The road to Nick Reiner’s arrest Sunday night is paved with gaping holes, unexplained detours, and lingering questions as he sits in an LA County jail cell accused of the unthinkable.
The hours between Nick’s explosive fight with his parents, their brutal murders and his eventual arrest are clouded by haunting questions about what the accused killer did while his parents lay dead.
From the humiliating exit from Conan O’Brien’s Hollywood party to a bizarre hotel check-in in the early hours of the morning, the timeline of Reiner’s alleged weekend of evil leaves a lot to be answered.
Here is a breakdown of the critical missing pieces.
What was the fight between Rob Reiner and his son about?
Less than 24 hours before Rob and Michele’s lifeless bodies were found with their throats slashed, problems popped up for the family at a star-studded holiday bash hosted by Conan O’Brien.
The night was a disaster for the three Reiner’s in attendance, according to multiple reports
Sources describe an awkward interaction where Nick interrupted SNL alum Bill Hader during a private convesation at the party, and was told to butt out. Nick just stood there and stared, before “storming off,” an eyewitness told NBC News.
A source close to the family told the New York Times on that, “Reiner had rebuked his son, telling him that his behavior was inappropriate for a guest in someone else’s home.” Other reports describe a massive “blowup” fight between father and son.
What we don’t know is what their fight was about. But here’s the second missing brick from the wall: no one seems to know exactly when Rob and Michele left Conan’s party and went home to meet their tragic doom.
Where was Nick Reiner in the early hours of Sunday?
It’s assumed Nick went back home after the party, perhaps just long enough to grab a few belongings.
Around 11:16 p.m. Nick is seen strolling past a local gas station half a mile from his parent’s house as seen in footage obtained by The Post.
Wearing a baseball cap and carrying a backpack, the 32-year-old was seen traveling on foot in a direction away from family home. But, where was he going?
Nick Reiner walks by gas station. Obtained by NY Post
There is a critical void for the nearly five hours that followed. He was reported to have checked in to The Pierside Santa Monica hotel around 4:15 a.m. Sunday morning, but it’s unclear what he was doing from the time he was spotted near his parent’s home to the hotel.
Nick looked “tweaked out,” a hotel staffer told TMZ. He checked in to room 207, and a housekeeper who went to clean late on Sunday morning found blood in the shower and on the bed, according to the outlet.
From that pre-dawn hotel check-in on Sunday morning until Sunday night, the young Reiner effectively fell off the face of the earth. What was he doing? Who did he see?
When did Nick allegedly murder Rob and Michele Reiner?
While Nick’s whereabouts were unknown, the bodies of Rob and Michele were discovered on Sunday around 3:30 p.m. at their Brentwood home, kicking off a massive search and investigation.
By that time, rigor mortis — which occurs two to six hours after death — had reportedly set in. The biggest question remains: When exactly did the couple die? Who was killed first?
What was Nick Reiner doing by USC when he was arrested?
By Sunday night, panic among the community was setting in. The LAPD held a chaotic press conferencearound 8:50 p.m., where they did not provide the names of the victims or mention a possible suspect.
Reiner was arrested a short time later around 9:15 p.m. outside the Metro station at Expo and Vermont, near the USC campus. When unmarked police cars swooped in on him, Reiner immediately held up his hands to surrender.
U.S Marshal Task Force assisted Robbery Homicide Division in locating and arresting a double homicide suspect. LAPD Gang and Narcotics
Deleted photos shared by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Gang and Narcotics Unit showed Reiner being pushed to the ground and handcuffed on the pavement.
Video captured Nick Reiner casually purchasing a drink at a gas station just moments before cops arrested him. Obtained by NY Post
Just before, video surveillance captured him casually purchasing a drink at a nearby gas station.
Police have officially accused Reiner of fatally stabbing his parents in approximately the early morning hours of Sunday, Dec. 14. He is being charged with two counts of first-degree murder, opening him up to the possibility of the death penalty if convicted.
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Nick Reiner, wearing a blue protective vest, makes his first court appearance on murder charges for the killing of his parents Rob and Michele Weiner, at LA Superior Court in Los Angeles, California, U.S., December 17, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS
Reiner made his first court appearance on Wednesday wearing a vacant stare and a blue suicide vest, alongside pricey top dog lawyer, Alan Jackson. How Reiner is affording Jackson’s legal counsel is unknown. His arraignment was pushed until Jan. 7.
