Nick Reiner diagnosed with schizophrenia before alleged double homicide

Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia prior to the alleged killing of his parents, according to information confirmed by Rolling Stone.

Rob Reiner and his wife, photographer and producer Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead inside their Brentwood, Los Angeles home on December 14. Coroner investigators said the couple died from multiple sharp-force injuries.

Nick Reiner has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, with authorities alleging a knife was used in the attack.

TMZ first reported that Nick had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had been receiving treatment at a Los Angeles facility specializing in mental health and substance abuse.

Sources cited by the outlet claimed that a recent change in his medication led to increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior, which medical professionals were reportedly attempting to stabilize.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Tuesday that prosecutors filed felony charges that include special circumstances, multiple murders involving a deadly weapon, making Nick eligible for the death penalty if convicted.

However, Hochman emphasized that any trial would first require a judicial determination that Nick is competent to stand trial. California Governor Gavin Newsom currently maintains a moratorium on executions in the state, and Hochman said his office has not yet decided whether it will seek capital punishment.

When asked about Nick’s mental health history, Hochman declined to comment beyond acknowledging his struggles with addiction. “If there is evidence of mental illness, it will be presented in court and in whatever detail the defense seeks,” he said.

Nick Reiner was arrested late Sunday near Exposition Park, several hours after the crime scene was discovered. Authorities confirmed that the couple’s daughter, Romy Reiner, found her parents’ bodies and called for help.

Nick appeared in court for the first time Wednesday wearing a blue suicide-prevention gown and restraints. His attorney, prominent defense lawyer Alan Jackson, requested a delay in entering a plea, and the arraignment was postponed until next month.

“This is a devastating tragedy that has befallen the Reiner family,” Jackson said outside the courthouse. “There are very complex and serious issues associated with this case that must be examined carefully and thoroughly.”

Sources previously told Rolling Stone that Rob and Michele Reiner had brought Nick as their guest to Conan O’Brien’s holiday party the night before their deaths.

Attendees reportedly observed antisocial behavior, including prolonged staring and social withdrawal.

Rob and Michele Reiner are survived by three children. On Wednesday, Nick’s siblings, Jake Reiner, 34, and Romy Reiner, 27, issued a joint statement expressing grief and asking for compassion.

“Words cannot begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing,” the statement read. “The horrific loss of our parents is something no one should ever endure. They were not only our parents, they were our best friends.”

The siblings also asked for privacy and restraint amid widespread attention. “We ask for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the extraordinary lives they lived and the love they gave.”