Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hockman and Police Chief Jim McDonnell held a press conference on Tuesday to reveal details of the murders of director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner.
Hockman announced that his office has charged Nick Reiner with two counts of first-degree murder, with the special circumstances of multiple murders.
Hochman said Reiner also faces a special charge of personal use of a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife.
These charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. Hochman added that no decision has been made regarding the death penalty at this time.
“An accusation is not evidence,” Hochman said. “Evidence is what is presented to the court to meet the evidentiary standard that is met in all criminal cases, beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Hochman said charges against Reiner will be formally filed later Tuesday. Reiner will be brought to court for arraignment once he is medically evaluated.
“There's a good chance you're hearing incorrect information,” Hochman said, cautioning against rumors and hearsay about the incident.
“If it's not coming from the District Attorney's Office, the LAPD, the Coroner's Office, or the court itself, there's a good chance you're hearing incorrect information,” he added.
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“Prosecuting these cases involving families is some of the most difficult and most heart-wrenching cases our office faces due to the intimate and often brutal nature of the crimes involved,” Hochman said.
“Rob Reiner was an incredible actor and director and an iconic figure in our entertainment industry for decades. His wife, Michelle Singer Reiner, was an equally iconic photographer and producer. Their deaths are beyond tragic.”
“This case is heartbreaking and deeply personal,” McDonnell added.
Reiner and his wife were found stabbed to death in their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on Sunday. On Monday, Los Angeles police arrested Nick and charged him with the murder of his parents.
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He is being held without bail at the Parker Center Jail in downtown Los Angeles, according to online jail records.
The next court date was set for Dec. 16, but attorney Alan Jackson told the New York Times that the hearing would not take place because his client is “not medically cleared to be transferred from jail to court.”
Jackson told CNN that the situation is changing “day by day” as to when Nick will appear.
Reiner and Singer's families confirmed their deaths in a statement, saying, “It is with deep sadness that we announce the tragic deaths of Michele and Rob Reiner.
“We are heartbroken by the sudden death and ask for privacy at this incredibly difficult time.”
The famed director and Nick made the semi-autobiographical 2016 film Being Charlie, which depicts their difficult parent-child relationship and Nick's struggle with drugs. Nick has spoken publicly about his struggle with addiction. By the age of 18, he was reportedly cycling in and out of treatment facilities, experiencing periods of homelessness and relapses.
—With files from The Associated Press
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