The death of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele caps a heartbreakingly violent weekend

On Sunday night, following a weekend news cycle dominated by details of the tragic shootings at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, the world was stunned to learn of the tragic and violent deaths of actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner (78) and his wife of 36 years, Michele Singer (68). 

NBC News Los Angeles reported on Sunday that the LA Fire Department had found two deceased people in a Brentwood home matching the ages of Reiner and his wife around 3:30 p.m. and that detectives from the Robbery Homicide Division were handling the case. Shortly after, it was determined that the individuals within the home were, in fact, Rob and Michele, with People Magazine reporting via exclusive sources that the cause of death was stabbing, now believed to have been inflicted by the couple’s son, Nick Reiner, who has a history of drug abuse.

“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner,” a spokesperson for the family said in a statement obtained from CNN. “We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”

Son of the late Carl Reiner, creator of “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” Rob Reiner leaves behind him a legacy of directing favorite movie after favorite movie, including “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Stand By Me,” The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Misery,” “A Few Good Men” and “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” which was released on September 12, 2025.

In addition to his work as a director, Reiner starred in a string of films and TV shows, with the most beloved of those roles being Mike “Meathead” Stivic on the CBS sitcom “All in the Family.”

“The Lear Family is devastated by the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner,” they wrote in a statement obtained from Variety. “Norman often referred to Rob as a son, and their close relationship was extraordinary, to us and the world. Norman would have wanted to remind us that Rob and Michele spent every breath trying to make this country a better place, and they pursued that through their art, their activism, their philanthropy, and their love for family and friends. Lyn Lear had remained very close with them and said, ‘The world is unmistakably darker tonight, and we are left bereft.’”