Billy Crystal, Albert Brooks and Close Friends Rally Around Rob Reiner’s Children After Tragic Murders
Close friends of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner are stepping in to surround the couple’s surviving children with support following one of Hollywood’s most devastating tragedies in recent memory.
In the wake of the couple’s deaths and the arrest of their son Nick Reiner on murder charges, those closest to the Reiner family say siblings Jake Reiner and Romy Reiner are being protected by a powerful and deeply loyal inner circle.
“Rob and Michele were truly beloved,” a source familiar with the family tells PEOPLE. “Their friends — including Billy Crystal and Albert Brooks — are more than colleagues. They are family, and they are fiercely protective of Rob and Michele’s children.”
According to the source, Jake, 34, and Romy, 28, are showing remarkable resilience despite the shock of the tragedy. “They will never be alone as they try to face this,” the source explains. “They are being incredibly strong, and they have a huge support system they can lean on.”
Rob Reiner also had a daughter, Tracy Reiner, from his first marriage to late filmmaker Penny Marshall, who died in 2018.
Rob, 78, and Michele, 70, were found dead inside their Brentwood, California home on Sunday, December 14. Authorities later confirmed that both died from multiple sharp force injuries. Nick Reiner, 32 — who has publicly spoken in the past about long-standing struggles with addiction — was arrested later that evening and formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Nick appeared in court on December 17 alongside his attorney Alan Jackson, who declined to enter a plea on his client’s behalf. His arraignment is scheduled to continue on January 7. Legal proceedings remain ongoing, and authorities have emphasized that charges are not evidence.
Those close to the family say the shock has been profound. “This nightmare came out of nowhere,” the source adds. “But Jake and Romy have been surrounded with support from the second they learned what had happened.”
In a joint statement released on December 17, Jake and Romy publicly acknowledged the loss and the compassion they have received.
“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,” the siblings wrote. “This is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents — they were our best friends.”
The statement continued, “We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends, but from people from all walks of life.”
The siblings also asked for privacy and restraint as the investigation continues. “We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.”
A day earlier, Rob and Michele’s closest friends released a separate joint statement honoring the couple’s legacy. The message was signed by Billy Crystal and his wife Janice, Albert Brooks and his wife Kimberly, Martin Short, Larry David, and several other longtime friends and collaborators.
In the tribute, they praised Rob not only as a legendary filmmaker but as a deeply committed citizen. “He cared passionately about this country and did everything he could to make it better,” the statement read. “With his loving wife Michele, he had the perfect partner.”
The friends concluded by describing the couple as “a special force together — dynamic, unselfish, and inspiring,” adding, “We were their friends, and we will miss them forever.”
As the legal process unfolds, those closest to the Reiners remain focused on protecting the family’s privacy — and ensuring that Rob and Michele Reiner are remembered for their decades of creativity, generosity, and love.
