Spinal Tap director Rob Reiner and wife Michele confirmed dead in apparent homicide

15 Dec 2025, 06:19 · Louder

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By Fraser Lewry ( Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Louder ) published 15 December 2025

Los Angeles police are reportedly interviewing a family member in connection with the couple's death

Rob Reiner in conversation at the premiere of Spinal Tap II: The End Continues in September (Image credit: John Lamparski/Getty Images)

Rob Reiner, the Hollywood filmmaker, actor and comedian, has been killed in an apparent homicide alongside his wife, the actress and photographer Michele Reiner. Rob Reiner was 78 and his wife 68.

"It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner," a family spokesperson says in a statement. "We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time."

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed they received a call on Sunday afternoon local time to attend an incident at a home on Chadbourne Avenue in Brentwood, Los Angeles, and that two deceased people were found at the address.

Meanwhile, unnamed law enforcement sources have told the Los Angeles Times that the Reiners had injuries consistent with being stabbed, and that a family member is being interviewed in connection with the deaths.

"We have not identified a suspect at this time,” LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told a press conference on Sunday night. “No one has been detained."

Reiner's directorial debut was the classic music business satire This Is Spinal Tap, in which he played the documentary maker Marti di Bergi. He would go on to make a string of acclaimed movies, including Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men. This year, he returned to his first film to make a long-awaited sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.

"This is a devastating loss for our city and our country," says Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass. "Rob Reiner's contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice."

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"Rob was the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love, with projects as wide-ranging as The Princess Bride to A Few Good Men," California Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom say in a statement. "His boundless empathy made his stories timeless, teaching generations how to see goodness and righteousness in others – and encouraging us to dream bigger.

"That empathy extended well beyond his films. Rob was a passionate advocate for children and for civil rights – from taking on Big Tobacco to fighting for marriage equality to serving as a powerful voice in early education. He made California a better place through his good works.

"Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contribution to humanity."

Fraser Lewry
Online Editor, Classic Rock

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 39 years in music industry, online for 26. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.

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