Son Arrested for Murder of Hollywood Director Rob Rainer and His Wife

Drug Addiction and Homelessness in His Teens
Family Attended a Movie Premiere Together as Recently as September

Nick Rainer, 32, has been arrested on charges of murdering his parents, famed Hollywood director Rob Rainer and his wife.

Nick Rainer, son arrested on charges of murdering director Rob Rainer and his wife. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

According to reports from the New York Times (NYT) and the Los Angeles (LA) Times on December 15 (local time), Nick struggled with drug addiction during his teenage years, causing difficulties for his family. From around the age of 15, he frequently entered and left rehabilitation centers, eventually avoiding them and experiencing repeated periods of homelessness. After recovering from substance abuse, he wrote the screenplay for the film "Being Charlie," which deals with his addiction experience and his relationship with his father. The film was directed by Rob Rainer and released in 2015.

The most recent public appearance Nick made with his father was in September of this year, when he attended the premiere of "Spinal Tap 2" with his family.

The Los Angeles Police Department announced to the media this morning that Nick was arrested and detained the previous day on charges of murdering his parents. However, they did not disclose specific details regarding the motive or circumstances of the incident.

Director Rainer and his wife, Michele Singer Rainer, were found dead from stab wounds at their Los Angeles home at around 3:30 p.m. the previous day. They were 78 and 68 years old, respectively.

Director Rainer gained fame for his role in the sitcom "All in the Family" before transitioning to directing, where he produced numerous box office hits. His works include "When Harry Met Sally" (1989), a quintessential romantic comedy, as well as "The Sure Thing" (1985), "Stand by Me" (1986), "The Princess Bride" (1987), "Misery" (1990), "A Few Good Men" (1992), "The American President" (1995), and "The Bucket List" (2007).

He was an ardent supporter of the Democratic Party, frequently hosting fundraising events for Democratic figures, and was known for his outspoken criticism of President Donald Trump.

On the same day, President Trump posted on Truth Social about Director Rainer's murder, stating, "He was known for driving people crazy with his intense obsession with President Donald Trump," suggesting that Rainer's murder may have been related to his political views.