More information is coming to light following Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner’s deaths.
An investigation found the couple’s son Nick Reiner was "responsible" for their deaths, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a Dec. 15 press release. The 32-year-old has been arrested and booked on suspicion of murder, per the LAPD.
Nick—who co-wrote the movie Being Charlie, which his dad directed—was originally being held on $4 million bail, according to online jail records reviewed by E! News, but the LAPD said he is now being held without bail.
On Dec. 14, the LAPD reported to Rob and Michele’s home, where authorities found two bodies which had suffered stab wounds, per LAPD. The victims were later identified as the 78-year-old director and his 68-year-old wife, who were parents to Nick, Jake Reiner and Romy Reiner. (Rob is also dad to daughter Tracy Reiner, whose mom is late director Penny Marshall.)
E! News has reached out to reps for the Reiner family for comment and previously reached out to law enforcement for comment but has not heard back.
In the wake of what the LAPD have called an “apparent homicide,” Rob and Michele’s loved ones confirmed their identities as the victims, sharing in a statement, “We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Tracy.
“I came from the greatest family ever,” the 61-year-old told NBC News, noting she’d seen her father just one day earlier. “I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock.”
Over the years, Nick has been candid about his struggles with addiction and drug use, which led to 17 stays in rehab starting when he was 15, he previously told People.
When he refused to go back to rehab, he was ultimately left homeless.
“If I wanted to do it my way and not go to the programs they were suggesting,” Nick explained to the outlet in 2016, “then I had to be homeless.”
“Having to deal with that stuff,” Nick continued, “made me who I am now. Now, I’ve been home for a really long time, and I’ve sort of gotten acclimated back to being in L.A. and being around my family. But there was a lot of dark years there.”
He turned that pivotal period of his life into Being Charlie, which was based loosely on his struggles.
“It’s not my life,” Nick said, “I went to a lot of these places, so I had a lot of these stories.”
Being Charlie was one of the many films Rob directed during his career, which also includes When Harry Met Sally, This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride and Stand By Me.
For a further look at the investigation into the Reiners' deaths, read on.
(E! News and NBC News are both part of NBCUniversal.)
Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner's Son Nick Reiner Details Struggle With Drugs
Years before Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner’s tragic deaths, their son Nick Reiner shared that he struggled with addiction, even collaborating with his father on the 2015 film Being Charlie about substance abuse.
Nick explained that he had been to rehab 17 times before turning 30.
“I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas,” he told People in 2016. “I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun.”
Two years later, Nick recalled an instance when he “wrecked” his home while high on drugs.
“I went 10 rounds in my guest house,” he shared on the Dopey podcast in 2018. “I got totally spun out on uppers—I think it was coke and something else—and I was up for days on end. I started punching out some things in my guest house.”
Rob Reiner and Nick Reiner Fight at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas Party on Night Before Couple Is Found Dead
The When Harry Met Sally director and his 32-year-old son got into a heated argument at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party on Dec. 13, multiple sources at the event told People. Family friends also confirmed to the L.A. Times that Rob and Nick fought at the holiday celebration, saying that guests noticed Nick acting strangely.
Two sources with knowledge of the situation told NBC News that Nick was being disruptive at the party and interrupting conversations.
Jane Fonda Says Michele & Rob Reiner Were "Happy" Night Before Deaths
Jane Fonda saw Rob and Michele the night before their tragic deaths.
"I saw them night before last looking healthy and happy," the actress wrote on Instagram Dec. 15. "I am reeling with grief. Stunned."
Rob Reiner and Wife Michele Singer Reiner Are Found Dead in Their Brentwood, Calif., Home
The day after the Christmas party, the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call of a death investigation at a home in Brentwood, Calif., at about 3:40 p.m. on Dec. 14.
“Once inside the residence, officers discovered two victims,” the LAPD said in a press release, “who were subsequently identified as Robert and Michele Reiner.”
The Robbery Homicide Division, Homicide Special Section (RHD/HSS) started an investigation into the circumstances of their deaths.
Deputy Police Chief Alan Hamilton told reporters that many family members would be interviewed, per NBC News. In addition to Nick, the couple are parents to daughter Romy Reiner and son Jake Reiner, and Rob also adopted late ex-wife Penny Marshall's daughter Tracy Reiner.
The Reiners’ Manner of Death Revealed as Homicide
It was determined that Rob and Michele did not die of natural causes, with a source close to the Reiner family telling NBC News that the couple appeared to have died from stab wounds.
“As a result of the initial investigation,” the LAPD said in a press release, “it was determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide.”
Nick Reiner Seen in Gas Station Footage Before Arrest
While police investigated the case, Nick was filmed buying a Gatorade at an ARCO gas station in downtown Los Angeles near USC around 9 p.m. Dec. 14. He was wearing a green jacket, jeans and a ballcap while carrying a red backpack, as seen in footage obtained by MS NOW.
Nick Reiner Is Arrested on Suspicion of Murder
Minutes later, the screenwriter was taken into custody near USC.
The LAPD said their investigation determined that Rob and Michele's son was "responsible for their deaths.”
“Nick Reiner was located and arrested at approximately 9:15 p.m.,” police said in a press release, adding as of Dec. 15, “He was booked for murder and remains in custody with no bail.”
The Obamas Had Plans to Meet With the Reiners
During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live Dec. 15, Michelle Obama revealed that she and husband Barack Obama were supposed to see Rob and Michele on the day they were found dead.
Nick Reiner Hires Alan Jackson—Lawyer for Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey—as His Attorney
Two days after Nick was arrested in connection to the murder of his parents, criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson—who previously represented Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Karen Read—confirmed to E! News Dec. 16 that he had been hire as Nick's attorney in the case.
Nick Reiner's Courthouse Absence Explained
As officials gathered at a Los Angeles courthouse Dec. 16 to announce formal charges against Nick, his attorney told reporters that the screenwriter "has not been medically cleared" to appear in front of a judge.
“Every inmate has to be medically cleared before they can be transported to court," he explained to reporters, per MS NOW. “Hopefully, he’ll be cleared tomorrow and we can get him here.”
Nick Reiner Charged With Murder
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced on Dec. 16 that his office plans to formally charge Nick with "two counts of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of multiple murders."
The D.A. also confirmed Nick will also face a "special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, that being a knife" on his parents.
He added, "These charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty."
Nick was formally charged Dec. 16.
Approximate Time of Death Revealed
Though Rob and Michele's bodies were discovered around 3 p.m. on Dec. 14, they were likely killed around 12 hours prior, according to authorities.
The district attorney said in a Dec. 16 press release that the murders took place "in approximately the early morning hours of December 14."
Authorities Share Murder Weapon Details
Nick is accused of "fatally stabbing" his parents, per the D.A. press release on Dec. 16. He allegedly "personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife" in the murders.
Nick Reiner Appears in Court
On Dec. 17, Nick appeared in court for the first time, arriving to the Los Angeles Supreme Court in a blue anti-suicide smock and shackles. He did not enter a plea to his charges during the appearance, instead agreeing to a date of Jan. 7 for the arraignment.
Official Cause of Death Revealed
The medical examiner determined Dec. 17 Rob and Michele each died by "multiple sharp force injuries," meaning several cuts or stabs from a sharp object.
This story was updated on Dec. 15, 2025, at 12:17 p.m. PT to include the LAPD press release.