Nick Reiner arrived uninvited at one of Hollywood’s most exclusive holiday gatherings and immediately unsettled some of the industry’s most recognizable figures by repeatedly asking the same three questions.

At the time, his behavior was described as strange and uncomfortable. Only hours later, it would take on a far more chilling significance after his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, were found dead.

The party, hosted by Conan O’Brien, was intended to be a private holiday celebration for longtime friends and respected figures from film and television. According to multiple accounts, however, the tone shifted noticeably once Nick Reiner entered the room. Moving from guest to guest, he engaged several attendees in tense exchanges that left many unsure how to respond.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nick—who had been living with his parents—had not originally been invited. His parents reportedly asked that he be allowed to attend alongside them, citing growing concerns about his recent behavior and their reluctance to leave him alone.

Nick’s struggles had long been public. He had battled drug addiction and periods of homelessness, experiences that severely strained his relationship with his family. In 2015, he co-wrote the semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie, directed by his father, which explored addiction and a fraught father-son relationship closely mirroring their own. Despite that collaboration, sources say tensions within the family had resurfaced in recent years.

Standing over six feet tall and dressed in a hoodie that contrasted sharply with the formal attire of the evening, Nick immediately drew attention. Several guests quietly questioned how he had gained access to the event. Others later described his behavior as erratic and unsettling.

Multiple attendees recalled that he repeatedly approached people and asked the same three questions: “What’s your name? What’s your last name? Are you famous?” A source told People that “Nick was freaking everyone out, acting crazy, kept asking people if they were famous.”

According to Page Six, those questions were directed at several well-known figures, including Jane Fonda and Bill Hader. In one incident, Hader—who had earlier been introduced to Nick by Rob Reiner—was interrupted mid-conversation. He reportedly explained that he was speaking privately, after which Nick stood staring at him for an uncomfortably long moment before walking away. Guests later cited the interaction as emblematic of the unease Nick brought into the room.

According to TMZ, the tension culminated in a “very loud argument” between Nick and his father. Shortly afterward, Rob and Michele Reiner—visibly shaken—were seen apologizing to O’Brien before leaving the party.

What followed would transform an unsettling social encounter into the opening chapter of a criminal investigation.

At approximately 4 a.m., Nick Reiner checked into the Pierside Hotel in Santa Monica. Later that day, hotel staff reportedly discovered a shower “full of blood” inside his room, along with bedsheets covering the window, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

That same afternoon, at around 3:40 p.m., Rob and Michele Reiner were found dead inside their Brentwood home by their daughter, Romy Reiner, 28, who lives across the street.

Nick Reiner has since been charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of his parents. According to Variety, the charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.

“Prosecuting cases involving family members are some of the most challenging and most heart-wrenching cases that this office faces,” Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said at a press conference, citing the intimate and often brutal nature of such crimes. At the time, he noted that no decision had been made regarding the pursuit of the death penalty.

The investigation remains ongoing.