The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed that the esteemed director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele passed away due to multiple sharp force injuries.
The tragic incident occurred at their California residence in the early hours of Sunday morning, with previous reports from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office indicating that Rob and Michele were fatally stabbed.
Following this devastating event, their son, Nick Reiner, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder related to the incident.
Nick was apprehended not far from the University of Southern California just hours after the attack took place.
In a brief court appearance on Wednesday, Nick Reiner, shackled and wearing a blue anti-suicide smock, faced the charges against him.
During the court session, Nick waived his right to enter a plea. He remained mostly silent throughout his appearance and was not visible on camera. When Judge Theresa McGonigle inquired if he understood his right to a speedy trial, Nick simply responded with ‘yes, your honour,’ as reported by the BBC.
Nick is scheduled to return to court next month on January 7.
As proceedings unfolded in court, Jake and Romy, Nick’s grieving siblings, publicly expressed their sorrow over their parents’ passing for the first time.
In a statement shared with People, Jake and Romy conveyed their anguish: “Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day.
“The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.”
“We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life.
“We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.”
Rob Reiner was widely celebrated for his directorial work on iconic films such as When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, and The Princess Bride, along with his acting roles in The Wolf of Wall Street, and more recent appearances in New Girl and The Bear.
Michele, who married Rob in 1989, also had a career in the entertainment sector. She began as a photographer before transitioning into acting, appearing in the holiday film Mixed Nuts, and later producing several of her husband’s movies, including Shock and Awe and Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which was released this year.
The couple had three children together.