Jake and Romy Reiner honored their late parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, by throwing ceremonial first pitches at a Los Angeles Dodgers game on Sunday. The siblings wore Dodgers jerseys that read "Reiner" as they took the field at Dodger Stadium for the game against the Boston Red Sox.
Jake Reiner appeared to throw a strike, while his sister Romy's pitch was slightly wide of home plate. They were joined on the field by Dodgers outfielder Alex Call and infielder Miguel Rojas, who caught their pitches. The event served as an emotional tribute seven months after Rob and Michele Reiner were found stabbed to death in their Los Angeles home in December. Rob Reiner was 78 and Michele Reiner was 70.
According to their death certificates, the couple died within minutes of receiving "multiple sharp force injuries" with a "knife, by another." Their younger son, Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested as the prime suspect in their deaths. He faces two charges of first-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. Nick Reiner was reportedly diagnosed with schizophrenia and has a history of drug addiction.
Baseball has been a significant point of connection for the Reiner family. Jake Reiner previously spoke about his bond with his late father over the sport in an episode of "The Incline: Dodgers Podcast." He shared that his connection with his dad was "first built on baseball" and that they shared a deep love for the Dodgers. Jake Reiner also wrote in a Substack essay that he would "never go to Dodger Stadium again without feeling my dad’s presence."
Romy Reiner, who discovered her parents' bodies, has largely remained out of the public eye and has not publicly commented on the tragedy.