Nick Reiner: Famous director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their LA home

Legendary director-actor Rob Reiner (78) and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner (68), were found dead at their Brentwood home in Los Angeles on Sunday, December 14th. The Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide Division is investigating the case as an "apparent homicide."

While police have not officially confirmed a cause of death, law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation have indicated that the couple suffered stab wounds. Multiple sources who spoke to People magazine allege that the couple was killed by their son, Nick Reiner (32), who is reportedly being questioned by the authorities.

Actor-director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, died of stab wounds

Rob Reiner In Conversation (Image via Getty)

Following the tragic death of Reiner and his wife, a family spokesperson released a brief statement:

“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”

Addressing the media speculation and earlier reports naming a family member, LAPD spokesman Officer Drake Hamilton stated:

“At this time, the Los Angeles Police Department is not seeking anyone as a suspect or as a person of interest ... and we will not be doing that until we conduct our investigation and move forward. No one has been detained; no one is being questioned as a suspect.”

Robert "Rob" Reiner was born in the Bronx, New York, in 1947. His father was the legendary comedian, writer, and producer Carl Reiner, and his mother was actress and singer Estelle Reiner. This upbringing deeply influenced him, leading him to study at the UCLA Film School.

After completing his education, Rob Reiner began taking small acting roles on popular television shows in the late 1960s, including his appearances in That Girl and The Beverly Hillbillies, the military sitcom Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Batman, The Andy Griffith Show, and Room 222.

His big breakthrough as an actor came in 1971 with the sitcom All in the Family, in which he played the liberal, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, the son-in-law of the famously bigoted Archie Bunker. The role earned him two Emmy Awards and made him a national star.

After leaving the show in 1978, Reiner shifted his focus to directing. His directorial debut came with the 1984 rockumentary parody film This Is Spinal Tap, which quickly became a cult classic and helped define the "mockumentary" style.

This was followed by several classics in the 1980s, including the coming-of-age drama film Stand by Me (1986) and the fantasy-comedy film The Princess Bride (1987), making him one of Hollywood's most versatile and successful filmmakers.

Rob Reiner’s final work was the recently released comedy film Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, in which he reprised his role as the clueless documentarian, Marty DiBergi, four decades after the original movie. It was released in theaters on September 12, 2025.