer. Their loss is beyond tragic.”
“This case is heartbreaking and deeply personal,” McDonnell added.
Reiner and his wife were found fatally stabbed Sunday at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. On Monday, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested Nick and booked him on suspicion of murdering his parents.
Online jail records show he is being held at Parker Center Jail in downtown Los Angeles without bond.
His next court date was scheduled for December 16th. but his lawyer, Alan Jackson, told The New York Times that there would be no hearing because his client “did not receive medical clearance to be transferred from the jail to the courthouse.”
It's a day to day situation as to when Nick, Jackson will show up. told CNN.
Reiner and Singer's family confirmed their deaths in a statement, writing: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the tragic passing of Michelle and Rob Reiner.
“We are heartbroken by this sudden loss and ask for privacy at this incredibly difficult time.”
The acclaimed director and Nick explored their complicated father-son relationship, as well as Nick's battle with drugs, in the 2016 semi-autobiographical film. Be Charlie. Nick has spoken publicly about his struggle with addiction. By age 18, he was reportedly cycling in and out of treatment facilities, with bouts of homelessness and relapses in between.
—with files from Associated Press
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