EXCLUSIVE: Rob Reiner and Wife Michele's Tragic Final Minutes Revealed After Son is Accused of Slitting Their Throats While They Were in Bed
Nick Reiner has been charged with the brutal killings of parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
Dec. 26 2025, Updated 2:51 p.m. ET
The gruesome murders of Rob Reiner and wife Michele Singer Reiner have been described as a "massacre," RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The beloved actor/director and his photographer spouse were bludgeoned to death in their bed, allegedly by their troubled son, Nick Reiner.
'The Scene was Horrific'
The couple tried to help their troubled son before their killings.
Rob, 78, and 70-year-old Michele's lifeless bodies were discovered with their throats slashed inside their Brentwood home in the early hours of Sunday, December 14.
Insiders tell Radar how first responders were shocked by what they saw.
"By all accounts, the crime scene was horrific," one source said. "It was disturbing for even the most hardened cops and forensic experts to walk into. There was blood everywhere."
And it could have been worse.
"There was a guest staying with the Reiners at the home prior to the killings," the insider revealed. "But because of how insane the son was acting, they decided to leave. They made the right decision because they could have been killed too."
Nick's Personal Battles
Nick has battled drug addiction and mental illness
As Radar has reported, Rob and Michele's 32-year-old son, Nick, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths.
Nick has a history of drug addiction and mental illness, but his parents never gave up on him, and moved him into their home just a few days before their violent end, as he’d been struggling in recent weeks.
"There’s a lot of talk about him dealing with serious substance abuse issues," the insider said. "His parents loved him deeply and did everything they could to help, but it was an ongoing horrific issue that ultimately appears to have destroyed the whole family in the most tragic, gruesome, and unimaginable way."
The Aftermath of the Killings
He has not yet entered a plea to murder charges.
Nick is currently behind bars, waiting to enter a plea after being charged with the brutal killings. A motive has yet to be established.
The medical examiner determined the When Harry Met Sally... director and his wife of 36 years died as a result of "multiple sharp force injuries."
Nick used his own credit card to check into a nearby Santa Monica hotel room around 4 a.m. on Sunday, December 14, where an eyewitness claimed he appeared "tweaked out."
Later that morning, housekeeping arrived at the room he had since vacated to find the shower "full of blood" with more blood on the bed. It appeared Nick had also taken sheets from the bed to cover the room's windows and block out the light.
He was picked up that evening after 9 p.m., nearly 20 miles away in the Exposition Park area of Los Angeles, where LAPD officers and US Marshals took him into custody without incident.
Nick's 'Alarming' Behavior
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Friends remembered Michele and Rob as a loving couple.
As Radar has reported, Nick was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia and was taking meds that made him "erratic and dangerous."
Two insiders detailed that Nick was under psychiatric care, but in the months leading up to Rob and Michele's throats being slit, his behavior was becoming "alarming."
Just weeks prior to the murders taking place, sources divulged that doctors had changed his medications. They were allegedly trying to adjust the meds to stabilize him but were not having success.
"Rob and Michele were truly kind and gracious souls," the insider summarized. "It’s just impossible for anyone to wrap their heads around this. How they died is sickening beyond belief."
