The eldest son of slain filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner has described the eight months since his parents’ killings as a “living nightmare” in his first sit-down interview since their deaths, it was reported Thursday.
Jake Reiner, 34, spoke about the loss of his parents, the arrest of his younger brother in their killings and his efforts to move forward in an interview with ABC 7.
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” Jake Reiner told the station. “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.”
Rob and Michele Reiner were found stabbed to death at their Brentwood home Dec. 14, 2025. Their son Nick Reiner, 32, was indicted on two counts of murder, along with an allegation that he was lying in wait.
Jake Reiner said he learned something was wrong when his younger sister, Romy, called him twice while he attended a celebration of life for a high school friend at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.
“Romy called me, and I screened it, because I thought at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he said. “And then, she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.”
Jake Reiner said his sister told him their father was dead and that she could not find their mother.
“I immediately went into shock,” he said.
Reiner, a former television news reporter, told the station he had covered crime scenes during his decade-long journalism career, but arriving at his childhood home that night proved unlike anything he had experienced professionally.
“… when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen,” he said.
Jake Reiner said he also learned that night that Los Angeles police considered his brother, Nick, a prime suspect. He declined to say whether that surprised him.
“He’s in jail,” Jake Reiner 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.”
Jake and Romy Reiner largely stayed out of the public eye following their parents’ deaths before appearing Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium to take part in a ceremonial first pitch. Jake Reiner said the stadium held special significance for their father, a longtime Dodgers fan and season-ticket holder.
As his brother’s criminal case proceeds, Jake Reiner said he is focusing on preserving his parents’ legacy through work with Children’s Institute, which provides education and support services to children and families. His aunt, Martine Singer, serves as the organization’s president and CEO, and his parents were longtime supporters.
The organization’s Nov. 8 Cape & Gown Gala at the Beverly Wilshire will include a new Rob and Michele Reiner Champion for Change Award, which will be presented to actress Jamie Lee Curtis, according to the station. Jake Reiner plans to attend the event in his parents’ place.
“I don’t necessarily know that I have this weight on my shoulders to carry on their legacy, but I do feel responsible for making sure people know them and they remember them,” he said.
Jake Reiner said he has not spoken with his brother since the killings and declined to say whether he wants to. He has not attended Nick Reiner’s court hearings but testified before the grand jury that indicted him, according to the station.
With the first anniversary of his parents’ deaths approaching in December, Reiner said he remains unable to comprehend what happened.
“I’ll never understand,” he said. “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.”