Romy Reiner, daughter of Rob Reiner and Michelle Singer Reiner, did not know that her mother was also dead inside the Brentwood home where she discovered the body of her father.
According to the New York Times, 27-year-old Romy arrived at the home, located in Los Angeles, on the afternoon of Sunday, December 14. She had reportedly been contacted by a massage therapist who couldn’t get into the property for a scheduled appointment.
After accessing the house, Romy found the body of her father, beloved actor-director Rob Reiner. People Magazine report that she then fled the property without realizing that her mother, Michele, also lay dead inside.
A family source revealed to the Times she was later informed by a paramedic that Michele had also been murdered.
The deaths of the couple sent shockwaves around the world. Both Rob, 78, and Michele, 68, were said to have been found with lacerations consistent with the use of a knife.
Hours following Romy’s aforesaid discovery, police apprehended Nick Reiner, the couple’s son, near the University of Southern California campus.
The 32-year-old, speculated to have a history of mental health issues and alleged substance abuse, was witnessed in a heated argument with his father the night before the slayings, at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party.
On Tuesday, December 16, Nick was charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special allegation of using a knife. If convicted, he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole, while prosecutors have not yet made a decision regarding whether or not he might face the death penalty.
Rob Reiner’s career in Hollywood spanned more than five decades. He rose to fame portraying Michael “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family from 1971 to 1979 before becoming a successful director.
His films included When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, and This Is Spinal Tap, as well as the 1986 adaptation of Stephen King’s Stand by Me. He received an Academy Award nomination for A Few Good Men in 1992.
Beyond entertainment, Reiner was a major political figure in Hollywood. For example, he co-founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
Michele Singer Reiner later became a producer, working on projects such as Shock and Awe, Albert Brooks: Defending My Life, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, and God & Country.
