Rob and Michele Reiner Found Dead in Brentwood Home- Son, Nick Reiner, Charged with Murder
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On December 14, 2025, Romy Reiner, the daughter of American filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, photographer and producer Michele Singer Reiner, 70, called emergency services after discovering their bodies in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home.
Romy first discovered her father’s body in the master bedroom and fled the scene in fear for her own safety.
Rob Reiner was best known for his work on various Hollywood films including When Harry Met Sally…, Stand by Me, This Is Spinal Tap, and A Few Good Men. Rob and Michele Reiner had been married since 1989 and shared three children together. They reportedly met on the set of When Harry Met Sally….
At approximately 3:30 p.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived at the scene on Chadbourne Avenue in the affluent Brentwood community and pronounced both victims dead. There were no signs of forced entry.
Although early reports stated the cause of death was “multiple sharp-force injuries,” media outlets have reported that the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office received a court order from Los Angeles police placing a security hold on the cases. This hold prevents the release of information previously disclosed to the public, including the victims’ official cause and manner of death.
The couple’s middle child, 32-year-old Nick Reiner, was quickly identified as a suspect in his parents’ deaths. According to media reports, Nick was living in a guesthouse on the family property at the time. Rob and Michele Reiner lived in a house on one side of the street, and their adult children lived across the street.
Friends of the family have said that Michele Reiner was concerned about Nick’s mental state in the weeks leading up to her death.
Nick Reiner was born in Los Angeles in 1993 and had been in and out of rehab multiple times, reportedly since around the age of 18, after struggling with addiction to cocaine and heroin. He has described periods of homelessness, saying:
“I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas. I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun.”
Nick Reiner was arrested on December 14, 2025, just hours after his parents were found. He was taken into custody without incident near the University of Southern California. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, along with a special allegation for using a deadly weapon (knife).
If convicted, he could face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Nick is reportedly being represented by defense attorney Alan Jackson, who previously represented Harvey Weinstein in a 2022 Los Angeles case. He is currently held without bail, with trial proceedings expected in early January 2026.
Media outlets report that Nick struggles with both drug abuse and schizophrenia.
The night before the deaths, the family reportedly attended Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party, where Nick and his father allegedly had a “heated argument.” Some sources reported that his behavior made other guests uncomfortable, while other outlets suggested the disagreement was less serious than initially portrayed.
In a 2016 People magazine interview, Nick Reiner spoke publicly about his struggles with addiction, which began with his first rehab at age 16. That same year, Being Charlie, a semi-autobiographical film written by Nick and directed by Rob Reiner, was released. Both father and son said working on the film brought them closer, though Nick previously stated he did not feel particularly bonded with his father during childhood. The movie, written in 2015, centers on the life of a teenage addict.
An article published three days after the arrest explored a podcast interview Nick had done several years earlier. In it, he reflected on how he got involved with drugs:
“I had no identity, and I had no passions. And I think the reason I had no identity was because I have a famous dad and a famous grandpa, and that fame sort of informs who you are. So, I wanted to edge out my own identity with a more rebellious, angry, drug-addicted sort of persona.”
At his first court appearance on December 17, Nick Reiner waived his right to enter a plea on the charges. No official motive has been released by police.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said of Rob Reiner:
“His boundless empathy made his stories timeless, teaching generations how to see goodness and righteousness in others — and encouraging us to dream bigger. Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contribution to humanity.”