Nick Reiner, 32, is accused of killing 78-year-old actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, District Attorney Nathan Hochman made the announcement at a news conference with LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell.

“Their loss is beyond tragic and we commit ourselves to bringing their killer to justice,” Hochman said.

Along with two counts of first degree murder, prosecutors added the special circumstances of multiple murders and a special allegation that the defendant used a dangerous weapon, a knife. Additions can mean a larger sentence.

Hochman said his office has not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty in the case.

“This case is heartbreaking and deeply personal, not only for the Reiner family and their loved ones but for our entire city,” McDonnell said. “We will continue to support the Reiner family and ensure that every step forward is taken with care, dignity and determination.”

The announcement came two days after the couple was found dead from apparent stab wounds at their home in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood on the west side of Los Angeles. Nick Reiner did not resist when he was arrested a few hours later in the Exposition Park area near the University of Southern California, about 14 miles (22.5 kilometers) from the crime scene, police said.

Reiner was expected to make an initial court appearance early Tuesday, but his attorney, Alan Jackson, said he was not taken from jail to court for medical reasons and the appearance would not come before Wednesday.

An email sent to Nick Reiner’s attorney Alan Jackson seeking comment on the charges was not immediately returned.

Nick Reiner has not entered a request yet. He was not brought to court from jail Tuesday for unspecified health reasons, and his first appearance before a judge was postponed to Wednesday.

Rob Reiner is the Emmy-winning star of the sitcom “All in the Family” who went on to direct films including “When Harry Met Sally …” and “The Princess Bride.” He has been an outspoken liberal activist for decades. Michele Singer Reiner is a photographer, film producer and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. They have been married for 36 years.

Representatives for the Reiner family did not respond to requests for comment. Police have not said a motive for the the killings.

Nick Reiner is being held in jail without bail. He was arrested hours after his parents were found dead in their home in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on Sunday, police said.

Jackson, the defendant’s attorney, is a high-profile representation attorney Harvey Weinstein at his trial in Los Angeles and Karen Reading at his trial in Massachusetts. He was a central figure in the HBO documentary on the Read case.

Investigators believe Rob and Michele Singer Reiner died from stab wounds, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official, who was briefed on the investigation, could not publicly discuss the details and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

The executions are especially shocking given the warm comic family heirloom. Rob Reiner is the son of a comedy legend Carl Reinerwho died in 2020 at the age of 98.

Kathy Bates, who won an Oscar as the star of Rob Reiner’s 1990 film “Misery,” is to those who give honor to the couple.

“I love Rob,” Bates said in a statement. “He is kind and kind, a man who makes films in every genre to challenge himself as an artist. He also fights bravely for his political beliefs. He changed the course of my life. Michele is a great photographer.”

Bill Clinton called the couple “good, generous people who made everyone who knew them better.”

“Hillary and I are saddened by the tragic passing of our friends Rob and Michele Reiner,” he said in a statement. “They have inspired and uplifted millions through their work in film and television.”

Three months ago, Nick Reiner was photographed with his parents and siblings at the premiere of his father’s film “Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues.”

He spoke publicly about his struggles with addiction, cycling in and out of treatment facilities with bouts of homelessness during his teenage years. Rob and Nick Reiner explored — and seemingly progressed — their relationship through the making of the 2016 film, “Being Charlie.”

Nick Reiner co-wrote and Rob Reiner directed the film about the struggles of an addicted son and a famous father. It is not autobiographical but includes many elements of their lives.

“It forces us to understand ourselves better than we have,” Rob Reiner told the AP in 2016. “I told Nick while we were doing it, I said, ‘You know it doesn’t matter, no matter what happens in this thing, we’re going to win.'”

Rob Reiner has long been one of Hollywood’s most prolific directors, and his work includes some of the most memorable and timeless movies of the 1980s and ’90s, including “This is Spinal Tap” and “A Few Good Men.”

He met Michele Singer Reiner on the set of “When Harry Met Sally…,” and their meeting inspired the film’s transition to a happy ending, with stars Billy Crystal – one of Reiner’s best friends for decades – and Meg Ryan together on New Year’s Eve.

The Reiners are vocal advocates for liberal causes and major Democratic donors.

President Donald Trump on Monday blamed Rob Reiner’s outspoken opposition to the president for the actor-director’s murder, delivery of unsubstantiated claims in a post on social media that seemed intended to mock his opponents despite a tragedy.