Director Rob Reiner Has Died; Police Investigating Homicide in Brentwood

Police are conducting a ‘death investigation’ after two deceased individuals were found in a Brentwood home Sunday.

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Famed Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner have died, a family spokesperson said Sunday.

Rob Reiner was found dead at his LA home on Sunday night. He was 78. REUTERS/Aude Guerrucci/File Photo (REUTERS)

Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said authorities responded to a call on the 200 block of Chadbourne Ave. in Brentwood on Sunday afternoon and found two deceased individuals. An LA Fire Department spokeswoman said the department found a dead man, aged approximately 78 years old, and a dead woman who was about 68 years old.

“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 family spokesperson said.

Reiner, who became a household name in the 1970s for his role as the outspoken liberal son-in-law on “All in the Family,” became one of Hollywood’s most accomplished film directors of the 1980s and 1990s, with credits including “This is Spinal Tap,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “The Princess Bride,” “Misery” and “A Few Good Men.” He slowed down his filmmaking work in recent years, but directed a sequel to “Spinal Tap,” which was released in September.

Police are conducting a “death investigation,” Hamilton said in a press conference from the neighborhood and referred to the incident as a “homicide.” He said the LAPD hadn’t identified a suspect or person of interest and that no one had been detained or interviewed. He said the Los Angeles County coroner would confirm the victims’ identities.

As of the time of the press conference, Hamilton said the house was in “the exact same state as when the officers arrived,” and that police were working to obtain a search warrant to access the property. He said many family members would be interviewed as part of the investigation.

Yellow police tape stretched across several blocks of dark, tree-lined streets in Brentwood, a wealthy Los Angeles neighborhood near Santa Monica. A cluster of neighbors stood on a driveway inside the police tape, talking quietly and looking toward Chadbourne. A helicopter droned overhead.

Reiner was an outspoken advocate for liberal causes and donor to Democratic Party candidates. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued statements mourning the Reiners.

Bass called their deaths a “devastating loss for our city and our country” and said Reiner’s contributions “reverberate throughout American culture and society.” Newsom said Reiner and his wife had fought for LGTBQ+ rights and early childhood development.

Write to Laura J. Nelson at laura.nelson@wsj.com and Ben Fritz at ben.fritz@wsj.com