In a heartbreaking new account of the tragedy that has stunned Hollywood, it has been revealed that Romy Reiner, the youngest daughter of director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele, was the one who discovered her father's body but was unaware her mother was also dead inside the family's Los Angeles mansion.
The Tragic Discovery
According to a detailed report from The New York Times, the 28-year-old Romy arrived at her parents' Brentwood home on the afternoon of Sunday, December 15, 2025. She was alerted after a massage therapist, unable to reach anyone from the front gate, contacted her. A source close to the Reiner family told the outlet that Romy entered the home and encountered a horrific scene.
"She walked in and found her father's body and the gruesome scene of his death," the source stated. Overwhelmed, Romy then fled the residence without realizing that her mother, Michele Singer Reiner, 70, was also deceased inside. It was only later, outside the home, that a paramedic informed her of her mother's fate.
Contradictions in Early Reports and the Suspect
Initial media reports suggested that Romy had warned investigators that her brother, Nick Reiner, should be considered a suspect, describing him as "dangerous." However, The New York Times clarifies that Romy did not suggest to authorities that her brother might be a suspect at the scene.
Nick Reiner, 32, has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office alleges the killings occurred in the "early morning hours of December 14." Nick was arrested later that evening in Exposition Park after allegedly fleeing the scene.
Surveillance footage obtained by media outlets, including ABC7 and the New York Post, shows Nick appearing calm as he strolled near a gas station close to the family home and purchased a drink hours before the arrests. Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty. Nick has retained high-profile attorney Alan Jackson, known for representing Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey.
A Troubled History and a Fateful Party
Multiple accounts indicate tensions were high in the hours preceding the tragedy. Several media outlets, including The Hollywood Reporter and PEOPLE, report that Nick and his father were involved in a "very loud argument" at comedian Conan O'Brien's Christmas party on Saturday night, December 13.
Attendees described Nick as appearing anxious and uncomfortable, allegedly going around asking guests repetitive questions like, "Are you famous?" One account states that actor Bill Hader politely brushed him off, leading to an uncomfortably long glare from Nick. Sources told TMZ that Rob and Michele Reiner had been "anguishing" to friends in recent months over their son's mental health and alleged substance abuse struggles, feeling at their "wits' end" and saying, "We've tried everything."
Following the alleged crimes, Nick reportedly checked into a Santa Monica hotel around 4 a.m. on Sunday. Hotel cleaning staff later found a shower "full of blood" and blood on a bed, with a window covered by bedsheets.
Family and Hollywood Mourns
The Reiner family issued a statement expressing profound sorrow. "It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss," the statement read. Tracy Reiner, Rob's adopted daughter from his first marriage to Penny Marshall, told NBC News she was "in shock" and came from "the greatest family ever."
A statement from the couple's closest friends, including Billy Crystal, Albert Brooks, Martin Short, and Larry David, paid tribute: "They were a special force together — dynamic, unselfish and inspiring. We were their friends, and we will miss them forever." Crystal's representative also denied earlier reports that the actor was one of the first to see the bodies, clarifying he and his wife were not allowed near the house.
The entertainment world and fans across Canada and beyond continue to grapple with the shocking details of this Hollywood tragedy, as the legal case against Nick Reiner moves forward.
