Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested Sunday night and booked early Monday on murder charges, hours after his parents, acclaimed filmmaker Rob Reiner and producer and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead at their Los Angeles home in what police described as an apparent homicide. He was arrested at 9:15 p.m. on Sunday and booked into jail at 5:04 a.m. an hour after midnight, according to online jail records. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said the department’s Robbery-Homicide Division is handling the investigation and that detectives worked through the night to secure the arrest. He added that the suspect was in custody on a $4 million bail and that prosecutors would determine charges as the case develops. A family spokesperson confirmed the deaths and asked for privacy as the family processes the loss. Rob Reiner was 78 and Michele Singer Reiner, 68.
We have our Robbery Homicide division handling the investigation,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters on Monday. “They worked throughout the night on this case and were able to take into custody Nick Reiner, a suspect in this case. He was subsequently booked for murder and is being held on $4 million bail.” A spokesperson for the family 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.” The LAPD and Fire Department said they responded to a medical emergency at the Reiners’ home around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday and found a deceased man and woman believed to be in their late 60s to 70s, with police later saying the deaths were an apparent homicide.
TMZ reported that the bodies displayed lacerations consistent with a knife, a detail police did not publicly confirm as the investigation continued. Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said late on Sunday that police were not seeking suspects at that time and that investigators were interviewing family members, though they were not treating them as suspects. He said investigators planned to seek a search warrant to conduct a full crime-scene investigation inside and outside the residence and in the surrounding neighborhood, underscoring the preliminary nature of the inquiry.
Rob Reiner, a towering figure in American cinema and television, directed several landmark films in the 1980s and 1990s, including This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Stand By Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), Misery (1990) and When Harry Met Sally… (1989). He co-founded Castle Rock Entertainment in 1987, a production company that released The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and helped build a slate of acclaimed projects beyond his own films. Reiner also enjoyed a long acting career, including a defining role as Michael “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family and supporting appearances in films such as Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).
Reiner and Singer met during the making of When Harry Met Sally…, a bond that influenced both their careers and personal lives. They married in 1989 and raised three children together. The couple collaborated on projects such as the films Misery and the documentary Albert Brooks: Defending My Life (2023). Singer’s work as a photographer extended to a high-profile moment when she photographed President Donald Trump for the cover of his 1987 book The Art of the Deal. Reiner was previously married to Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981, and he later adopted Marshall’s daughter, Tracy Reiner. The couple’s relationship and shared projects were a recurring thread in Hollywood stories, including a 2015 film, Being Charlie, which chronicled their son Nick’s struggles and rehabilitation, with Rob Reiner directing and Nick co-writing.
Beyond their film credits, the Reiners were known as activists who campaigned for marriage equality and supported various California ballot initiatives and Democratic causes. Rob Reiner was a vocal critic of political opponents and used his platform to advocate on social issues, while Michele Singer Reiner’s photography and public appearances amplified their charitable work. The couple’s death—their son’s involvement in the case and the family’s call for privacy—has prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues in Hollywood and beyond as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the arrest.
As investigators pursue the full scope of what happened at the Reiners’ home, police officials emphasized that the case remains in its early stages, with warrants and further searches expected to be part of a broader effort to establish a definitive timeline, motive, and involvement of any additional individuals. The family, which has long been part of the industry’s charitable sector, asked for privacy as they mourn. The public will be watching closely as prosecutors and investigators balance the community’s interest in a timely account of the events with the need to build a solid, prosecutable case.