Director Rob Reiner, wife Michele have died, family spokesperson confirms after bodies found in LA home
Two people were found dead at the Los Angeles home of actor-director Rob Reiner, with law enforcement officials investigating the circumstances in an apparent homicide, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said in a statement on Sunday.
The LAPD gave no details about the identities of the two deceased individuals. But a Los Angeles Fire Department official told Reuters earlier that a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were found dead at a home in west Los Angeles at an address that public records linked to Rob.
A spokesperson for the Reiner family was quoted by CNN as saying, “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.” The New York Post and People Magazine also confirmed the couple’s passing from sources in law enforcement.
Condolences have already begun to pour in, with California Governor Gavin Newsom saying he was “heartbroken” by Rob’s passing and calling the director a “big-hearted genius”. The mayor of Los Angeles called his death a “devastating loss for our city and country”.
Actor Elijah Wood said he was “horrified” to hear of the deaths and sent love to the couple’s children. Musician Sean Ono Lennon — son of Beatles member John Lennon and Yoko Ono —called Rob “one of the greatest of all time”.
Reiner, 78, co-starred in the 1970s hit CBS television comedy All in the Family and directed several well-known movies, including The Princess Bride, This is Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally, Stand by Me and A Few Good Men.
His wife, Michele, 68, was at one time a photographer who took the photo of Donald Trump that appears on the cover of his book, Trump: The Art of the Deal.
Aside from his Hollywood career, Rob, a native of New York City and son of the late comedy writer and actor Carl Reiner, was well known for his political activism.
He featured in advertisements taking aim at George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election and supported then-Democratic candidate John Kerry. He also showed support for Democratic presidential hopefuls Al Gore and Hillary Clinton.
The director was first married to Penny Marshall, who played Laverne in Laverne & Shirley and was also a producer and director. He later married actor Michele Singer, with whom he has three children.
Cover photo: Reuters
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