“It was meant to be an evening of good cheer. A group of powerful Hollywood creatives and executives gathered on Saturday night for a holiday party at the home of Conan O’Brien. The estate is nestled in a section of the Pacific Palisades spared by the fires that decimated the affluent neighborhood almost a year”, — write: www.hollywoodreporter.com
A group of powerful Hollywood creatives and executives gathered on Saturday night for a holiday party at the home of Conan O’Brien. The estate is nestled in a section of the Pacific Palisades spared by the fires that decimated the affluent neighborhood almost a year earlier.
O’Brien had to evacuate during that terrifying time. For him and the guests in attendance, this was a chance to shake off the bad mojo of 2025 and look towards a happier and more hopeful new year.
But as the night progressed, a different kind of dark energy filled the room.
An erratic male figure wandered around the party and interrupted conversations, demanding to know who the attendees were and if they were “famous.” Many, like Jane Fonda and Bill Hader, in fact were.
Whispers begin to ripple. The imposing man — 6-foot-3, approximately 230 pounds — had not wandered in off the street, although many wondered if he had. The man was the son of Rob and Michele Reiner.
His name was Nick. He was troubled. A lifetime of drug issues. Compassion was quietly urged. Sympathies and concerns for his parents, one of whom was a Hollywood giant, were expressed.
Nick’s name was not on the invitation. But his parents asked O’Brien if he could tag along. His behavior, which had often been extreme and stressful, had grown even more concerning in recent weeks. They were reluctant to leave him home alone, in the guesthouse of their Brentwood home, where he was currently living under their watchful supervision.
Hader calmly replied to Nick that he was engaged in a private conversation, according to someone with knowledge of the situation. Nick glared at him for what felt like an uncomfortable amount of time.
Some time later, shouts echoed. All conversations stopped and turned towards the racket. Two men, arguing. It was Rob and his son, having it out over Nick’s asocial and unsettling behavior.
Minutes later, the Reiners, mortified, apologized to O’Brien and left the party. It has not been determined if Nick left with them. The conversational din returned to the room, but the mood of the evening was altered.
At 4 am, Nick checked into the Pierside Santa Monica, where staff later discovered a shower “full of blood” and bedsheets hanging over the window.
Rob and Michele were discovered slain, victims of knife wounds, in their home at 3:30 pm Sunday by their daughter, Romy.
Time of death has yet to be determined. But according to law enforcement, they had already been dead for several hours, and could have been killed as early as Saturday night or early Sunday morning, once they returned from O’Brien’s party.
Nick, 32, was later taken into custody at a subway station in Exposition Park near USC, 15 miles from his parents’ home.
Prosecutors said on Tuesday they intend to charge him with two counts of first degree murder with special circumstances in the death of his parents.
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his office has not yet decided whether to pursue the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole in the criminal murder case.
Nick Reiner has hired criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson for legal representation.