Actor-director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele have been found in the United States, with law enforcement officials investigating the circumstances in an apparent homicide, the Los Angeles Police Department has said.
“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner,” a spokesperson for the Reiner family said.
“We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”
A Los Angeles Fire Department official had said earlier that a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were found dead at a home in west Los Angeles.
Mr Reiner, 78, directed several well known movies, including The Princess Bride, This is Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally, Stand by Me and The American President.
He also co-starred in the 1970s hit CBS television comedy All in the Family.
A police patrol car behind police tape blocking access to a house in Los Angeles
His 68-year-old wife, Michele, was at one time a photographer who took the photo of Donald Trump that appears on the cover of his book Trump: The Art of the Deal.
Aside from his Hollywood career, Mr Reiner, a native of New York City and son of the late comedy writer and actor Carl Reiner, was well known for his political activism.
He featured in advertisements taking aim at George W Bush in the 2004 presidential election and supported then-Democratic candidate John Kerry.
He also showed support for Democratic presidential hopefuls Al Gore and Hillary Clinton.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said he and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, are “heartbroken by the tragic loss of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.”
“Rob was the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love, with projects as wide-ranging as ‘The Princess Bride’ to ‘A Few Good Men.’ His boundless empathy made his stories timeless, teaching generations how to see goodness and righteousness in others – and encouraging us to dream bigger,” Newsom said in a statement.
“That empathy extended well beyond his films. Rob was a passionate advocate for children and for civil rights – from taking on Big Tobacco to fighting for marriage equality to serving as a powerful voice in early education. He made California a better place through his good works.”
“Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contribution to humanity,” Newsom said.
Mr Reiner was first married to Penny Marshall, who played Laverne in Laverne & Shirley and was also a producer and director.
He later married actor Michele Singer, with whom he has three children.