Nick Reiner is set to appear in court Tuesday morning after he was arrested in connection with the deaths of his parents, 78-year-old Rob Reiner and 70-year-old Michele Reiner.
The Hollywood couple was found dead, reportedly with stab wounds, at their Los Angeles home Sunday. The couple’s youngest son, 32, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is “responsible” for his parents' deaths, LAPD detectives said.
Police said they would present their case against Reiner to the district attorney’s office Tuesday. From there, prosecutors will decide whether to charge him.
New details have emerged about Nick Reiner's movements in the wake of the killings. He reportedly fled to a Santa Monica motel Sunday, where staff found blood stains, before he was arrested at an LA subway station.
While tributes poured in for the acclaimed director and photographer, President Donald Trump blamed Rob Reiner’s death on what he called “TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME” in a post on Truth Social, sparking an angry backlash.
Late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel, a regular critic of Trump, called his remarks “loathsome” while his guest, former first lady Michelle Obama, revealed she and her husband Barack Obama had been expecting to have dinner with the Reiners on Sunday evening.
Rob Reiner death: Key points
- Donald Trump's post about Rob Reiner sets off firestorm of criticism
- Nick Reiner is 'responsible' for parents' death, LAPD detectives say
- Reiner and son argued night before director and his wife were found dead, partygoer says
- Hotel staff found blood in room used by Nick Reiner, report says
- Obamas were due to meet the Reiners on the night they were killed, Michelle reveals
Actor James Wood describes friendship with Rob Reiner
16:19 , Katie HawkinsonActor James Woods appeared on Fox News’s Jesse Watters Primetime to discuss his lasting friendship with Rob Reiner.
"At a very, very down point in my career, Rob literally saved my career and really put me back on track in a way that was so important and rewarding in my life, and he really fought for me when the studio didn't want me in a movie," Woods said.
"I was 32 years too young for the part, but he really believed that I was right and could do it. It was something that virtually nobody agreed with except one of his partners, Martin Shafer, who was the head of Castle Rock and one of the greatest production companies ever," he continued.
Woods, a conservative, told Fox News he was close with Reiner, who has advocated for progressive causes, despite their political differences.
Watch: Michelle Obama speaks out about Rob Reiner's death
15:58 , Katie HawkinsonFormer first lady Michelle Obama spoke out about Rob Reiner’s death during a Jimmy Kimmel Live appearance on Monday.
In pictures: Community pays tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner
15:45 , Katie HawkinsonRob Reiner’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been decorated with flowers after he and his wife, Michele Reiner, were found dead in their home on Sunday.
Where is Nick Reiner being held?
15:33 , Katie HawkinsonRob and Michele Reiner’s son, 32-year-old Nick Reiner, is being held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles, according to public records.
Reiner is being held without bail as prosecutors weigh charges against him. Police said they planned to present their case against Reiner to the Los Angeles County District Attorney on Tuesday.
Reiner was arrested on suspicion of murder late Sunday, just hours after his parents were found dead in their Brentwood home.
What we know so far about the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner
15:21 , Katie HawkinsonRob and Michele Reiner were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home on Sunday.
Authorities have said there was no sign of forced entry at the Reiners’ sprawling Brentwood home.
Actress Romy Reiner, their daughter, was the one who discovered her parents in their home on Sunday, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
Their son, Nick Reiner, was taken into custody on suspicion of murder late Sunday.
What Rob Reiner said about Donald Trump as president condemned for ‘sick’ outburst
15:10 , Joe SommerladPresident Donald Trump has attracted a huge backlash over his attack on Hollywood movie director Rob Reiner, who was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Sunday alongside his wife Michele Singer Reiner.
Keep reading:
What Rob Reiner said about Donald Trump as president condemned for ‘sick’ outburst
When could the DA file charges against Nick Reiner?
14:55 , Katie HawkinsonPolice said they will present their alleged homicide case against Nick Reiner to the Los Angeles County District Attorney today.
Afterward, the district attorney will consider whether to file charges. It appears the district attorney’s office has until Wednesday to do so, The New York Times reports.
Jane Fonda honors Rob and Michele Reiner
14:35 , Katie HawkinsonActress and activist Jane Fonda has shared a tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner on her Instagram.
Fonda revealed she saw the couple shortly before they were killed.
“Rob and Michele Reiner were wonderful, caring, smart, funny, generous people, always coming up with ideas for how to make the world better, kinder,” she wrote. “They had been helping me launch the Committee for the First Amendment. I saw them night before last looking healthy and happy. I am reeling with grief. Stunned.”
Watch: Rob Reiner calls Trump 'mentally unfit' for the presidency in resurfaced clip
14:25 , Joe SommerladReiner attacked the president frequently in interviews, most seeringly at the Dubai International Film Festival in December 2017 while promoting his political biopic LBJ.
Here’s what he had to say:
How Trump’s post about Rob Reiner set off a firestorm of criticism
14:05 , Joe SommerladEven one-time allies of Donald Trump have joined in the criticism of the president over his insensitive comments on the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner.
In a Truth Social post Monday, Trump suggested that their deaths were due to the filmmaker’s “paranoia” and “obsession” with him, later calling him a “deranged person” when invited to retract his remarks.
The post in question drew an immediate outcry on social media, as critics, including former MAGA stalwart Marjorie Taylor Greene, condemned his words as “inappropriate” and “disgraceful” and called for the “dreadful” message to be taken down.
Many more commentators on both sides of the aisle have since expressed their outrage.
Mike Bedigan has the story.
Trump’s comment on Rob Reiner’s stabbing triggers outcry from MTG
Nick Reiner’s history of addiction and the movie his father made about it years before fatal stabbing
13:45 , Joe SommerladThe late director and his son attempted to address their problems on film 10 years ago when Rob Reiner shot a screenplay co-written by Nick about his battles with drug addiction and the impact it had on their family.
Being Charlie, which starred Nick Robinson and Cary Elwes, drew on the younger Reiner’s experiences of rehab centres and homelessness to tell a complex family drama that they hoped might help other families facing comparable situations.
Here’s more.
Who is Nick Reiner, son of Rob Reiner, arrested after his parents were found stabbed?
Tribute: Rob Reiner made many of us fall in love with movies
13:25 , Joe SommerladAs the director behind classics including When Harry Met Sally, Stand By Me and The Princess Bride,Reiner proved himself an expert in creating astonishingly warm and humane cinema that envelops you like a hug.
His death is a shocking, senseless end to a remarkable life, writes Adam White.
Maria Shriver says Trump has ‘no human decency’
13:15 , Joe SommerladThe journalist and former wife of Arnold Schwarzenegger has lashed out at the president over his Truth Social post yesterday.
“Rob and Michele Reiner were good, kind, loving people, she writes. “They were good human beings and good friends to me and countless others. Their family is in deep, unimaginable pain. What kind of human being would share a statement like this, much less a president? Rob and Michele would tell me to just ignore him, but I can’t. I just can’t. And I hope you don’t either. They deserve so much better, as does their family.”
I try to rise above the noise all the time, but this individual has no human decency. This goes beyond. It’s absolutely disgusting. We should all be horrified and disgusted by this inhumane behavior, because that’s what it is. Rob and Michele Reiner were good, kind, loving… https://t.co/GOO8HThG04
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) December 15, 2025
Hotel staff found blood in room used by Nick Reiner, report says
13:05 , Joe SommerladThe New York Post reports this morning that Nick Reiner fled to the The Pierside Santa Monica hotel on Sunday night, checking in with a credit card.
He was ultimately arrested at the resort and staff reportedly found blood stains on the furnishings.
The hotel shower was “full of blood”, the newspaper reports, while the windows had been covered over with bed sheets.
LAPD homicide detectives examined the room yesterday and interviewed the hotel’s employees, according to TMZ.
Fox News stars break with Trump over Reiner comments
12:50 , Joe SommerladThe president’s claim that the late director “reportedly” died because he suffered from “Trump Derangement Syndrome” did not even meet with a favorable reception on Fox yesterday, where the hosts on The Five and Laura Ingraham struck a noticeably more respectful tone and even pointed out how big a scandal it would have been had Joe Biden said anything similar.
Ford: If Biden had said this about anybody, I would have said he was completely wrong. I hope the president corrects himself.
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 15, 2025
Gutfeld: He was asked to and he didn’t. You don't have to like the things that he says all the time. That is why in my filter, Trump is always words… pic.twitter.com/vS1yPKDEgp
ROB REINER WAS A LEGEND.
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) December 16, 2025
His work as an actor and director entertained generations and will live on.
We strongly disagreed on politics, but when I ran into him at a Brentwood restaurant years ago, we had a respectful conversation—and he agreed on the spot to come in studio the… pic.twitter.com/5JYq4o5hfD
Jesse Watters also hosted actor James Woods on his show Jesse Watters Primetime to speak out on behalf of Reiner:
Woods: When people say horrible things about Rob right now, I find it infuriating and distasteful. Did I agree with his politics? I did not. Did I love him as a friend, as an artist, as a an icon of Hollywood and as a patriot? I most certainly did pic.twitter.com/eDIhLYaoCy
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 16, 2025
Nick Reiner expected in court on Tuesday
12:35 , Joe SommerladThe online inmate record for the late director’s son, who has been arrested on suspicion of his parents’ murder, has been updated to list a court appearance today at 8.30am local time in Los Angeles.
It remains to be seen whether the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office moves to charge him today as it takes over responsibility for the case.
In pics: Hollywood mourns Rob and Michele Reiner
12:25 , Joe Sommerlad
Reiner and son argued night before director and his wife were found dead, partygoer says
12:05 , Joe SommerladThe LAPD has only offered a handful of details about its investigation into the killing of Rob and Michele Reiner so far.
Individuals close to the Reiners, however, have begun to provide more information on what they say happened in the hours before the couple were found dead in their Brentwood home Sunday.
Rob and Nick Reiner reportedly got into a heated argument on Saturday at a Christmas party hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, in the course of which the director told his son that his behavior was inappropriate, according to The New York Times, citing an unnamed source.
Another attendee told TMZ it was a “very loud argument” and that Rob and Michele departed the event shortly afterwards.
What comes next in Nick Reiner investigation?
11:46 , Joe SommerladNick Reiner remains in custody at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles with no bail, according to sheriff’s records, as police investigate the case.
On Tuesday, the case will be turned over to prosecutors with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, who will weigh filing charges against the suspect, according to the LAPD.
The Reiners’ son was booked on suspicion of murder but it is up to the DA’s office to charge him with specific counts.
The date of his first court appearance will then depend on when the charges are filed but that could be as soon as today.
Nick Reiner is 'responsible' for parents' death, LAPD detectives say
11:25 , Joe SommerladLos Angeles police say Nick Reiner is “responsible” for the killing of his parents, who were found dead at home on Sunday, reportedly by their daughter Romy Reiner.
“As a result of the initial investigation, it was determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide,” the LAPD wrote in a statement on X.
“The investigation further revealed that Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Robert and Michele Reiner, was responsible for their deaths.”
LAPD News: Detectives Announce Arrest in Murder of Robert and Michele Reiner pic.twitter.com/0Mn7P81GVA
— LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) December 15, 2025
The 32-year-old, who has not been convicted of any crimes, was arrested around 9:15pm on Sunday and remains in police custody.
Recap: Rob Reiner’s son arrested after legendary filmmaker and wife found dead at Los Angeles home
11:05 , Joe SommerladIf you’re just joining, here’s where we’re at with the investigation into the shocking deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner, 78, and his photographer wife Michele Singer Reiner, 68, who were found dead at their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, on Sunday afternoon.
Their middle son, Nick Reiner, 32, has been taken into custody by the LAPD as tributes continue to pour in from the worlds of entertainment and politics, with only President Donald Trump and his closest followers striking a discordant note.
Rob Reiner’s son, 32, arrested after filmmaker and wife found dead at LA home
What Rob Reiner said about Trump
10:45 , Joe SommerladThe president’s shocking animosity towards Reiner is perhaps explained by the fact that the director and actor was a lifelong Democrat and activist who was never afraid to share his political views, not least on Trump himself.
Here’s a look back at some of his most unsparing comments about the president, whom he called “mentally unfit” for high office and “the single most unqualified human being to ever assume the presidency of the United States.”
What Rob Reiner said about Donald Trump as president condemned for ‘sick’ outburst
Jimmy Kimmel tears into Trump’s ‘vile’ Reiner post: ‘Nothing is too much for him’
10:25 , Joe SommerladThe late-night host, a long-time enemy of the president, delivered a scathing monologue on his show last night in response to Trump’s attack on Reiner.
“Just when you think he can’t go any lower, he somehow finds a way to do that,” Kimmel said Monday night. “It’s so hateful and vile. When I first saw it, I thought it was fake.
“My wife showed it to me this morning. I was like, well, even for him that seemed like too much, but nothing is ever too much for him.
“Maybe the craziest part, then he goes about his day celebrating Christmas of all things. This is how he behaves at Christmas time.”
Owen Scott has more.
Jimmy Kimmel tears into Trump’s ‘vile’ Reiner post: ‘Nothing is too much for him’
Recap: What did Donald Trump say about Rob Reiner’s murder?
10:05 , Joe SommerladThis was what the president wrote on Truth Social yesterday in response to the tragic killing of the Hollywood director and his wife Michele Singer Reiner:
“A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS. He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before. May Rob and Michele rest in peace!”
When invited to clarify the comments at the White House later, Trump doubled-down rather than issue an apology, saying this:
Obamas were due to meet the Reiners on the night they were killed, Michelle reveals
09:40 , Joe SommerladFormer first lady Michelle Obama has revealed she and her husband Barack Obama were due to have dinner with Rob and Michele Reiner on Sunday night before the Hollywood couple were found dead that afternoon.
“We’ve known them for many many years and we were supposed to be seeing them that night – last night and we got the news,” Obama told Jimmy Kimmel on Monday.
While Obama did not specifically mention President Donald Trump’s shocking post about Reiner, she took an indirect jab at the comments on Kimmel’s show.
“Let me just say this, unlike some people, Rob and Michele Reiner are some of the most decent, courageous people you ever want to know,” she said.
“They’re not deranged or crazed. What they have always been are passionate people in a time when there’s not a lot of courage going on, they were the kind of people who were ready to put their actions behind what they cared about.
“They cared about their family, they cared about this country and they cared about fairness and equity and that is the truth, I do know them.”
Olivia Ireland has more.
Obamas were due to meet the Reiners on the night they were killed, Michelle reveals
Whoopi Goldberg slams Donald Trump after ‘disgusting’ Rob Reiner post
09:11 , Sam RkainaWhoopi Goldberg has slammed Donald Trump for his post about the deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle.
Speaking on The View on Monday, Goldberg questioned if Trump could “get any lower”.
“He talks so much about Charlie Kirk and now suddenly this is what he puts out,” she said.
Watch the clip below.
Rob Reiner remembered as activist and artist by Obama and others
07:59 , Josh MarcusTributes have poured in for Rob Reiner, the legendary Hollywood director of This is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me and When Harry Met Sally..., after he and his wife Michele Singer were found dead at their Los Angeles home.
A homicide investigation is underway after the director, 78, and photographer, 68, were found Sunday. A family member is being questioned and the LAPD has said no suspects are being sought at this time.
A spokesperson for the Reiner family told CNN: “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 news has prompted an outpouring of grief from political and entertainment figures.
Tom Murray and Kevin E G Perry report.
Tributes pour in for Rob Reiner after director and wife are found dead
Trump comments on Rob Reiner show he can 'always get worse,' niece says
07:35 , Josh MarcusPresident Trump’s niece, the political commentator Mary Trump, slammed her family member in an X post on Monday over the president’s inflammatory remarks about the killing of Rob Reiner.
“Michele and Rob Reiner were the best of us,” she wrote on X. “Every day, Donald continues to prove that he will always get worse.”
“Once again, you have gone out of your way to prove, to anyone who doesn’t already know, that you are a depraved, deviant, damaged little man who cannot bear the thought that there are people in this world who are talented, valued, and loved—three things you are not,” she continued in a blog post. “You cannot stomach the thought that anybody else, for any reason, would take the spotlight.”
How a Trump post about Rob Reiner set off a firestorm of criticism
07:00 , Josh MarcusFormer allies of Donald Trump have joined those calling out the president after his comments on the deaths of Robert and Michele Reiner.
In a Truth Social post Monday, Trump suggested that their deaths were due to Robert Reiner’s "paranoia" and “obsession” with him.
The post drew immediate outcry on social media, as critics, including former MAGA stalwart Marjorie Taylor Greene, condemned the president’s words as “inappropriate” and “disgraceful,” and called for the “dreadful” message to be taken down.
“Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS,” Trump wrote Monday.
Mike Bedigan has the story.
Trump’s comment on Rob Reiner’s stabbing triggers outcry from MTG
ICYMI: Prior to arrest, Nick Reiner had history of addiction and made movie with father about it
06:00 , Josh MarcusNick Reiner, son of Hollywood movie director Rob Reiner, has been arrested after his father and mother, Michele Singer Reiner, were found stabbed to death at their Los Angeles home.
The bodies were discovered Sunday afternoon by the director’s daughter, Romy Reiner, according to People magazine. Initial reports said that a family member was being questioned by police.
Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested at 9:15 p.m. Sunday evening and booked into jail around 5 a.m. Monday. He is being held on a $4 million bond, although his record does not state what charges he might face.
Born on September 14, 1993, Nick Reiner is the couple’s middle child – he has an older brother, Jake, and Romy, is his younger sister. Nick Reiner has previously claimed that he “didn’t bond a lot” with his father during childhood.
Joe Sommerlad reports.
Who is Nick Reiner, son of Rob Reiner, arrested after his parents were found stabbed?
'A tremendous loss': Jimmy Fallon remembers Rob Reiner
05:30 , Josh MarcusJimmy Fallon gave an emotional remembrance of Rob Reiner during his show tonight.
The late night host said Reiner’s frequent visits to the show frequently drew lines of people outside his dressing room, where cast and crew would thank Reiner for the ways his numerous films and TV shows had touched their lives.
“He is one of the smartest and funniest people I have ever met, what a tremendous loss,” Fallon said during the broadcast. “And he leaves behind such a legacy. Thank you for all the great work on and offscreen, and continuing to be an inspiration to me and millions of people around the world. In the end, I’m going to remember all the laughs that you’ve given us.”
'Nonsense': Bakari Sellers tears into evangelicals around Trump after Reiner attacks
05:00 , Josh MarcusCNN commentator Bakari Sellers delivered a passionate monologue Monday night criticizing the evangelicals around Donald Trump, after the president has continued to attack Rob Reiner following the director’s killing over the weekend.
Sellers also criticized the president, saying he appeared to be “incapable” of feeling empathy, but reserved special ire for the religious leaders around Trump, given their ostensible commitment to Christian values like love and turning the other cheek.
“The bigger condemnation I have is for those individuals who call themselves evangelical Christians, who surround the president of the United States, but then look at this type of nonsense and turn a blind eye to it,” Sellers said.
The comments may be in reference to figures like House Speaker Mike Johnson, himself an evangelical Christian, who has largely avoided commenting on Trump’s remarks.
Nick Reiner left scene after death of Rob and Michele: report
04:40 , Josh MarcusNick Reiner, son of the slain film director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele, was not arrested at the scene of the alleged murders, a law enforcement source told ABC7.
Instead, he was taken into custody near the University of Southern California, the station reports.
'I came from the greatest family ever,' Rob Reiner's daughter says
04:20 , Josh MarcusThe shock killing of Rob and Michele Reiner, allegedly at the hands of their son Nick Reiner, 32, is at odds with a tight-knit family life the Hollywood couple had created around themselves.
“I came from the greatest family ever,” Tracy Reiner, Rob Reiner’s adopted daughter from a previous marriage, told NBC News. “I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock.”
Associates have told multiple media outlets they saw Rob and Nick arguing at a Christmas party on Saturday, a day before the director and his wife were found dead.
ICYMI: The Independent's tribute to Rob Reiner's indelible film legacy
04:00 , Josh MarcusNothing is typically romantic about a corporate logo, but when I think of Rob Reiner, I think of Castle Rock. Reiner, whose death at the age of 78 is being investigated as a homicide, co-created the production company in 1987, and I find that little more encapsulates the grand, wistful magic of moviemaking than the animation that opens the films it made, or closes out the TV it produced. In it, the lamp from a lighthouse twirls around the night sky, illuminating the sea and the land, while a glorious orange sun rises behind it. For its later incarnations, a musical flutter – stardust, it sounds like – serenades its eventual fade to black. The Castle Rock Entertainment logo introduces films including the seminal romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally..., which Reiner directed, as well as The Shawshank Redemption, Before Sunrise, Miss Congeniality and Christopher Guest’s canine mockumentary Best in Show. It shows up at the end of every episode of Seinfeld.
These animated logos – or “bumpers”, as they’re officially known – are designed to say lots with little. If the bouncing table lamp of Pixar promised slapstick ingenuity, or the majestic wallop of 20th Century-Fox’s floodlights and trumpets teased pure grandeur, the appearance of Castle Rock meant you were in store for a hug. The works this stamp preceded were enveloping and character-driven, usually shot in autumnal or wintry climates, and dealt in very human conundrums even if their contexts were fantastical: love, grief, betrayal, obsession. And those films took after Reiner himself, whose work as a director was broad in scope and tone, more often than not kind and tender, and slightly astonishing in its cultural significance.
Read the full tribute from Adam White.
Rob Reiner and son argued night before director and his wife were found dead: partygoer
03:40 , Josh Marcus
Authorities have only described a few details about the investigation into the killing of Rob and Michele Reiner.
They have named and arrested a suspect, the pair’s son, Nick, and that’s largely the end of it.
Individuals close to the Reiners, however, have begun to provide more information on what they say happened in the hours before the couple were found dead in their Brentwood home on Sunday.
Rob and Nick Reiner got into a heated argument on Saturday at a Christmas party hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, in which Rob told Nick his behavior was inappropriate, an unnamed source told The New York Times.
'He saw something no one else could': Seinfeld remembers Rob Reiner
03:25 , Josh Marcus
Without Rob Reiner, there would be no Jerry Seinfeld, according to the comedian.
In a tribute post on Instagram on Monday, the Seinfeld star spoke of how Reiner, as a producer, protected the fledgling sitcom that would make Seinfeld a household name.
“Our show would have never happened without him,” Seinfeld wrote. “He saw something no one else could. When nobody at the network liked the early episodes, he saved us from cancellation.”
“Rob and Michele married right as our show was starting and they became an imprint for me of how it’s supposed to work, each one broadening the other,” Seinfeld added of the slain couple. “Their death, together, is impossibly sad.”
'They were delightful': Seth Meyers pays tribute to the Reiners in opening monologue
03:05 , Josh MarcusLate night host Seth Meyers saluted the late Rob and Michele Reiner on his show on Monday, describing the pair as “delightful people to be in a room with.”
Meyers shared a memorable night he spent with the Reiners a few years ago at TV legend Norman Lear’s 100th birthday. Rob Reiner patiently helped the aging Lear share story after of the Hollywood golden years, delighting the gathered crowd.
“Rob had this reputation for getting the best out of people, and if you watch his films you know that is is something he had this skill with,” Meyers said, “but to see him in person and know that’s what he was like in his real life as well, it was just so truly special to see.”
'Infuriating': Conservative actor James Woods slams those trashing Rob Reiner after murder
02:39 , Josh MarcusActor James Wood says he has had it with people slandering Rob Reiner after the director’s murder over the weekend.
“When people say horrible things about Rob right now, I find it infuriating and distasteful,” he told Fox News on Monday night. “Did I agree with his politics? I did not. Did I love him as a friend, as an artist, as an icon of Hollywood and as a patriot? I most certainly did. I am just absolutely devastated by this terrible event, especially for his family and for all of America and for film-lovers across the world.”
Woods, whose conservative politics differed from Reiner’s progressive ones, worked with Reiner on the 1990s film Ghosts of Mississippi.
“The studio didn’t think I was old enough to do the part, but Rob fought for me,” Woods wrote earlier on X. “Political differences never stood in the way of our love and respect for each other. I am devastated by this terrible event.”
The condemnation from Woods comes after Donald Trump and some of his MAGA allies have attacked Reiner, pointing to the Hollywood legend’s anti-Trump views as a sign of “Trump derangement syndrome,” which the president claims was responsible for his death.
Woods, during the Fox News interview, said the liberal Reiner did not engage in the same kind of character attacks on the conservative activist Charlie Kirk after he was killed earlier this year.
The most impactful deaths in 2025 from the pope to Ozzy Osbourne and Charlie Kirk
'It's hard to get my mind around': Reiner's creative partner reflects on life of friendship
02:24 , Josh Marcus
Alan Horn, a longtime friend of Rob and Michele Reiner’s, says he is still in shock after the couple’s tragic double murder over the weekend.
“It’s hard to get my mind around the fact that this did in fact happen, that our dear friends Rob and Michele were literally murdered,” Horn, who co-founded Castle Rock Entertainment with Reiner, told CNN on Monday night. “When we first heard the news we simply could not believe it.”
Horn said he had just seen the Reiners after the director spoke at a dedication ceremony for a screening room at Warner Bros. named in Horn’s honor.
The two first began collaborating in 1973.
“We are still in the process of getting our heads around it,” Horn added. “It’s impossibly hard, not just for us of course, but for all of those who loved him, loved his family. He had a lot of friends.”
VIDEO: Mike Johnson ducks Independent's question about Rob Reiner
02:05 , Josh MarcusNick Reiner is 'responsible' for parents' death: LAPD
01:51 , Josh MarcusLos Angeles police say Nick Reiner is “responsible” for the killing of his parents, Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, who were found dead on Sunday.
“As a result of the initial investigation, it was determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide,” police wrote in a statement on X. “The investigation further revealed that Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Robert and Michele Reiner, was responsible for their deaths.”
The 32-year-old, who has not been convicted of any crimes, was arrested around 9:15pm on Sunday and is in police custody in Los Angeles.
LAPD News: Detectives Announce Arrest in Murder of Robert and Michele Reiner pic.twitter.com/0Mn7P81GVA
— LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) December 15, 2025
'Nick was freaking everyone out,' source claims about alleged party argument before Reiner killings
01:20 , Josh MarcusThe day before the Reiners were found dead, Rob Reiner and his son, primary suspect Nick, were reportedly seen having a heated argument at a Christmas party hosted by Conan O’Brien.
"Nick was freaking everyone out, acting crazy, kept asking people if they were famous,” an anonymous source told People of the alleged blow-up.
While that account is unconfirmed by authorities, here’s what we do know of the slayings.
Rob Reiner’s son, 32, arrested after filmmaker and wife found dead at LA home
Maria Shriver: Reiners were 'in the best place in their lives' shortly before killings
01:00 , Josh MarcusFriends and collaborators are sharing their final memories of Rob and Michele Reiner.
Maria Shriver, the journalist and former First Lady of California, said the couple were in a great place in their lives on the eve of their apparent murder.
“We had dinner this past week, and they were in the best place in the their lives: loving one another, loving their friends, their family, their country,” she wrote on X. “They never gave up on our country. They wanted to make it better. They always, always wanted to make our world better, and they were willing to fight to make it the country they loved.”
Actually, Trump's Rob Reiner comments were 'respectful,' MAGA senator claims
00:40 , Josh MarcusAll across Capitol Hill today, Republicans have either been dodging questions about Trump’s highly inflammatory comment that Rob Reiner was killed because of his “Trump derangement syndrome,” or they have been joined in the criticism that the president went too far.
However, speaking with CNN on Monday, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a close ally of the president, claimed Trump’s tirade about the slain actor was in fact “respectful.”
"I don't think they're controversial. Because he was respectful to him, said he was once a really good actor and all that. And pointed out the fact that he didn't like him at all, but wished him, you know, ended the text fine," he told CNN. "You guys make out at what you want. I didn't think it was distasteful at all."
"It's no secret, the guy does not like President Trump,” Mullin added. “President Trump went up and still did it in a very nice way.”
Catch up on the controversy here.
Trump’s comment on Rob Reiner’s stabbing triggers outcry from MTG
Faced with questions from our reporter, Mike Johnson again avoids commenting on Trump's Rob Reiner tirade
00:20 , Josh MarcusHouse Speaker Mike Johnson has spent the day dodging questions about President Trump’s widely criticized comments that Rob Reiner died of “Trump derangement syndrome.”
Earlier today, Johnson ducked away from a press gaggle without commenting directly on the president’s remarks.
However, our very own Eric Garcia was able to get a little bit more out of the GOP leader the second time around.
“I don’t do ongoing commentary about every that’s said by everybody in government every day,” Johnson said. “We are trying to bring down healthcare costs for the American people. Very important votes, very important issues, and that’s what we’re focused on. I gave commentary this morning and you all heard it.”
PHOTOS: LA mourns the Reiners
00:00 , Josh Marcus
Even Fox News regulars think Trump went too far on Rob Reiner
Monday 15 December 2025 23:45 , Josh MarcusA group of regular on-air commentators on Fox News is criticizing Donald Trump for his highly aggressive post about the murdered Rob Reiner, who he said died of “Trump derangement syndrome.”
In an X post of his own, Jonathan Turley said the remarks lacked “any sense of restraint in light of this tragedy or any consideration for this grieving family.”
Fox podcaster Kennedy sounded a similar note, writing on X that Trump’s comments were “disgusting, unnecessary and inappropriate.”
Fox News political analyst Guy Benson, meanwhile, had just one word in response: “gross,” he wrote on X.
Laura Loomer, echoing Trump, offers scathing takedown of 'loser' Rob Reiner
Monday 15 December 2025 23:30 , Josh Marcus
Conspiracy theorist and outside Trump advisor Laura Loomer predictably echoed the president on Monday as she tore into the late Rob Reiner.
“Rob Reiner was a loser,” she wrote on X, adding a photo of a tweet where Reiner had called for Trump to go to prison.
“Naturally, his son was also a loser, and he got addicted to drugs and allegedly murdered his parents,” Loomer added. “Looks like Rob should’ve spent more time parenting & less time spreading Russia conspiracy hoaxes about President Trump. I stand with President Trump.”
The comments come after the president himself blamed “Trump derangement syndrome,” a non-existent medical condition those on the right often accuse people on the left of having, for the apparent murder of the Reiners.
WATCH: California Gov. Gavin Newsom pays tribute to 'friend' Rob Reiner
Monday 15 December 2025 23:15 , Josh MarcusCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom is one of scores of notable political and entertainment figures paying tribute to the slain Rob and Michele Reiner.
Newsom, in a video address, said he first met Rob during the early 2000s, when the pair were allies in the fight for same-sex marriage at a time when it was a far less politically popular position.
“He had my back at a time when a lot of members of my own party, the Democratic party, didn’t,” Newsom said. “He’s been a friend for decades.”
The pair had last spoken just weeks ago on a Zoom call.
“I was just reminded about how consistent they’ve been, how constant they’ve been, in the cause of not just protecting democracy, but promoting wellbeing, and social justice, racial justice, economic justice,” Newsom said elsewhere in his remarks.
Watch the full clip below.
A note on my friend, Rob Reiner — a man of courage and conviction. pic.twitter.com/Fpk5Nj270s
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) December 15, 2025
Mike Johnson ducks questions about Trump comments on Rob Reiner
Monday 15 December 2025 23:00 , Josh MarcusHouse Speaker Mike Johnson appeared eager to dodge questions on Monday about Donald Trump’s recent, highly partisan comments about the killing of Rob Reiner.
Speaking to the press, Johnson offered his condolences and called the killings an “unspeakable family tragedy.”
“It's another reminder of just the senseless violence and evil that's so rampant in our society,” he added, mentioning recent shootings in Australia and at Brown University.
He then swiftly left the room as reporters shouted after him about Trump.
What comes next in the Nick Reiner investigation?
Monday 15 December 2025 22:47 , Josh Marcus
Police have arrested Rob and Michele Reiner’s son Nick, 32, and accused him of being “responsible for their deaths.”
Nick remains in custody at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles, according to sheriff’s records, with no bail as police investigate the case.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will receive the case for filing consideration, according to the LAPD.
Another Republican condemns 'reckless' Trump comments on Rob Reiner death
Monday 15 December 2025 22:32 , Josh MarcusFormer Ohio governor and presidential candidate John Kasich is the latest prominent Republican to condemn Donald Trump’s scathing comments about Rob Reiner after his apparent murder over the weekend.
“I had the pleasure to meet Rob Reiner years ago, and he was very kind to me,” Kasich wrote on X. “Anyone trying to turn false claims about his death into a political moment is dead wrong. This kind of rhetoric is reckless, hurtful, and beneath us.”
Trump, who blamed the stabbing death on “Trump derangement syndrome,” has faced widespread criticism for his comments, including from members of his own party.
Trump’s comment on Rob Reiner’s stabbing triggers outcry from MTG
Rob Reiner's multi-faceted political legacy
Monday 15 December 2025 22:18 , Josh Marcus
In addition to a string of classic movies, the slain Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner leaves behind a formidable political legacy.
Reiner was an outspoken advocate for progressive causes, including early childhood development and the LGBTQ+ community.
His organization, American Foundation for Equal Rights, helped lead the fight to overturn Proposition 8 in California, which had previously banned same-sex marriage.
“Here’s this unique human being who really did make the leap between entertainment and politics,” Democratic strategist Ace Smith told the Los Angeles Times. “And he really spent the time to understand policy, really, in its true depth, and to make a huge impact in California.”
On the national stage, Reiner was a prominent supporter of the Democratic Party, as well as an often strident critic of Donald Trump, whom he once called “the single-most unqualified human-being to ever assume the presidency of the United States.”
It was this perch as a top Hollywood progressive that likely infuriated Trump, who declined to join the bipartisan wave of figures mourning Reiner and instead declared the filmmaker and his wife had died of “Trump derangement syndrome.”
Here’s some of our past coverage on Reiner in the political sphere.
Joe Biden loses crucial support from big Hollywood director donor
Rob Reiner: 'If we’re not able to slow Trump down, he'll be worse than Bush'
PHOTOS: Drone shots show LA home where Rob Reiner found dead
Monday 15 December 2025 22:00 , Josh MarcusNewly released photos show the home in Brentwood, an upscale neighborhood in Los Angeles, where director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead on Sunday afternoon.
On Monday, a security guard was seen standing in front of the home’s entrance gate, where private property signs have been posted.
'A crushing loss': Actor Tim Robbins said he feels 'indebted' to Reiner
Monday 15 December 2025 21:45 , Kelly RissmanAcademy-award winning actor Tim Robbins said he was “devastated” by the news of the couple’s death in an emotional tribute.
Robbins appeared in The Sure Thing, a 1985 romantic comedy that Reiner directed, and starred in The Shawshank Redemption, a 1994 drama that Reiner produced.
“I am devastated by the death of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. He was an inspired and brilliant director and a kind, good, loving man who lived his life as a tireless and generous advocate for others,” the actor wrote on X.
“I am indebted to Rob for giving me a leg up in this business, casting me in the first film I could be proud of being in, The Sure Thing and later giving me the gift of a lifetime when I was cast in The Shawshank Redemption, a film Rob produced,” he continued.
“My heart goes out to his family and the thousands of people in the film business that were lucky enough to work with him, witness his great talent and be invited into his large, loving heart. This is a crushing loss. All my love and prayers to Rob and Michele. Flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”
WATCH: Trump calls Rob Reiner 'a deranged person' as he doubles down on criticism of dead director
Monday 15 December 2025 21:30 , Kelly RissmanIn photos: Flowers placed outside of celebrated couples' home
Monday 15 December 2025 21:15 , Kelly RissmanFlowers and a candle were placed outside of the Reiners’ home on Monday, one day after the pair were murdered.
Trump doubled down on attack of Rob Reiner: 'I thought he was very bad for our country'
Monday 15 December 2025 20:54 , Kelly RissmanDespite his heavily criticized Truth Social post, President Donald Trump doubled down on his scathing remarks about Rob Reiner, just after his death.
Asked if he stood by the post, the president said in the Oval Office Monday: "Well, I wasn't a fan of his at all. He was a deranged person, as far as Trump is concerned.”
“He said...that I was a friend of Russia, controlled by Russia, you know, the Russia hoax, he was one of the people behind it. I think he hurt himself career wise,” Trump continued. “He became like a deranged person, Trump derangement syndrome. So I was not a fan of Rob Reiner at all in any way, shape or form. I thought he was very bad for our country."
'Shameful': Members of Congress, from both sides of the aisle, lambast Trump's post
Monday 15 December 2025 20:45 , Kelly RissmanLawmakers continue to bash President Donald Trump’s remarks in the wake of Rob Reiner’s death as “shameful.”
Democrats and Republicans alike sharply criticized Trump’s Truth Social post in which he chalked up the beloved director’s death to “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
“The brutal murder of Rob and Michele Reiner is a tragedy. But rather than showing a shred of decency and empathy, the President of the United States is making it about himself,” Colorado Democratic Rep. Jason Crow wrote. “Absolutely shameful.”
New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler slammed: “This statement is wrong. Regardless of one’s political views, no one should be subjected to violence, let alone at the hands of their own son. It’s a horrible tragedy that should engender sympathy and compassion from everyone in our country, period.”
According to CNN’s Jake Tapper, Nebraska GOP Rep. Don Bacon said: ”I’d expect to hear something like this from a drunk guy at a bar, not the President of the United States. Can the President be presidential?”
