Rob and Michele Reiner’s children Jake and Romy broke their silence in a statement on Tuesday after their brother Nick was charged with first-degree murder on Tuesday following the death of his parents on Dec. 14.
“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience,” read the statement. “They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.”
The Reiners continued by sharing their gratitude for the support. “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,” the statement continued. “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.”
Sources previously told People that Rob and Michele’s daughter Romy found their bodies. The couple were found dead at their Los Angeles home Sunday afternoon, Dec. 14. Nick was arrested at 9:15 local time after Los Angeles Police Department investigators “determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide,” and that Nick was “responsible for their deaths.”
If convicted as charged, Nick would face a maximum sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole or potentially the death penalty, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said at a press conference announcing the charges Tuesday.
Defense lawyer Alan Jackson confirmed to Rolling Stone on Tuesday that he is representing Nick and that his client had not been “medically cleared” to be transported to court as of Tuesday.
Rob Reiner, who played Meathead in the sitcom All in the Family before his run as the director of beloved 1980s movies This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, When Harry Met Sally…, The Princess Bride, and A Few Good Men, previously worked with Nick on the 2016 movie Being Charlie. Nick co-wrote the script, loosely based on his struggles with heroin addiction, and Reiner directed the film.
According to Rolling Stone sources, Nick showed “antisocial behavior” during Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party on Dec. 13. The sources said Rob and Michele asked if they could bring Nick to the party out of concern for him and to “keep an eye on him.”
