Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead inside their Brentwood, Los Angeles home on December 14, in what police later described as a double homicide. Authorities responded to a medical call that afternoon and discovered the couple with apparent stab wounds; their daughter, Romy, is reported to have found them. Law enforcement agencies quickly opened a homicide investigation following the discovery.
Hours after the bodies were found, Los Angeles police arrested the Reiners’ younger son, 32-year-old Nick Reiner, on suspicion of killing both parents. He was taken into custody near the University of Southern California area and initially held without bail in the case.
First-degree murder charges leveled against Nick Reiner in relation to the death of his parents
Rob Reiner & his wife Michele were killed in their LA home by their son Nick, @PEOPLE reports.
They were found dead by their daughter Romy.
🔗: https://t.co/leM0OBqyRX pic.twitter.com/UIEKtuooNR
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) December 15, 2025
On December 16, prosecutors formally charged Nick Reiner with two counts of first-degree murder, including special circumstances in relation to multiple murders, and that he used a dangerous weapon—in this specific case, a knife—in the enactment of the crime. The charges carry the potential for life in prison without parole or, pending the prosecution’s discretion, the death penalty.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the case remains under active court review, and Nick’s arraignment may be delayed until he is medically cleared to appear. Law enforcement has not publicly disclosed a motive, and investigators are continuing their review of evidence from the scene in an effort to build their case.
People across industries and backgrounds mourn this devastating loss
Rob Reiner, 78, was a prominent actor and filmmaker whose career spanned decades; he gained early public attention as Michael “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family opposite Carroll O’Connor’s Archie Bunker, before directing films such as This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally…, and A Few Good Men. His work made him a pop culture icon and an industry titan both, and he was also known for his political advocacy over the years.
Michele Singer Reiner, 68, was a photographer and married to Reiner since 1989; the couple had three children together. Tributes from colleagues, friends, and public figures noted the impact of the couple’s professional work and personal engagement in their communities following news of their deaths.
