Hollywood has been shaken by the tragic deaths of acclaimed film director Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner, 70, whose bodies were discovered at their Brentwood, Los Angeles home on Sunday. The couple, married for 36 years, were found with their throats slit, and it is believed they may have been murdered while they slept. Authorities have since charged their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, with two counts of first-degree murder, including the special circumstance of multiple murders and the use of a dangerous weapon, a knife.

The alarm was initially raised on Sunday when a massage therapist, unable to gain access for an appointment, contacted the Reiners' daughter, Romy. Romy entered the house and discovered her father, Rob Reiner’s body, fleeing in anguish without realizing her mother’s body was also present. Her roommate, who accompanied her, then called 911, leading emergency responders to find Michele Singer Reiner’s body.

New details surrounding the incident reveal a long history of struggle for Nick Reiner. He has battled mental illness and severe addiction to heroin and cocaine for years, undergoing at least 17 stints in various rehab facilities since the age of 15 and experiencing periods of homelessness. Nick frequently expressed discomfort with the celebrity world he grew up in, admitting he wanted to 'burn off' his privilege and rarely smiled in family photos. His parents, who founded child development charities, later acknowledged they failed to grasp the full extent of his problems while advocating for others.

The events leading up to the murders appear to have culminated with a heated argument at chat show host Conan O'Brien's star-studded Christmas party on Saturday night. Witnesses described Nick's behavior as