Updated on: December 15, 2025 / 3:30 AM EST / CBS LA
Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead inside their Los Angeles home Sunday afternoon, sources told CBS News. Police are investigating the deaths as an apparent homicide.
“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 Reiner family said in a statement obtained by Variety.
Los Angeles police launch investigation
Los Angeles Police Department Robbery Homicide detectives were called to the Reiners’ Brentwood home around 3:40 p.m. Sunday after Los Angeles Fire Department crews, who were first on scene, alerted authorities that two people had been found dead. Reiner, 78, and Michele, 68, were later identified as the victims, sources told CBS News. LAPD detectives have not publicly released the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
During a Sunday night news conference, LAPD Deputy Chief Allen Hamilton said investigators had not identified a suspect “at this time.” He added the department was not seeking anyone as a suspect or person of interest while detectives continue their work.
Rob Reiner’s life and career
Reiner rose to fame playing Mike “Meathead” Stivic on the CBS sitcom All in the Family, a role that earned him two Emmy Awards. He went on to appear in films including Sleepless in Seattle, The Wolf of Wall Street, Everyone’s Hero and The First Wives Club.
As a director, Reiner helmed enduring films such as The Princess Bride, Misery, A Few Good Men, Stand by Me and When Harry Met Sally… He wrote and directed the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap and its sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, released in September. Over a six-decade career, Reiner received multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations and an Academy Award nomination.
He was the son of comedian and actor Carl Reiner, creator of The Dick Van Dyke Show, who died in 2020 at 98. In 2017, Carl and Rob became the first father-son duo to leave handprints and footprints outside the TCL Chinese Theatre.
Personal life
Reiner married Michele Singer in 1989 after they met during the filming of When Harry Met Sally… In a 2016 interview, Reiner said meeting Michele influenced the film’s ending. Michele Singer Reiner was a photographer; Variety reported she took the photo of Donald Trump that appeared on the cover of his book The Art of the Deal. The couple had three children. Reiner was previously married to director Penny Marshall and is the adoptive father of her daughter, actress Tracy Reiner.
Reactions from Hollywood and politicians
The Lear family, representing producer Norman Lear, said they were devastated. “Norman often referred to Rob as a son,” their statement said, noting the Reiners’ commitment to art, activism, philanthropy and family.
Former President Barack Obama posted on X that he and Michelle were “heartbroken by the tragic passing,” praising Rob’s work and the couple’s lifelong commitment to public service. Actor Sean Astin, newly elected president of the Screen Actors’ Guild, called Reiner “one of those most significant figures in the history of film and television.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom said they were “heartbroken,” praising Reiner’s creative work and advocacy. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the news a “devastating loss” for the city and country, citing Reiner’s contributions to culture and social justice. Former House Speaker and current Rep. Nancy Pelosi called the news “devastating,” and noted Michele’s role as an indispensable partner to Rob.
The LAPD continues its investigation into the deaths. Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances or whether a suspect has been identified.