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The suspect in the tragic deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner has been detained.
Their son, Nick Reiner, aged 32, known for his family’s illustrious Hollywood lineage, has been apprehended on murder charges concerning his parents’ demise.
During a press briefing on December 15, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell announced, “Our robbery homicide division dedicated the entire night to this investigation and successfully detained Nick Reiner as a suspect. He has been booked for murder and initially had a bail set at $4 million.” (However, a subsequent LAPD press release indicated that Nick is now being held without bail.)
Nick’s arrest occurred on December 14, coinciding with the heartbreaking news that the renowned All in the Family star and his wife had been tragically killed in their Brentwood, California residence.
LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton elaborated during a Sunday evening press conference, “Around 3:40 PM, Los Angeles police officers, along with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, responded to a call on the 200 block of Chadbourne Avenue in Brentwood. Upon entering the premises, they discovered two deceased individuals.”
Rob and Michele, who met while he was directing When Harry Met Sally and married in 1989, were also parents to Jake Reiner and Romy Reiner, along with Tracy Reiner—Rob’s daughter from his previous marriage to Penny Marshall.
“I came from the greatest family ever,” Tracy told NBC News. “I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock.”
Nick has been candid about his struggles with addiction and multiple stints in rehab starting when he was 15 years old, which led to several points where he was homeless and living on the street.
In 2015, Rob directed Being Charlie—which Nick co-wrote the screenplay for—a movie partially inspired by his son’s addiction journey.
After starring as Michael “Meathead” Stivic on Norman Lear’s iconic TV sitcom, Reiner became a prolific director as he traversed seemingly every genre through the decades, including an eight-year span that produced six films considered by most critics to be cinema classics: This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally…, Misery and A Few Good Men.
Tributes and stunned reactions have been pouring in from high-profile figures across Hollywood and political circles, from Rob’s behind-the-scenes collaborators to longtime admirers of the couple’s activist efforts.
“I’m horrified and saddened by the death of Rob Reiner and Michele. Wonderful friend, political ally, and brilliant filmmaker (including 2 of mine),” author Stephen King wrote on X. “Rest in peace, Rob. You always stood by me.”
“Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen,” former president Barack Obama tweeted. “But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people—and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action.”