Jake Reiner speaks publicly about grief after parents' murders and brother's arrest
Jake Reiner, son of the late director Rob Reiner and actress Michele Singer Reiner, discussed his ongoing grief and his decision not to communicate with his brother, who is charged with their murders.
Jake Reiner, 35, sat for his first televised interview since the December killings of his parents, director Rob Reiner and actress Michele Singer Reiner, and the subsequent arrest of his brother, Nick Reiner. He told KABC-TV that he has not spoken to Nick and has not attended any court hearings involving him.
Reiner described the loss as feeling like “eight years at the same time, and it also feels like eight minutes,” adding that each day reminds him of the reality he now lives with. He said the tragedy has generated intense anger, noting, "> I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out. I will never understand why this happened," and that the situation feels “infuriating.”
The murders occurred on Dec. 14 in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, where Rob and Michele Reiner were found stabbed to death. Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested hours later and has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder. He has a history of drug addiction and mental-health challenges and co-wrote the 2016 film “Being Charlie” with his father.
Jake recounted learning of his parents’ deaths while at Union Station for a friend’s celebration of life, saying he rushed to his parents’ home after his sister Romy called. He declined to comment on whether he was surprised that his brother was the primary suspect.
In a prior Substack post, Jake wrote that the family lost “more than half of our family that night in the most violent way imaginable,” confirming that his brother was included in that loss. He highlighted his parents’ ongoing efforts to help Nick, noting the film project as an attempt by his father to connect with his son.
Looking ahead, Jake said he plans to continue his parents’ legacy by working with the Children’s Institute, an organization that supports children and families, and will attend its gala in November. He emphasized his sense of responsibility to keep his parents’ memory alive.
Nick Reiner’s legal case remains active; he has filed a petition to access a $1.5 million trust fund to fund his defense, a matter Jake declined to discuss.