On December 14, Rob Reiner and his wife were discovered dead, sadly turning their house into a murder scene.
As the Oscar-winning filmmaker of several iconic movies, including This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Stand by Me (1986), and When Harry Met Sally (1989), Rob had a storied career in Hollywood. In addition, he was well-known on television, having initially gained notoriety as Mike Stivic on the late Norman Lear’s sitcom All in the Family.
Even after the program ended in the late 1970s, Lear and Rob stayed close. According to the Los Angeles Times, Rob and his spouse bought Lear’s house in Brentwood, California, in 1991. They stayed there for many years until their deaths.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) informed PEOPLE on December 14 that after being called to the residence to administer medical assistance, they found a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman deceased. Later, sources confirmed that Rob and Michele were the victims. Since then, their son Nick has been arrested in relation to the deaths of his parents and is being jailed on a $4 million bond.
Everything you need to know about Rob Reiner’s house
In 1991, Rob Reiner purchased the house from Norman Lear, years after Henry Fonda had constructed it.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Rob and his wife, Michele, bought Lear’s long-standing Brentwood house in 1991. The actor moved to Brentwood, a suburban area on the west side of Los Angeles, after growing up in Beverly Hills, California.
According to the outlet, Rob purchased the 10,000-square-foot, two-story, New England-style house with six bedrooms, six bathrooms, and two staff quarters. The house had gardens, a tennis court on a lot across the street, a swimming pool, and a pool pavilion at the time of purchase.
The house was originally constructed and owned by Oscar winner Henry Fonda in 1936 before being sold to Casablanca actor Paul Henreid. Lear had owned it since 1972.
Reiner said it was “exactly the kind of house” he always wanted
Rob talked further about how he ended up purchasing Lear’s mansion during a February 2015 broadcast on PBS. He explained that years prior, when the two were both performing in All in the Family, he used to go and play tennis at the house.
“I would go over there, and I used to say, ‘Boy, if ever I get money, if ever I have some money to buy a house, this is the kind of house that I would like,'” he remarked, praising the property’s “New England charm.”
The house was packed with political events
Rob was well known for his political engagement before he passed away, and his house was the site of numerous conversations and get-togethers.
Rob revealed during his PBS presentation that Lear had “a lot of political functions” in the home during his time there. “Well, you’re not going to have, like, many political things, are you?” the Brentwood Park Association asked Rob when he proposed an addition to the house.
Rob continued by saying that Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, and former President Bill Clinton had all attended. “It’s like we did the exact opposite,” he laughed.
“A lot of political things have floated through that house,” the actor went on.
In December 2025, Rob and Michele were discovered dead inside the house.
Two victims were discovered dead when the LAFD arrived at a Brentwood residence on December 14 after being summoned to give medical assistance. According to sources, Rob and Michele were the victims, and their son Nick has been arrested in connection with the murders, though police have not yet verified the story.
