The official cause of death for Rob and Michele Reiner has been revealed, following their son Nick Reiner's first appearance in court in connection with the double homicide case. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed that the couple died from multiple sharp-force injuries.
Online records indicate that the Hollywood icon and his photographer wife died on Sunday, the same day their bodies were found inside their $13.5 million home. Authorities have officially ruled both deaths as homicides, noting that the couple died inside their home. However, it is not clear if they were asleep when killed. The medical examiner's office said their bodies are now cleared to be released.
Killed on Same Day Bodies Were Found
Nick Reiner was arrested on Sunday and formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his father, 78, and his mother, 70. Prosecutors have also alleged special circumstances, including that there were multiple victims and that a knife was used.
If convicted, Nick could face life in prison without the possibility of parole or even the death penalty.
The 32-year-old appeared briefly in court on Wednesday, wearing an anti-suicide vest. He did not enter a plea at the hearing. His high-profile attorney, Alan Jackson, requested a delay in the proceedings, telling the judge he needed additional time to prepare the defense.
When the judge asked blank-faced Nick "if he agreed that his arraignment should be continued, he answered, "Yes, your honor."
His arraignment has been rescheduled for January 7, and the judge ordered that he remain in custody without bail. After the hearing, Jackson spoke briefly to reporters, urging the public not to jump to conclusions and to allow the legal process to play out.
"This is a devastating tragedy that has befallen the Reiner family," Jackson said.
"There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case. These need to be thoroughly and very carefully dealt with.
"We ask that throughout this process you allow the system to move forward in the way that it was designed to move forward, not with a rush to judgment."
Family Speaks Out
Soon after the hearing ended, the couple's other children, Romy and Jake, shared a deeply emotional statement on their parents' deaths. "Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day," the grieving siblings said.
"The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience.
"They weren't just our parents; they were our best friends. We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life."
In their statement, the siblings asked for "respect and privacy" during an unimaginably painful time, and appealed to the public to approach any discussion or speculation with "compassion and humanity."
Jake and Romy said they hope their parents will be remembered not for how they died, but for the remarkable lives they led — their father's lasting legacy in Hollywood and their mother's work as an acclaimed photographer — and, above all, for the love they shared with those around them.
The couple was found dead on Sunday afternoon after a massage therapist, unable to gain entry to the home, contacted Romy and asked her to come over. She later found her parents inside the residence.
A source said the two were killed in their bed, their throats slashed.
