Rob Reiner’s Son Booked for Murder After Director, Wife Found Dead

By Zachary Stieber

Nick Reiner has been taken into custody following the death of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner.

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters at an unrelated briefing on Dec. 15 that Nick Reiner, 32, was “booked for murder.”

He said investigators worked through the night and took Nick Reiner, whom he described as a suspect in the case, into custody.

It was not clear whether Nick Reiner had retained an attorney.

Booking records show that Nick Reiner was arrested on Dec. 15 and was being held on $4 million bail.

In an earlier statement, relatives of the Reiners said: “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.”

Officials said officers responded to a call from the Reiners’ home on the afternoon of Dec. 14 in Brentwood, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, and found two deceased people there.

“Jen Newsom and I are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contribution to humanity.”

Rob Reiner, 78, was known for acting in “All in the Family.” He went on to act in, direct, and produce a number of films and series, including “When Harry Met Sally.”

Rob Reiner said he met Michele Reiner, a photographer and his second wife, while filming that 1989 movie. They had three children together, including Nick, who was born in 1993.

Nick Reiner told People magazine in 2016 that he had struggled with drug addiction and had been homeless in multiple states. He said he experienced “a lot of dark years” but that he had recovered with assistance in rehab.

Rob Reiner said in 2015 that he and his wife regretted how they treated their son as he struggled with addiction and rehab.

“When Nick would tell us that it wasn’t working for him, we wouldn’t listen,” Rob Reiner said at the time, The Los Angeles Times reported. “We were desperate and because the people had diplomas on their wall, we listened to them when we should have been listening to our son.”

Michele Reiner said: “We were so influenced by these people. They would tell us he’s a liar, that he was trying to manipulate us. And we believed them.” Michele Reiner was 68 when she died.