Sandwiched between Bel-Air and Santa Monica, the tony Los Angeles neigborhood of Brentwood has lengthy been residence to greater than its fair proportion of business captains, actors, administrators, musicians, media moguls {and professional} athletes.
However regardless of its tall hedges, multimillion-dollar properties and marquee names, residents say Brentwood looks like a small city. It’s not that uncommon to see a well-known face on the native coffeehouse, grocery store or power-walking alongside San Vicente Boulevard.
“You is also strolling across the Nation Mart and, hey, there’s Dustin Hoffman. It occurs,” mentioned Jeff Corridor, founding father of Brentwood Information and a Brentwood resident for 35 years.
Now, residents listed here are taking the surprising killings of Hollywood legend Rob Reiner and his photographer spouse Michele laborious. Reiner was a well-liked determine amongst a legion of followers, in addition to those that known as him a neighbor. Compounding the ache has been the arrest of their son Nick, who lived within the Reiners’ guesthouse and grew up within the space.
Since information of the killing broke on Sunday, the worldwide press has descended on the group. The streets are dotted with TV vans beaming stay protection and reporters seeking to make sense of the violence.
This, too, is one thing Brentwood is conversant in. In 1962, the demise of Marilyn Monroe introduced notoriety. Then, 31 years in the past, Brentwood was beneath siege for months by some of the sensational killings of all time. Nicole Brown Simpson and her good friend Ron Goldman have been discovered stabbed to demise outdoors Nicole’s apartment on Bundy Drive. Days later, O.J. Simpson was arrested after main police on an notorious “gradual velocity chase” from Orange County to the gates of his Brentwood property on Rockingham Avenue.
The worldwide media camped out, and it typically appeared like they by no means would go away. Mezzaluna, the Italian restaurant the place Nicole ate her final meal, turned a vacationer attraction for a time, as did the Starbucks the place Ron and Nicole frolicked with buddies. (O.J. Simpson’s residence was demolished a number of years later.)
Residents hope the Reiner case is not going to be a repeat of the Simpson drama.
Larry Watts, 86, an legal professional who has lived locally for greater than 50 years, lamented the shadow that the Simpson killing solid on the neighbrohood.
“I keep in mind speaking with individuals from different elements of the nation again after the O.J. factor and, if you happen to mentioned you have been from Brentwood, that’s one thing they might instantly point out,” Watts mentioned. “They’d ask, ‘Did you see the O.J. chase?’”
O.J. Simpson is pursued on the 91 Freeway in Buena Park in June 1994.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Instances)
“When the O.J. factor occurred, individuals descended on Brentwood with cameras,” Brentwood Information’ Corridor mentioned. “Folks would land at LAX for 2 hours and would simply drive out to Brentwood to look. We had visitors jams for months.”
Myles Berkowitz recalled leaving his residence and strolling a couple of blocks mid-pursuit so he may see the Bronco exit onto Sundown Boulevard along with his personal eyes, and watch it head towards Simpson’s Brentwood residence.
Berkowitz mentioned the glare of the worldwide highlight was jarring, even when working into A-list celebrities on the grocery retailer was an on a regular basis prevalence.
“The factor about Brentwood is that in some methods it’s nonetheless a small city,” Berkowitz mentioned. “There’s clearly quite a lot of celebrities that stay right here, however they’re all neighbors.”
Folks stroll canines previous the Reiners’ residence in Brentwood on Monday. Neighbors are used to seeing well-known faces round city, and deal with them like fellow locals.
(Caroline Brehman / Related Press)
Neighbors in Brentwood are used to seeing well-known faces round city, and deal with them like fellow locals.
“They know we all know who they’re, however you don’t make a giant deal out about it,” Berkowitz mentioned. “Quite a lot of our children go to the identical college or they’re enjoying in the identical sports activities leagues, or in opposition to one another within the college groups.”
Requested which celebrities he runs into often within the space, Berkowitz declined to touch upon the report, saying it “wouldn’t be neighborly to take action.” Nonetheless, he mentioned he’s run right into a “wholesome variety of individuals named in Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah music.”
Photographers, reporters and tv cameras crowd outdoors of the gates of O.J. Simpson’s property in Brentwood in October 1995.
(Paul Sakuma / Related Press)
Just like what occurred in 1994, Watts now finds himself explaining to individuals how Brentwood is a secure group within the wake of the Reiner slayings. Violent crime is unusual right here, however he mentioned he understands why horrible crimes such because the Simpson and Goldman killings, and now the Reiner slayings, acquire a lot consideration.
“This might have occurred in any group,” Watts mentioned. “The one factor that’s distinctive about Brentwood is that the victims have been very outstanding, and there are quite a lot of outstanding individuals within the leisure business who stay in Brentwood.”
The Reiners might have been high-profile Hollywood figures with wealth, affect and political connections, however a household’s tragic battle with drug dependancy and psychological well being points resonates with individuals inside and outdoors of Brentwood, Watts mentioned.
A pedestrian passes by a row of cameras outdoors the Brentwood residence of the Reiners.
(Christina Home / Los Angeles Instances)
“I feel individuals are extra upset, and saddened by the occasions,” he mentioned.
Corridor agreed, saying “households that take care of this — and there are many them — understand how tough that is.”
Its unclear how lengthy the concentration is going to linger on Brentwood.
On the website of the Rockingham property that O.J. and Nicole Brown Simpson as soon as known as residence, visitors is regular. However a couple of mile and a half away on Helena Drive sits Marilyn Monroe’s former residence, the place she was discovered lifeless. Spectators nonetheless drive previous and sometimes park in entrance of the Hollywood icon’s residence.
In August 1962, cops and reporters stand on the gate to Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood residence, the place she was discovered lifeless.
(Harold Filan / Related Press)
The group has seen jarring occasions, however residents say they count on issues will ultimately get again to regular. For neighbors, the Reiner deaths imply the lack of group members — connections not proven on tv cameras or felt by curious onlookers.
“The second phrase began to unfold that the Reiners’ son Nick had confronted psychological well being [and] dependancy points, no matter shock I used to be feeling was instantly changed by unhappiness,” Corridor mentioned.
