The entertainment world is reeling from the tragic deaths of Rob Reiner, 78, the iconic director and actor, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, 70, a photographer and creative partner to Rob. The couple was found dead in their Brentwood home on Sunday, December 14th, and their son, Nick Reiner, 32, has been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances.
In the wake of this shocking event, a source close to the Reiner family has revealed that Rob and Michele never feared their son was capable of violence. "Nick Reiner had a history of being 'self-destructive in many ways but not violent,'" the source told People. "If they thought he was violent, things would have been very different," the source added. "At the worst of it, it hadn't been like this. I don't think anyone could have ever seen anything like this coming. Nick was declining lately but he had been really bad before".
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call for medical aid at the Reiner home around 3:30 p.m.. Upon arrival, they discovered Rob and Michele, who had sustained injuries consistent with being stabbed. Nick was apprehended later that night in South Los Angeles, near the University of Southern California, and was taken into custody.
Nick Reiner's arrest followed a tumultuous period in his life, marked by struggles with addiction and mental health. He had reportedly been in and out of rehab facilities and experienced bouts of homelessness. In 2015, Rob Reiner publicly acknowledged the family's struggles to understand and support Nick during his battles with addiction. He admitted to prioritizing the advice of experts over his son's own feelings, a sentiment he expressed during the premiere of "Being Charlie," a semi-autobiographical film co-written by Nick that explored these challenges. In a September 2025 interview with NPR, Rob Reiner mentioned that Nick was "great" and "hasn't been doing drugs for over six years," also adding, "He's in a really good place". The family even appeared together at the premiere of "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues" in Los Angeles on September 9, 2025.
According to CBS News, sources present at a holiday party at Conan O'Brien's home the night before the tragedy stated that Rob and Nick Reiner had a brief but loud argument.
Nick Reiner is currently being held without bail. His arraignment, where he will enter a plea, has been set for January 7. He appeared in court on Wednesday, December 17th, wearing a suicide prevention smock, and spoke only to confirm his agreement with the arraignment date. His attorney, Alan Jackson, emphasized the "devastating tragedy" and urged for a fair and measured approach to the legal proceedings.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has charged Nick Reiner with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances, making him eligible for a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole or the death penalty. However, Hochman stated that a decision regarding the death penalty has not yet been made and will take into consideration the wishes of the Reiner family.
Rob Reiner's children, Jake and Romy Reiner, released a statement expressing their "unimaginable pain" and requested privacy during this difficult time. "They weren't just our parents; they were our best friends," they stated. Close friends and colleagues of Rob and Michele Reiner also shared a statement, remembering them as a "special force" who "devoted a great deal of their lives for the betterment of our fellow citizens".
