Hollywood is reeling after the tragic deaths of acclaimed director and actor Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, who were found dead on Sunday at their home in the Brentwood neighbourhood of Los Angeles.
According to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation – who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity – both are believed to have suffered stab wounds. A family member is reportedly being questioned by authorities.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a medical aid call just after 3.30 pm and discovered the bodies of a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman inside the residence. Reiner, who turned 78 in March, and his wife Michele, 68, had lived in the home for decades. While the Los Angeles Police Department has not yet formally confirmed their identities, multiple sources close to the family have verified the couple’s deaths.
Captain Mike Bland of the LAPD confirmed that detectives from the Robbery-Homicide Division are investigating the incident as an apparent homicide. The quiet, affluent Brentwood area—located just a mile from the site of the infamous 1994 murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman—is rarely the scene of violent crime, making the incident all the more shocking.
Rob Reiner was a towering figure in American cinema and television. He first captured public attention as Michael “Meathead” Stivic in the groundbreaking 1970s sitcom All in the Family, a role that earned him two Emmy Awards. He later forged a distinguished career behind the camera, directing some of the most beloved films of the past four decades, including This Is Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally…, The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men and Stand by Me.
His creative legacy was matched by his lifelong commitment to activism and philanthropy—work he pursued alongside Michele, a respected photographer whom he met on the set of When Harry Met Sally…. The couple married in 1989 and had three children together. Reiner was previously married to director and actor Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981, during which time he adopted her daughter, Tracy.
The news has sent waves of grief through the entertainment industry. The family of Norman Lear, creator of All in the Family and a mentor to Reiner, released a heartfelt statement calling him “the son Norman never had” and praising the couple’s decades of humanitarian and artistic contributions.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described Reiner’s death as “a profound loss for our city and our nation,” adding: “Through his films, his advocacy, and his unwavering moral voice, Rob helped shape the conscience of modern America.”
Reiner was the son of comedy legend Carl Reiner, who died in 2020 at the age of 98. His passing marks the end of a remarkable Hollywood dynasty – and leaves a void in both the cultural and civic life of Los Angeles.
Authorities are continuing their investigation and have urged anyone with information to come forward.
Source: UNB/AP