Rob Reiner, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind some of Hollywood’s best known films, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead at their home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles on Sunday, as police launched what they described as an “apparent homicide” investigation.
Emergency crews were called to the couple’s residence at about 3.30pm local time after a request for medical aid, according to officials. The Los Angeles Fire Department said paramedics found a man and a woman dead inside the home, described as approximately 78 and 68 years old. Police later confirmed that detectives from the department’s Robbery Homicide Division were investigating the deaths as an “apparent homicide,” while authorities worked to secure legal access to continue the inquiry.
In a statement issued on behalf of the family, the Reiners’ relatives confirmed their deaths and asked for privacy. “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,” the statement said.
Senior law enforcement sources told ABC News the victims were stabbed to death at the property, while investigators continued to gather evidence and interview those connected to the couple. The Associated Press, citing a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation, reported that detectives believed the pair suffered stab wounds and that a family member was being questioned by investigators.
Late on Sunday, Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told reporters the investigation was in its early stages and that police were not publicly identifying suspects. “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,” Hamilton said. He added that investigators needed to obtain a search warrant before conducting a thorough search of the residence, citing legal requirements connected to entering and processing a private home. “Before we do anything here, we have to get a search warrant because there are issues regarding standing at this residence,” he said.
The Los Angeles Times reported that a source with knowledge of the investigation said there was no sign of forced entry into the home, and that the Reiners had injuries consistent with being stabbed, while the paper also reported that law enforcement sources said a family member was being interviewed in connection with the deaths.
News of the couple’s deaths prompted public tributes from political leaders and those familiar with the Reiners’ work. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement: “This is a devastating loss for our city and our country,” adding that “Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice.” California Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom also issued a statement mourning the couple, saying: “Rob was the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love,” and describing his influence as extending beyond film into public life and community causes.
Reiner’s eldest daughter, Tracy Reiner, spoke about the loss in comments reported by NBC Los Angeles, saying: “I came from the greatest family ever. I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock.”
Rob Reiner, 78, had a career that spanned more than five decades and crossed television, film, and political activism. He first became widely known as the actor who played Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the US sitcom All in the Family, a role that helped make him a household name and later contributed to major directing opportunities.
As a director, Reiner built a reputation in the 1980s and 1990s for popular, sharply crafted films that ranged across genres. His best known directing credits include This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, and A Few Good Men. His work on A Few Good Men earned him an Academy Award nomination, and his films are often credited with shaping the tone of modern American comedy and drama in the period.
Michele Singer Reiner, 68, was a photographer and producer, and had collaborated with her husband in more recent years. The Los Angeles Times reported that she produced several films over the last decade, including projects directed by Reiner. The couple were married in 1989 and had three children together, Jake, Nick and Romy, with Reiner also being the adoptive father of Tracy from his earlier marriage to actor and director Penny Marshall.
Investigators have said little publicly about how the deaths unfolded or who may be responsible, and officials stressed that information would be released once evidence had been collected and next of kin notifications and coroner processes were complete. NBC Los Angeles reported that Hamilton said the county coroner would release the identities of the victims later, while he reiterated that detectives would not identify suspects or persons of interest until the investigation had progressed.
The deaths also drew attention because killings are considered rare in Brentwood, an affluent neighbourhood on Los Angeles’s west side. The Associated Press noted that the scene was about a mile from the location where Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were killed in 1994, a case that became one of the most high-profile criminal investigations in modern American history.
By Sunday night, the Los Angeles Times described police activity around the property as investigators secured the area, with the street sealed off and law enforcement vehicles stationed nearby as the inquiry continued. Officials have not announced any arrests, and police have indicated that interviews and forensic work at the residence will be central to determining what happened.
For many in Los Angeles and far beyond it, Reiner’s death will be felt not only through the films that defined an era, but also through his public advocacy. Mayor Bass said he “always used his gifts in service of others,” describing him as “an acclaimed actor, director, producer, writer, and engaged political activist.” As detectives worked through the early hours of the investigation, the family’s statement underlined the scale of the personal loss at the centre of a case now being treated as a suspected homicide: “We are heartbroken by this sudden loss.”