Maria Shriver Says Rob Reiner and Wife Michele ‘Were in the Best Place’ Before Deaths: ‘We Had Dinner This Past Week’

Maria Shriver is remembering her close friends Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner following their deaths.

The director, 78, and his producer wife, 68, were found dead inside their Los Angeles home on Sunday, Dec. 14. Their 32-year-old son Nick has been arrested by police and is being held on $4 million bail.

In an Instagram post on Monday, Dec. 15, Shriver wrote that the couple “were among my closest friends,” adding that she was “devastated, gutted, shocked, stunned, and so deeply saddened” by the news.

“We raised our kids together, from mommy and me on up,” she shared. “We laughed together, we cried together, we played together, we dreamed together.”

Shriver said she had seen them recently and described them as being in a joyful, grounded chapter of life. “We had dinner this past week,” she wrote, adding that they were “in the best place in their lives: loving one another, loving their friends, their family, their country.” She reflected on their belief in service and improvement, writing that they “never gave up on our country” and were always willing to fight for the better world they hoped to see.

Added Shriver, “I loved them, and I knew they loved me, for any friend like that is such a gift. They gave me and all their friends that gift all the time.”

She also emphasized how devoted they were to their family, writing that Rob and Michele “loved their kids so much” and “never stopped trying to be really good parents.” The pair, who married in 1989, shared three children — Jake, Nick and Romy — and Rob also had a daughter, Tracy, with his late ex-wife Penny Marshall.

“I hope people remember them as two deeply talented, kind, fun, loving, good, patriotic people who loved each other deeply,” Shriver wrote. “I’ll miss you, Michele. I’ll miss you, Rob. I love you both. Thank you for your friendship. God bless you both. Life will not be the same without you here, that’s for sure.”

Comedian Eric Idle also paid tribute, saying he had spoken with Rob shortly before the couple were found dead. On X, Idle wrote, “Rob Reiner was a lovely man. I spoke to him last night for over an hour. I always enjoyed his company. … This is so awful. I shall miss him. A clever, talented and very thoughtful man. So awful.”

Rob’s close friend and collaborator Christopher Guest and his wife Jamie Lee Curtis also shared their grief in a statement following the news.

“Christopher and I are numb and sad and shocked about the violent, tragic deaths of our dear friends Rob and Michele Singer Reiner and our ONLY focus and care right now is for their children and immediate families and we will offer all support possible to help them,” Curtis said, adding, “We have lost great friends. Please give us time to grieve.”