By Chelsea Bailey, CNN
(CNN) — In the hours after police discovered the bodies of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner inside their Brentwood, California, home, speculation was rife over what could have led someone to murder the beloved Hollywood director and his other half, a charismatic photographer and producer.
That speculation reached a fever pitch when it became clear authorities suspected the Reiners’ middle son, Nick, of killing his parents – and was further fueled by rampant interest in his past struggles with addiction.
On Wednesday, three days after his parents were found dead, Nick Reiner stood before a judge in a Los Angeles courtroom, accused of their murders.
The 32-year-old has been charged with fatally stabbing his parents in the early morning hours Sunday.
And his appearance in court, while brief, marked the first time Nick Reiner spoke publicly about the incident. He only said three words:
“Yes, your honor,” he said, acknowledging he was willing to waive his right to a speedy arraignment on the murder charges.
If convicted, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.
The Los Angeles Police Department and the city’s district attorney’s office have declined to share many details about the case as the investigation continues. But what sources have revealed to CNN paints a fragmented and fraught picture of the hours before and immediately after the Reiners’ murders.
A Christmas tradition turned tragic
By all accounts, Conan O’Brien’s annual Christmas Party is attended by a veritable who’s who of comedy legends.
Adam Sandler – O’Brien’s neighbor – has joked he looks forward to the gathering every year because of the ham. Bill Hader once regaled O’Brien’s TV audience with a tale of a Christmas “inferno” after a wayward flame ignited an outdoor couch.
Tom Hanks has been known to stop by, as has comedian Martin Short.
Rob Reiner – who had long cemented his place among Hollywood’s comedy set with his affable nature and signature observational humor – fit right in at O’Brien’s festivities Saturday night.
But, according to a source familiar with the incident, the holiday cheer that typically forms the soundtrack to the celebration was ruptured when an argument broke out between Rob Reiner and his son.
The source did not share details of the argument, but they said Rob Reiner’s wife, Michele, had also attended the party.
Nick Reiner drew the attention of some partygoers earlier in the evening because of his scruffy appearance and how little he engaged with the other attendees, another source told CNN.
That partygoer recalled seeing Nick Reiner standing alone by the firepit, smoking a cigarette and speaking to no one. At a party where most guests were dressed up, the source told CNN, he was dressed casually in a hoodie, hat and jeans.
Investigators are now zeroing in on the c