Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with ABC News, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
