Police Report Blood Inside Nick Reiner's Hotel Room & First Arrest Photos Revealed

Rob and Michele Reiner were discovered stabbed to death inside their Los Angeles home, and their son was later taken into custody as a suspect in the brutal killings.

New details have emerged in the investigation into the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner, including how Nick was taken into custody. The update outlines key developments in the case, such as the evidence authorities recovered and what witnesses described in the days leading up to and after the killings.

A Troubling Timeline Emerges After the Killings

Sources said Nick checked into The Pierside Santa Monica at around 4 a.m. on Sunday, December 13, where investigators later determined there was blood inside the room.

He reportedly used his credit card to secure the booking, just hours after an intense argument with his father at Conan O'Brien's holiday party.

People who witnessed Nick checking in said he appeared agitated and unwell, though they did not observe any obvious injuries or visible blood on him.

Authorities were told there were no noticeable cuts or stains on his body at the time. The room was booked for a single night, but Nick never completed a formal checkout.

Blood Discovered Inside the Hotel Room

When hotel staff entered the room later that morning, they allegedly found the shower filled with blood, along with blood on the bed. Investigators also noted that the room's window had been covered with bed sheets.

Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's (LAPD) Robbery-Homicide Division went to the hotel on Monday, December 15. They collected evidence and interviewed staff members as part of the investigation.

A Tense Arrest and Viral Images

Nick was later located roughly 20 miles away in Exposition Park, near downtown Los Angeles, where he was arrested. Police released footage capturing the tense moment of his arrest.

On Monday, the LAPD’s Gang and Narcotics Unit briefly shared photos — since deleted — showing Nick being detained near a Metro station approximately 15 miles from Rob and Michele's California home.

In one image, his face is blurred as officers force him to the ground and place him in handcuffs behind his back. The caption accompanying the post identified him only as "a double homicide suspect."

According to the post, the arrest was carried out by U.S. Marshals with assistance from the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division. An LAPD spokesperson later declined to explain why the Gang and Narcotics Unit removed the arrest photos shortly after publishing them.

Charges Filed as Case Takes a Dark Turn

Following his arrest, Nick was reportedly placed on suicide watch. Meanwhile, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman has announced that charges have now been filed against him. Prosecutors have charged Nick with two counts of first-degree murder, along with a special circumstance allegation tied to multiple murders.

In addition, Nick faces a special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, identified as a knife. If convicted, the charges carry a potential sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. At this stage, prosecutors have not indicated whether they will seek capital punishment.

As more details keep being revealed, Nick Reiner's troubled past has also come under intense media scrutiny, revealing a history marked by addiction and instability.

'Being Charlie': A Film Imitating Life

Nick's struggles with addiction have been well-documented. He has publicly spoken about periods of homelessness and substance abuse. His experiences inspired the 2015 film "Being Charlie," directed by Rob and co-written by Nick, who was 22 when the film premiered.

In the film, a former actor with political ambitions, played by Cary Elwes, struggles to connect with his son, Charlie, portrayed by Nick, who is addicted to heroin. Cary plays a popular actor vying for a governor's seat.

The film draws loosely from Rob's own efforts to help his son overcome drug addiction. Charlie and his father clash frequently, both over Charlie's care and his father's pursuit of personal ambitions.

The teenager is a comedy enthusiast who has tried open mics and can freestyle rap with a friend, but his addiction dominates his life. At 18, he becomes a heroin addict, his flashes of talent diminishing.

Charlie's mother is portrayed as a more present and sympathetic figure than his father. She supports him as he transitions to a halfway house and encourages him to gain more independence.

In contrast, his father is depicted as calculating, often lying to both his son and the press to protect his image. The story culminates after a friend's overdose, prompting Charlie to reconsider his path.

The film closes with an emotional reconciliation between Charlie and his father. This is a scene that was rewritten multiple times as Rob and Nick gained deeper insight into their own relationship.

Homeless, Lost, and Alone

The director later reflected on learning that his son had used drugs shortly before his 15th birthday. Rob noted that his reaction at the time was not driven by anger. "I felt bad for him and I didn't know what to do to help – and a lot of times parents don't know what to do," he shared.

Rob and Michele responded by sending Nick to rehab, marking the first of what would later culminate in an estimated 18 stints in recovery facilities. When Nick later refused to return to treatment at 19, he became homeless.

"I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas. I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun," Nick previously shared.

Nick's time living on the streets and moving between shelters followed his decision to refuse further rehab. "If I wanted to do it my way and not go to the programs they were suggesting, then I had to be homeless," he noted.

Still, he added that these experiences shaped who he became. They exposed him to both challenges and remarkable people, pushing him far outside his comfort zone.

Even so, Nick said he was striving to stay clean as a way to avoid returning to life on the streets. He acknowledged that on the streets, survival was uncertain and every day felt like a gamble.

A Life of Desperation and Destruction

Nick also shared stories about his crises and volatile behavior during his struggles with addiction. On one occasion, after staying awake for days on cocaine in his parents' guest house, he caused extensive damage, destroying items such as a television and a lamp.

In another incident, he suffered a heart attack on a plane due to cocaine use and woke up in a hospital. He also once threw a rock through a window at a treatment center in an attempt to convince staff that he needed medication.

Nick has described this period as one in which he felt completely lost. He lacked an understanding of himself or the world, relying on destructive behaviors as his primary coping mechanism.

Nick's Ongoing Efforts Toward Sobriety

Nick also said his recovery wasn't driven by treatment centers or structured programs, but by maturity and his own process of coming to terms with what he had been through.

"I was able to wait it out long enough in order to see just a glimpse of things differently. That's all it took, just to see the situation I was in from a slightly different angle. Then the concept of life became clear to me," said Nick.

He later found direction through writing "Being Charlie" alongside Matt Elisofon, a friend he met during his final stay in rehab. "It was the first time in my life that I tasted life. Not everybody gets to make a movie. But in this case, I found my salvation," he revealed.

The project also helped rebuild his relationship with his father. Working on the film required both of them to confront each other's struggles, which improved their child-parent and father-son bond. "I really wasn't sure I wanted to do this," Rob admitted.

However, through the process, Rob gained more knowledge of what his son was going through, which helped him understand Nick more deeply. "Our relationship is better now than it was, and it's got places to go," said Rob.

Nick divulged that the connection with his father did not come from the story alone, but from observing how Rob expressed himself. By listening quietly, Nick was able to learn more from his father and strengthen their bond.

Rob explained that experiencing his son's struggles was extremely difficult, filled with painful highs and lows. Hence, making the film brought those emotions and memories back to the surface.

However, the director praised how well he and his son worked. "It was intense, it was difficult at times but it was also the most satisfying creative experience I have ever had," he gushed.

Rob Reiner acknowledged his son's abilities on set, noting that Nick demonstrated strong acting skills. He highlighted the way he connected with his co-stars and brought authenticity to his character.

From Redemption to Horror: What Happened?

Nick hoped the film resonated with others who may have faced similar struggles. He and his father aimed to make the story reflect their real-life experiences as closely as possible, while acknowledging that not every detail was drawn from their own lives.

Today, even though his relationship with his parents had reportedly improved and he had remained sober, Nick is now a suspect in the stabbing and murder of his parents.