Police in Los Angeles have charged Nick Reiner, the son of filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, with two counts of murder after the couple were found stabbed to death at their home in the affluent Brentwood neighbourhood.
Investigators say the 32-year-old was arrested after officers responded to a welfare check request at the property and discovered the bodies of Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 68. Authorities have said the couple suffered multiple stab wounds and were pronounced dead at the scene. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner has said the cause of death was multiple sharp-force injuries.
Nick Reiner appeared in court this week and is being held without bail as the case proceeds. Prosecutors allege the killings were carried out with a knife. Police have not publicly described a motive, and court documents reviewed by US media have not detailed any plea from the defendant.
The deaths have prompted an outpouring of tributes across Hollywood, where Rob Reiner has been a prominent figure for decades as the director of films including This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men. Michele Singer Reiner, an artist and photographer, was also active in charitable work, including initiatives supporting children and community organisations, according to public biographies and past interviews.
In a brief statement issued through representatives, the couple’s family said they were grieving and asked for privacy. “Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,” the statement said. “We are heartbroken and ask for privacy as we attempt to process this devastating loss.”
As the investigation has unfolded, attention has also focused on Nick Reiner’s background and public footprint, including his work in film and television and his past struggles with addiction, which have been discussed in industry reporting and public interviews about a semi-autobiographical project he co-wrote. Nick Reiner received a screenwriting credit on Being Charlie, a film directed by his father that centres on a young man battling addiction.
In reporting published after his arrest, Page Six said it had obtained screenshots from a private Instagram account attributed to Nick Reiner, featuring two posts dated years before the killings. One image described by the outlet shows him on a trip to Havana, Cuba, with the caption “Cuban choke slam,” alongside a photo in which he appears to be playfully held in a choking pose. The outlet also described another image showing him wearing a cowboy hat and dark clothing, and said the account had not been active for years.
The same report quoted a former colleague from a workplace internship who described Nick Reiner as “charismatic in a dark, introverted way,” and said, “His darkness was his humor. He has a dark sense of humor. He was a funny kid.” The source added: “He was the black sheep. He felt like a f— up. He knew that. He was self-aware of how his family was doing and how he represented them in a negative space. But none of that felt offensive or scary.”
The former colleague also told the outlet they were “not that shocked” by the arrest, saying: “He is a troubled person.” They added: “Nick had an era of darkness around him with his addiction issues.”
Police have not confirmed those characterisations, and it remains unclear how prosecutors will frame the circumstances around the deaths in court. What is known is that Rob Reiner’s career placed him among a generation of influential American filmmakers, beginning with his acting role as Michael “Meathead” Stivic in the 1970s sitcom All in the Family before he moved behind the camera to direct a series of commercially successful and critically acclaimed films. In recent years he remained politically active and continued to appear in television and film projects.
Michele Singer Reiner, whom he married in 1989, maintained a lower public profile but was a visible presence at industry and community events alongside her husband. Friends and associates have shared condolences in public posts since the deaths, while officials have declined to comment on investigative steps beyond confirming the charges and court process.
The case has unfolded amid renewed discussion in the US about the intersection of family violence, mental health and substance misuse, though authorities have not said whether those factors are relevant here. Investigators have said the inquiry remains active, and prosecutors are expected to outline allegations and evidence as proceedings continue.
Nick Reiner’s next court appearances are scheduled in the coming weeks. Police have asked anyone with information relevant to the investigation to come forward, while the Reiner family has said it is focused on grieving privately.
