Nick Reiner was reportedly given a heartbreaking diagnosis just weeks before the double murder of his parents.
Hollywood legend Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer were found brutally stabbed to death inside their Brentwood mansion on December 14 - and their own son is the man accused of killing them.
The couple’s 28-year-old daughter, Romy, discovered Reiner's body around 3:40 p.m. on that Sunday afternoon.
Shockingly, she had no idea her mother had also been killed until paramedics found Michele’s body elsewhere in the house. Their son, Nick, was nowhere to be found.
Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found dead on December 14. Credit: Amy Sussman / Getty
The 32-year-old was later arrested around 9:15 p.m. at a gas station roughly 15 miles away by the LAPD’s Gang and Narcotics Unit.
Investigators had tracked his movements in the hours after the murders - watching him walk the streets, buy a drink from a store, and briefly check into a Santa Monica hotel, where a blood-covered sink was later discovered.
Nick, who has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, is now at the center of one of the most shocking cases to hit Hollywood in years.
Nick Reiner is charged with his parents, Rob and Michele murders. Credit: Michael Buckner / Getty
Family Was Terrified Of Nick’s Mental State
In the weeks before the killings, Nick had been spiraling. He was, as reported by TMZ, diagnosed with schizophrenia and was undergoing treatment at an elite $70,000-a-month Los Angeles facility that caters to celebrities and the wealthy.
But a change in his medication just three to four weeks before the horrific murders reportedly pushed him over the edge. “Nick was out of his head,” a source told the outlet.
Doctors had altered his prescription in hopes of stabilizing him, but it backfired badly, especially when mixed with his ongoing substance abuse.
Rob’s Horrifying Confession About His Son
The former screenwriter had been battling addiction since he was 15 and had been in and out of more than a dozen rehab centers.
His behavior leading up to the murders had become “alarming,” with one of the final red flags emerging just hours before the tragedy.
During Conan O’Brien’s holiday party, Nick and his father reportedly got into a loud public argument. Friends said Rob seemed rattled.
One unnamed celebrity at Rob’s memorial recalled him saying, “I’m petrified of [Nick]. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I’m afraid of my son. I think my own son can hurt me,” as reported by the Daily Mail.
Witnesses described Nick’s behavior that night as unhinged. “Nick was freaking everyone out, acting crazy, kept asking people if they were famous,” a source told PEOPLE. Another said he interrupted a conversation with Bill Hader and stormed off.
When Romy alerted police after finding her father’s body, she reportedly warned them that her brother should be considered dangerous.
Reiner was schizophrenic, and his new medication was making him “out of his head,” according to a report. Credit: Laura Cavanaugh / Getty
Nick appeared in court for the first time this week wearing a suicide vest and sporting a blank stare. He only spoke to waive his right to a speedy arraignment by saying, “Yes, your honor.”
His next court date is scheduled for January 7, 2026. Prosecutors are currently debating whether to pursue the death penalty, though California has had a moratorium on executions since 2019.
While the 32-year-old may be behind bars, he could still end up using his late parents’ fortune to fund his legal team.
Rob and Michele had an estimated estate worth $200 million. Though California’s “Slayer Statute” prevents anyone convicted of “intentionally killing” someone from inheriting their estate, Nick might still be able to access funds to pay for his defense.
He's currently represented by powerhouse criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson, and questions have swirled about how he’s affording such top-tier legal help.
Estate planning attorney Scott Schomer told the New York Post that if Nick’s siblings - Jake and Romy - or any other beneficiaries approve it, the estate’s trustee could allow payments to cover his legal expenses.
“Sort of like a CEO to shareholders, a trustee works for the beneficiaries,” Schomer explained. “Maybe they want to see their brother defended.”
If a trust fund had been set up for Nick before the murders, he could still be receiving payments unless the trustees decide to stop distributions for violating the trust’s intent. Schomer added: “You shouldn’t profit from murdering someone.”
Attorney Neama Rahmani warned that if Nick is eventually convicted, the law will treat him as if he died before his parents, effectively cutting him off from any inheritance.
However, if he’s found not guilty by reason of insanity, civil litigation could still prevent him from collecting anything.