 "(FILES) US actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner (AFP)")
Hollywood is reeling after the shocking deaths of legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner, with police confirming that their son has been arrested and charged with murder.
Nick Reiner, 32, was taken into custody just hours after the bodies of the 78-year-old director and his wife were discovered inside their home in Brentwood, one of Los Angeles’ most affluent neighbourhoods. Authorities said the arrest followed an intense overnight investigation, as reported by AFP.
“Police worked throughout the night on this case and were able to take into custody Nick Reiner, a suspect in this case,” Police chief Jim McDonnell told reporters. “He was subsequently booked for murder and is being held on a $4 million bail.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, Nick Reiner had argued with his parents at a party on Saturday night. The report also noted that he had struggled with addiction issues in the past. Police sources told US media the couple were stabbed, while celebrity news outlet TMZ, which broke the story first, reported that their throats had been cut.
Trump wades in, outrage follows
As fans and colleagues mourned, the tragedy took a political turn after Donald Trump launched a blistering attack on the late director, appearing to link the deaths to Reiner’s long-standing criticism of him.
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View AllTrump wrote that Reiner died “reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME.” He added, “He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness.”
Those comments drew backlash, including from Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who called them “inappropriate and disrespectful.”
Meanwhile, tributes poured in from across Hollywood and Washington. Former vice president Kamala Harris, a close friend of the couple, said she was “devastated to learn of their passing.” Former president Barack Obama said he and Michelle were “heartbroken.” He added that Reiner gave audiences “some of our most cherished stories on screen. But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people.”
Known for classics like This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally and A Few Good Men, Reiner shaped generations of cinema. Beyond film, he was a vocal political activist, a champion of LGBTQ rights, and a supporter of Democratic causes.