Nick Reiner had been prescribed medication for schizophrenia at some point before he allegedly killed his parents, Hollywood legend Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner, according to two sources with knowledge of the investigation.
It is unclear the name of the drug and how long he had been prescribed it. No other details were available. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
Reiner, 32, was charged with two counts of murder on Tuesday, and could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said that no decision had been made on seeking capital punishment in the Reiners’ slayings. Such reviews normally take months. A judge approved attorney Alan Jackson’s request Wednesday to continue Reiner’s arraignment to Jan. 7. He did not enter a plea.
Nick Reiner appeared in court Wednesday wearing a blue suicide prevention smock frequently worn by defendants who pose a risk of self-harm.
He had struggled for years with addiction and spoken publicly about his challenges.
As a teenager, Nick said in interviews, he became addicted to heroin, cycling in and out of rehabilitation centers and experiencing bouts of homelessness.
He had gotten clean by 2015, when he co-wrote “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted young man whose father is a cold, former movie star running for governor of California. Rob Reiner directed the film, which was co-written with Matt Elisofon.
Nick praised his parents for helping him find sobriety. But he also said he felt guilty disappointing them and was trying to figure out his own path.
Prosecutors say Reiner fatally stabbed his 78-year-old father and 70-year-old mother sometime in the early morning hours Dec. 14. Their bodies were found in the master bedroom of their home around 3:40 p.m. that day, authorities have said.
A massage therapist arrived at the couple’s home and, upon not receiving an answer, called their daughter, Romy Reiner, 27, who lives nearby. She discovered the scene and had a friend call 911, according to a source who was not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office confirmed their deaths were the result of homicide, listing the cause as “multiple sharp force injuries” in its public database on Wednesday.
During a 2015 interview with The Times at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the film premiered, Rob said he regretted valuing the advice of counselors over the voice of his son as he and his wife tried to keep Nick in rehab.
“When Nick would tell us that it wasn’t working for him, we wouldn’t listen,” he said. “We were desperate, and because the people had diplomas on their wall, we listened to them when we should have been listening to our son.”
Michele added: “We were so influenced by these people. They would tell us he’s a liar, that he was trying to manipulate us. And we believed them.”
After the couple’s deaths, one family friend said Rob and Michele “did everything for Nick. Every treatment program, therapy sessions and put aside their lives to save Nick’s repeatedly.” The friend said that they had “never known a family so dedicated to a child” and that “to have it end this way is awful.”
