Nick Reiner diagnosed with schizophrenia prior to parents’ killings
Nick Reiner, son of late Hollywood director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was receiving psychiatric care in the weeks leading up to the fatal stabbing of his parents.
The couple was found dead in their Brentwood home, with their daughter reportedly discovering their bodies in the master bedroom around 3:40 p.m. on Dec. 16. Following an investigation, Nick was charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Reports indicate that in the weeks before the murders, changes in his medication reportedly made Nick more “erratic and dangerous.” He had been under psychiatric care and had recently attended a Los Angeles rehab facility focused on substance abuse and mental health treatment. Sources say his behavior deteriorated in the month prior to the killings despite efforts to adjust his medications.
The 32-year-old had a long history of addiction, entering rehab over 18 times by age 22. He had also been open about his struggles with drugs and homelessness, which inspired the 2015 film Being Charlie, written by Nick and directed by his father.
On Dec. 13, the family reportedly argued at a party hosted by Conan O’Brien, where Nick appeared disoriented and under the influence. The family returned home afterward, with Nick staying in the guest house. The following morning, staff at Santa Monica’s Pierside Hotel found blood in his shower and on the bed after he checked in.
Surveillance video later showed Nick at a gas station purchasing a bottled beverage, and he was arrested hours after his parents’ deaths near the Expo/Vermont Metro Station.
Nick made his first court appearance at an arraignment hearing on Dec. 18, wearing an anti-suicide vest and handcuffs. The arraignment was postponed until Jan. 7, as his attorney, Alan Jackson, stated he was not medically cleared to attend.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the case as “some of the most challenging and heart-wrenching” due to the intimate nature of family crimes. The couple’s children, Jake and Romy Reiner, released a statement describing their grief, calling the loss of their parents “horrific and devastating.”
Nick is being held without bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles. If convicted on all charges, he could face life in prison or the death penalty, though no decision has been made on pursuing capital punishment.
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