We previously reported that the former All In The Family star Rob Reiner was found dead along with his wife Michelle on Sunday. They were allegedly murdered by their own son Nick, who has since been arrested.
The murders came just one day after the 100th birthday of Dick Van Dyke, who had known the Reiner family for years. Indeed, it was Rob’s late father Carl Reiner who created The Dick Van Dyke Show way back in 1961.
Van Dyke’s wife Arlene Silver, 54, took to Instagram on Monday to post an emotional video in which she honored Rob and Michelle. She also revealed just how much Van Dyke has been struggling with their murders.
Van Dyke ‘Didn’t Sleep’ After The Murders
“Such a weird, wonderful, awful weekend,” Silver began, adding that she “can’t not talk about this horrible thing. I mean, Dick’s birthday was so amazing, so over-the-top beautiful, and then this. I was relieved and happy, and then this happened yesterday.”
Silver went on to say that after learning about the Reiners’ murders, Van Dyke “didn’t sleep.” Indeed, the former Mary Poppins star “wanted to stay up” to learn more information.
“We didn’t know what happened,” she explained. “It just said, the first reports are two people found in the house.”
Van Dyke had known Rob since the latter was a teenager. As for Silver, she had been a fan of Rob’s work long before she ever got the chance to meet him.
“And then Rob and Carl [Reiner] were the first people I ever met with Dick,” she recalled. “Rob and Michele were always together, like Dick and I. And I always felt part of the Reiner family; they always treated me like part of their family. And this is just unbelievable.”
‘It’s Terrible…’
“I can’t imagine if Norman Lear and Carl were alive for this,” Silver lamented. This was a reference to Rob’s close friend and former boss Lear, the All in the Family creator. Carl died in 2020 at the age of 98. Lear later passed away himself in December of 2023 at the age of 101.
The Lear family has since told The Hollywood Reporter that they were “devastated” by Rob and Michele’s deaths.
“Norman often referred to Rob as a son, and their close relationship was extraordinary, to us and the world,” the family added.
Silver ended her video by highlighting just how difficult it is for her and Van Dyke to grapple with this unspeakable tragedy.
“It’s terrible,” Silver concluded. “I want to celebrate Dick, I want to keep doing that, but I also want to acknowledge this horrible thing.”
Rob And Michelle Found Dead
Rob, 78, and Michelle, 68, were found dead by their daughter Romy, 28, at around 3:30pm on Sunday. They had both been stabbed to death, with each of their throats being slit.
Romy immediately told police that her troubled older brother Nick, 32, “should be a suspect” because he is “dangerous.” Nick had long been open with his struggles with addiction and mental health. He was living in his parents’ guesthouse on their property at the time of their deaths.
Nick was arrested by police around six hours after his parents’ bodies were found. By then, he had checked into a nearby hotel, and his room was covered in blood. Nick has since been charged with the double murders. If convicted, he’s potentially facing the death penalty.
The murders of Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle have left millions shocked all over the world. We can’t imagine how Van Dyke and others who were close to the couple are feeling right now.
Please join us in saying a prayer for all of the Reiners’ loved ones during this unspeakably tragic time.