Rob Reiner's Son Jake Opens Up About Agonizing 8 Months After Parents' Murders: 'Every Moment That I Wake Up, I'm Reminded of My Reality'
Rob Reiner's son has discussed life after his brother, Nick, allegedly killed the director and his wife, Michele Singer, late last year.
Aug. 27 2026, Published 3:04 p.m. ET
Jake Reiner calls the last eight months of his life a "living nightmare," RadarOnline.com can report.
Rob Reiner's eldest son has opened up for the first time since his famous father and his mother, Michele Singer Reiner, were brutally murdered in their home, allegedly at the hands of Jake's younger brother, Nick.
Jake Reiner Opens Up on His 'Nightmarish' Year
Jake Reiner gave his first on-camera interview since the night his parents were killed.
Jake sat down for his first interview following his parents' murders with KABC-TV's Mark Cota-Robles.
The 35-year-old got personal about his parents, their gruesome deaths, and the difficulties he and his sisters have shared as they continue to try to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.
"It's been 8 months. It feels like 8 years at the same time. And it also feels like 8 minutes," Jake said. "Because every moment that I wake up, I'm reminded of my reality."
The lifeless bodies of Jake's parents, 78-year-old Rob and 70-year-old Michele, were discovered with their throats slashed inside their Brentwood home in the early hours of Sunday, December 14.
Nick Reiner was arrested the next day and charged with their murders. A motive for the killing has never been revealed, but Nick, 32, has a history of drug addiction and mental illness, and reportedly suffers from schizoaffective disorder.
Jake Reiner Will 'Never Understand' How This Happened
Jake and sister Romy have struggled in the aftermath of their parents' deaths.
Jake did not want to discuss how he feels about his brother, but admitted that he still had so many questions.
"I'll never understand. I don't care how it's explained to me. I don't care what facts come out. I will never understand why this happened," Jake said.
He has not spoken with Nick and declined to say whether he would want to.
"Yeah. I mean, he’s in jail, so...” Jake said, struggling to find right words. "You know, it's... I physically lost my parents. And then Nick was arrested. And now it's me and (younger sister) Romy."
Their fourth sibling, 62-year-old Tracy, is mourning in her own way.
Jake Reiner Still Has Strong Emotions
Jake confesses he still has "angry" emotions over the loss of his parents.
Jake has not attended any of his brother's court hearings and said the emotions are still too strong for him.
"For me, it manifests into anger," Jake shared. "It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn't get a say in what happened. I didn't get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter."
"I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this."
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Nick Reiner Is Fighting to Access a Family Trust Fund
Nick Reiner is trying to access a trust fund his parents set up for him.
Jake also declined to comment on Nick's attempts to acquire money from the family trust to pay for his defense.
As Radar has reported, Nick filed a petition in California court in June seeking access to the trust his parents established in his name after his birth in 1993.
According to his filing, Nick believes the trust is worth more than $1.5 million and claims he should have already received a mandatory distribution of half of the funds after turning 30. He has asked the court to order the release of that portion of the trust, saying he needs the money to pay his legal expenses and add funds to his commissary account while he remains in jail.
However, the fiduciaries overseeing the trust have blocked his request, arguing that no distribution should be made until a court determines whether California's "slayer statute" applies to the inheritance.
The law generally bars someone from inheriting money or property from a person they "feloniously and intentionally" killed. As Nick is accused of killing the very people who established the trust, the bankers have argued that the criminal case could ultimately determine what happens to the funds.
