A wave of grief has swept through Hollywood and across the United States following the killing of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
The actor and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Brentwood home Sunday; police are treating the case as an apparent homicide.
At a news conference, LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton shared very few details about the case — but what has slowly emerged since then is truly heartbreaking.
New details
Los Angeles police said they are investigating the deaths of Rob and Michele Singer Reiner as a homicide after the couple were found at their residence on December 14.
Rob Reiner, 78, was widely regarded as a legendary actor and director who later became a prominent political activist, while his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, was a photographer and film producer.
Now, devastating details have emerged about the horrific incident. According to The Mirror, authorities described the scene as a “horror double murder” involving what appeared to be stab wounds. Reportedly, the Hollywood figure and his wife were discovered dead in their home by their daughter, Romy.
Law enforcement sources told LA Times that a family member was interviewed in connection with the investigation.
One source familiar with the case, who was not authorized to speak publicly according to LA Times, said there were no signs of forced entry at the home. The source also indicated that the victims had injuries consistent with stab wounds.
Speaking with every family member
At a news conference late Sunday, LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton shared limited details, saying the investigation was still in its early stages. Detectives were in the process of obtaining a search warrant before conducting a “thorough” examination of the property.
“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 several family members would be interviewed but emphasized that “no one has been detained; no one is being questioned as a suspect.”
“We’re going to try to speak to every family member that we can to get to the facts of this investigation,” he said.
Hamilton confirmed that the individual who initially reported the incident was present at the residence, though their identity was not being released.
By Sunday evening, police activity surrounded the Brentwood property, with Chadbourne Avenue closed to the public. Patrol cars lined the street as a helicopter circled overhead, while officers monitored the area, according to local newspapers.
Rob was 78 years old, and Michele was 68. The couple had been married since 1989 and lived in an upscale Brentwood neighborhood known for its gated properties and tall hedges. According to The New York Post, their home was decorated for the holidays on Sunday.
A major figure in Hollywood
Reiner’s career in Hollywood spanned more than five decades. He rose to fame portraying Michael “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family from 1971 to 1979 before becoming a successful director.
His films included When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, and This Is Spinal Tap, as well as the 1986 adaptation of Stephen King’s Stand by Me. He received an Academy Award nomination for A Few Good Men in 1992.
Beyond entertainment, Reiner was a major political figure in Hollywood. For example, he co-founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
Michele Singer Reiner later became a producer, working on projects such as Shock and Awe, Albert Brooks: Defending My Life, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, and God & Country.
Heartfelt tributes
City officials and political leaders expressed their grief, including Mayor Karen Bass, who said she was “heartbroken by the tragic loss of Rob and his wife Michele.”
“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,” Bass said.
Former President Barack Obama joined the outpouring of tributes, posting on X: ”Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michelle. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen. 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. Together, he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose,” Obama wrote.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom also paid tribute, calling Reiner a “renowned director, writer, and activist,” and his wife an “accomplished producer and photographer.”
“Rob was the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love,” they wrote. “His boundless empathy made his stories timeless, teaching generations how to see goodness and righteousness in others — and encouraging us to dream bigger.”
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