Michele and Rob Reiner died of “multiple sharp force injuries”, according to new records released by the Los Angeles County medical examiner.
Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of the famous filmmaker, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder after Rob, 78, and Michele, 68, were found dead from apparent stab wounds in their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, on Sunday.
The medical examiner’s initial findings determined the manner of death to be “homicide”, according to new records released on Wednesday.
The office said more investigation was needed before further details could be disclosed publicly, but that both bodies were ready to be released to the family.
Nick appeared in court on Wednesday wearing what seemed to be a suicide prevention vest and spoke only to agree to the date of his arraignment, US media reported.
The case was scheduled for a January 7 arraignment.
Nick has not entered a plea, according to his lawyer Alan Jackson.
Nick’s brother Jake and sister Romy asked “for respect and privacy” in a statement released to US publications through a family spokesperson.
“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,” they said.
“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.”
They said they were “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”.
Mr Jackson previously represented disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein during a Los Angeles trial as well as US actor Kevin Spacey.
Outside the court, he said the circumstances around the situation were complex and urged the public “not with a rush to judgment, not with jumping to conclusions”.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Los Angeles district attorney Nathan Hochman said no decision had been made on whether to seek the death penalty in the case.
Rob Reiner was one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood. His work includes some of the most memorable films of the 1980s and 1990s, including This Is Spinal Tap, A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally, and The Princess Bride.
Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen. But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 15, 2025
Nick worked with his father on the 2016 film Being Charlie, which was loosely inspired by Nick’s experience of addiction and attending rehab.
The film, which he co-wrote, was directed by Rob and follows the son of a US governor, Charlie, played by Nick Robinson, as he battles with drug abuse.
In an interview with People, Nick explained that the film was not about him. However, parts of the story he had experienced himself, including going to rehab throughout his teenage years and his own experiences of homelessness and spending “weeks” on the streets for refusing to return to a rehab facility.
On Wednesday, Meg Ryan, who worked with Reiner on When Harry Met Sally, paid tribute to the couple and said their deaths were an “impossible tragedy”.
In an Instagram post, she said: “Oh how we will miss this man.”
“Thank you, Rob and Michele, for the way you believe in true love, in fairy tales, and in laughter. Thank you for your faith in the best in people, and for your profound love of our country.”
A group of the Reiners’ friends, including actors Billy Crystal, Albert Brooks, Martin Short and Larry David, as well as director Barry Levinson, released a statement describing them as “a special force together – dynamic, unselfish and inspiring”.
The statement, released to the Associated Press, said: “Rob was a passionate, brave citizen, who not only cared for this country he loved, he did everything he could to make it better and with his loving wife Michele, he had the perfect partner.”
Other tributes have poured in for the couple, including from former US president Barack Obama, former US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi, and singer Sir Elton John, who featured in the sequel to his 1984 mockumentary film Spinal Tap released in September this year and titled Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.
Elsewhere, US president Donald Trump has faced backlash for a post on Truth Social where he said Reiner and his wife died “reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as Trump Derangement Syndrome”.
