The legendary director and his wife's son, Nick Reiner, was charged with the murder of his parents

Michele Reiner’s sister, Martine Singer, has opened up about the death of her sibling and director Rob Reiner, to whom her sister was married. Singer discussed their tragic loss in the wake of news that Jamie Lee Curtis will be honored by the inaugural Michele and Rob Reiner Champion for Change Award. Singer is president and CEO at Los Angeles’ Children’s Institute, the organization handing out the recognition.

“Our lives are changed forever,” Singer told Extra in regards to the Reiner’s children, Jake and Romy. “I suppose you heal from a wound, but the scar is there. It’s a really hard thing to describe because it never goes away.”

Singer said that everyone in their family is “healing in his or her own way.” She added, “I’ll never be my sister and I can never be what’s missing in their lives, but I consider them my kids. There’s no daylight between us.”

Singer said that the couple had always been supportive of her work. “They were the most caring, generous, brilliant people,” said Singer. “They did a lot to try to heal the world and it’s everybody’s responsibility to do their part.”

Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner were stabbed to death on Dec. 14, 2025. A grand jury indicted their son Nick on two counts of first-degree murder and added a new special circumstance allegation that he committed the murders by means of lying in wait. Nick also faces a special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon — a knife during the alleged killing.

Nick has pleaded not guilty to killing his parents on Dec. 14, 2025, inside the family’s Brentwood home in California. His sister, Romy, discovered the bodies and later testified before the grand jury. His older brother, Jake Reiner, also testified, according to court records.