Rob Reiner’s son Nick arrested after director and wife found dead

The son of film director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner was arrested and charged with suspicion of murder after the couple was found dead in their Los Angeles home.

Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested and remains in custody without bail, the Los Angeles Police Department said Monday.

Sources speaking to BBC’s US partner CBS News said that the dead couple’s 28-year-old daughter, Romy, found her parents at their home with multiple stab wounds on Sunday.

Rob Reiner is known for directing many iconic films across various genres, including When Harry Met Sally, This is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, Misery, and A Few Good Men.

Emergency services were called to provide medical assistance at Reiners’ home in Brentwood, California, at around 15:38 local time (23:38 GMT) on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said two people, later identified as Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele, 68, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Nick Reiner was arrested a few hours later at around 21:15 local time on Sunday, police said. Investigators did not publicly provide a motive and said the investigation was ongoing.

Nick Reiner has spoken publicly about his struggles with addiction and homelessness. His experiences formed the basis of the semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie, which he shot with his father in 2015.

The family home is in Brentwood, a wealthy celebrity district full of grand mansions, boutique shops and restaurants. A security guard stood in front of the house Monday morning as media gathered outside the front door.

Rob Reiner, the son of comedy star Carl Reiner, began his career in the 1960s and rose to fame playing Meathead in the TV comedy All in The Family.

He cemented his success with the cult documentary This Is Spinal Tap, which he directed and starred in in 1984.

Reiner was married to Laverne & Shirley actress Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981, and is the stepfather of Marshall’s daughter, actress Tracy Reiner.

He married Michele Reiner in 1989, whom he said he met while filming the romantic comedy-drama When Harry Met Sally. The couple has three children together.

Michele Reiner was an actress, photographer, and producer and the founder of Reiner Light, a photography agency and production company.

Rob Reiner was also known for his outspoken political activism and support for Democratic candidates.

President Donald Trump criticized Reiner in a post calling their deaths “so sad,” saying they were reportedly “dead” because of the anger he caused others due to his massive, persistent, and incurable disorder with “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

“She was known to drive people CRAZY with her fierce obsession with President Donald J. Trump,” the president wrote.

It’s unclear which reports the president was referring to, and although the investigation is being treated as a homicide, police have yet to comment on any possible motive.

The president and his allies have frequently used the term Trump Derangement Syndrome to refer to his critics. Reiner was a vocal critic of Trump.

Multiple Republicans criticized Trump for the post, including former ally Marjorie Taylor Greene, who said the deaths were “a family tragedy, not related to politics or political enemies.”

“Many families deal with a family member with drug addiction and mental health issues. This is incredibly difficult and should be met with empathy, especially when it results in murder,” he said.

Trump’s post was also met with anger by some of Reiners’ friends.

Maria Shriver, the former first lady of California and a longtime friend of the Reiners, said in an X-related post that the couple were “dedicated parents.”

“They loved all of their children deeply and never stopped caring for them,” he said.

Sir Elton John, who stars in this year’s Spinal Tap sequel, said: “I can’t believe the news today about Rob and Michele.

“They were two of the most beautiful people I have ever met and they deserved better.”

Fellow actor John Cusack, who starred in Reiner’s 1985 film The Sure Thing, called him “a great guy”, while Elijah Wood, who starred in the 1994 film North, said he was “horrified” by the couple’s deaths.