Rob Reiner and wife's pal said they 'never stopped being good parents'

Maria Shriver has paid a heartbreaking tribute to her close friends Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner after they were stabbed to death over the weekend.

In her heartfelt tribute, the journalist, 70, remembered the slain couple as devoted parents and lifelong optimists just hours after their son, Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested in connection with their deaths.

Shriver shared an emotional statement following news that the legendary director and his wife were found dead at their Brentwood home on Sunday.

'I loved Michele and Rob Reiner. They were among my closest friends,' Shriver wrote. 'We raised our kids together, from mommy and me on up. We laughed together, we cried together, we played together, we dreamed together.'

She revealed the couples had recently spent time together, adding: 'We had dinner this past week, and they were in the best place in the their lives: loving one another, loving their friends, their family, their country.'

Shriver went on to praise the couple's commitment to both family and public life, writing: 'They never gave up on our country. They wanted to make it better. They always, always wanted to make our world better, and they were willing to fight to make it the country they loved.'

Of their parenting, she added: 'They loved their kids so much, and they never stopped trying to be really good parents.'

'I'm so sad for them,' Shriver continued. 'I'm devastated, gutted, shocked, stunned, and so deeply saddened, as are all of the people who loved them and who they loved.'

Read More

Rob Reiner's final hours revealed as eldest daughter breaks silence on double murder

She concluded her tribute by writing: 'I hope people remember them as two deeply talented, kind, fun, loving, good, patriotic people who loved each other deeply. 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.'

Shriver's post was met with an outpouring of support from friends and fans. 

Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming commented: 'I'm so sorry for your loss Maria,' while Shriver's son Patrick Schwarzenegger left a single red heart emoji.

Jason Kennedy wrote: 'We are hugging you extra tight right now and are praying for peace over you and all who loved them.'

Others described the tragedy as 'unimaginable,' with one commenter calling Reiner 'so beloved around Brentwood,' recalling seeing him at local spots and describing him as 'like a big teddy bear.'

Shriver's tribute came shortly after reports broke that the couple's son, Nick, had been arrested.

 Nick, 32, was taken into custody on suspicion of murder after Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 68, were found dead inside their $13.5 million Brentwood mansion.

On Monday, Los Angeles police confirmed in a new statement that Nick is 'responsible' for the deaths of his parents. 

Nick, who struggled with addiction, is currently being held at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles without bail.

According to People, the Los Angeles Fire Department was called to the residence shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Sunday to provide medical aid, but first responders found both victims deceased at the scene. 

The Los Angeles Police Department later confirmed its robbery-homicide division is leading the investigation.

At a press conference later that day, authorities said a 'family member' was being questioned, according to the Los Angeles Times. Officials have not released further details about the circumstances of the deaths.

A law enforcement source who spoke to the Associated Press said investigators believe the couple suffered fatal stab wounds. Police have not publicly confirmed a motive.

According to earlier reporting, the couple's daughter Romy Reiner, 28, who lives nearby, discovered their parents' bodies and alerted authorities.

Rob and Michele Reiner, who married in 1989, shared three children: Jake, 34, Nick, and Romy. 

Reiner also adopted Tracy Reiner, 61, during his first marriage to the late Penny Marshall.

Nick Reiner has previously spoken publicly about struggles with substance abuse.

In a 2018 podcast appearance, he described destroying a guest house while under the influence of drugs, saying he had been 'totally spun out on uppers' and awake for days.

A spokesperson for the Reiner family confirmed the deaths in a statement, saying: '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.'