Actor Billy Crystal and his wife, Janice, were among the first people to rush to the Los Angeles home of longtime friend and filmmaker Rob Reiner after he and his wife, Michele, were found brutally slain, according to a report by the New York Post.
Citing sources familiar with the incident, the New York Post reported that Reiner’s daughter, Romy Reiner, 28, contacted Crystal shortly after alerting authorities to the discovery of her parents’ bodies inside their Brentwood residence on Sunday afternoon. Crystal, a close family friend, then immediately went to the home with his wife.
Sources told the Post that the couple witnessed the crime scene and saw the bodies of Rob Reiner and his 70-year-old wife. Crystal, 77, was later seen leaving the property visibly shaken and emotional.
A neighbor quoted in the report said Crystal “looked like he was about to cry” as he exited the residence hours after the discovery.
Crystal and Reiner shared a decades-long friendship that began professionally and extended deeply into their personal lives. Crystal starred in Reiner’s 1989 romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally, one of the most celebrated films in modern cinema. The two also collaborated on other iconic projects, including This Is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride, and remained close over the years.
Authorities later detained the couple’s son, Nick Reiner, 32, who has since been charged with the killings. According to the New York Post, investigators allege that Nick fatally attacked his parents during a heated confrontation, with reports indicating their throats were slashed.
Nick Reiner was taken into custody Sunday night and formally charged hours later. He is currently being held without bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles. The Post reported that he was placed on suicide watch following his arrest.
Sources cited by the New York Post said the younger Reiner has a documented history of substance abuse and mental health struggles. Those same sources also claimed that Nick, Rob, and Michele Reiner were involved in a loud argument at a Christmas party hosted by Conan O’Brien the night before the killings.