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 trade captains, actors, administrators, musicians, media moguls {and professional} athletes.
However regardless of its tall hedges, multimillion-dollar properties and marquee names, residents say Brentwood appears like a small city. It’s not that uncommon to see a well-known face on the native coffeehouse or 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,” stated Jeff Corridor, founding father of Brentwood Information and a Brentwood resident for 35 years.
Now, residents listed here are taking the stunning 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 referred to 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 media have descended on the neighborhood. The streets are dotted with TV vehicles beaming stay protection and reporters trying to make sense of the violence.
This too is one thing Brentwood is accustomed to. In 1962, the dying of Marilyn Monroe introduced notoriety. Then, 31 years in the past, Brentwood was beneath siege for months by one of the vital sensational killings of all time. Nicole Brown Simpson and her buddy Ron Goldman have been discovered stabbed to dying outdoors Brown’s rental on Bundy Drive. Days later, O.J. Simpson was arrested after main police on an notorious “slow-speed 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 Brown ate her final meal, grew to become a vacationer attraction for a time, as did the Starbucks the place Goldman and Brown frolicked with buddies. (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 bear in mind speaking with individuals from different elements of the nation again after the O.J. factor and, if you happen to stated you have been from Brentwood, that’s one thing they might instantly point out,” Watts stated. “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 stated. “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 number of blocks mid-pursuit so he might see along with his personal eyes the white Ford Bronco carrying Simpson exit onto Sundown Boulevard, and watch it head towards Simpson’s residence.
Berkowitz stated 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 incidence.
“The factor about Brentwood is that in some methods it’s nonetheless a small city,” Berkowitz stated. “There’s clearly lots 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 stated. “Lots of our children go to the identical faculty or they’re taking part in in the identical sports activities leagues, or towards one another within the faculty groups.”
Requested which celebrities he runs into commonly within the space, Berkowitz declined to touch upon the report, saying it “wouldn’t be neighborly to take action.” Nevertheless, he stated he’s run right into a “wholesome variety of individuals named in Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah tune.”
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)
Much like what occurred in 1994, Watts now finds himself explaining to those that Brentwood is a secure neighborhood within the wake of the Reiner slayings. Violent crime is rare right here, however he stated he understands why horrible crimes such because the Brown and Goldman killings, and now the Reiner slayings, achieve a lot consideration.
“This might have occurred in any neighborhood,” Watts stated. “The one factor that’s distinctive about Brentwood is that the victims have been very distinguished, and there are lots of distinguished individuals within the leisure trade who stay in Brentwood.”
The Reiners might have been high-profile Hollywood figures with wealth, affect and political connections, however a household’s tragic wrestle with drug dependancy and psychological well being points resonates with individuals inside and out of doors Brentwood, Watts stated.
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 stated.
Corridor agreed, saying that “households that take care of this — and there are many them — understand how troublesome that is.”
It’s unclear how lengthy the concentration is going to linger on Brentwood.
On the web site of the Rockingham property that O.J. and Nicole Brown Simpson as soon as referred to as residence, visitors is regular. However a few mile and a half away on Helena Drive sits Marilyn Monroe’s former residence, the place she was discovered useless. Spectators nonetheless drive previous and infrequently park in entrance.
In August 1962, law enforcement officials and reporters stand on the gate to Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood residence, the place she was discovered useless.
(Harold Filan / Related Press)
The neighborhood has seen jarring instances, however residents say they count on issues will finally get again to regular. For neighbors, the Reiner deaths imply the lack of neighborhood 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 disappointment,” Corridor stated.
