The stunning occasions surrounding the murders of beloved director Rob Reiner and his spouse, Michele Singer Reiner, have been explored on the newest episode of TMZ Investigates.
Airing on Fox Friday, January 9, Harvey Levin and his workforce regarded into new theories and lingering mysteries concerning the stabbing deaths of the Reiners, which have been allegedly perpetrated by their very own son Nick Reiner in December 2025.
The TMZ team shared new particulars concerning the case and Nick’s psychological well being from their sources, in addition to chatting with Rob’s longtime good friend Invoice Maher and The Bling Ring’s Alex Haines, who shared her perception after experiencing heroin dependancy at 19 and changing into a convicted felon.
Nick was not concerned within the documentary and has not publicly acknowledged a psychological well being analysis. Nevertheless, he has spoken about his struggles extra broadly up to now, together with on an August 2018 episode of the “Dopey” podcast, the place he detailed trashing his dad and mom’ visitor home within the midst of his dependancy.
“It’s not a lot of a narrative,” Nick shared on the time.“I received completely spun out on uppers — I feel it was coke and one thing else — and I used to be up for days on finish. I began punching out various things in my visitor home.”
When requested if there was any thought course of to destroying the visitor home, Nick responded, “You’re loopy. No logic.”
As of publication, Nick stays in custody on two prices of first diploma homicide for the deadly stabbing of his dad and mom at their Brentwood, California, dwelling on December 14, 2025, simply mere hours after they’d all attended Conan O’Brien’s Christmas get together.
Hold scrolling for a breakdown of TMZ Investigates: The Reiner Murders: What Actually Occurred.
Rob and Michelle’s Homicide Weapon Hasn’t Been Discovered But
The documentary reported that the homicide weapon used to kill Rob and Michelle has not but been discovered by authorities, which may influence the case towards Nick. (Nick has been charged with two counts of first-degree homicide.)
“Our sources say a essential piece of proof on this case has not been discovered. The homicide weapon,” TMZ’s Harvey Levin claimed within the documentary. “It’s actually vital for the D.A., as a result of if Nick had gone out and bought a knife shortly earlier than the murders, it might present premeditation. If he took a knife out of the kitchen, for instance, which may present extra spontaneity. However that knife is de facto vital. We all know the police have been searching for it. However we’re informed up to now they haven’t discovered it.”
Nick Was Allegedly Recognized With Schizoaffective Dysfunction in 2020
In line with TMZ’s sources, Nick was identified with schizoaffective dysfunction and “earlier than everybody knew Nick was affected by schizoaffective dysfunction, he was utilizing meth and that makes schizoaffective dysfunction even worse. And he had a violent outburst,” Levin claimed within the documentary.
The TMZ workforce alleged that the outburst concerned “tearing up” his dad and mom’ home.
Schizoaffective dysfunction is a mixture of schizophrenia and temper dysfunction signs, that features a “rollercoaster of feelings” like mania, hallucinations or delusions.
“So our sources have informed us within the five-plus years since Nick was identified… he has not been utilizing unlawful medication,” together with meth, heroin and cocaine, TMZ supervising producer Olivia Heinle mentioned. “However the medication that landed him in rehab have been prescription tablets.”
The TMZ workforce additionally spoke about how Nick’s psychological sickness associated to the homicide prices.
Levin mentioned of how the case was shaping up when Nick was arrested, “The plan was [for him] to plead not responsible by motive of madness and all of it facilities round Nick’s profound psychological sickness.”
Referring to sources near the household, TMZ’s govt producer Charles Latibeaudiere added, “He is aware of he killed his dad and mom however he doesn’t perceive why he’s in jail. He’s delusional. He thinks that is all a conspiracy towards him.”
In line with Latibeaudiere, Rob and Michele have been awake when the assault occurred, per TMZ’s supply.
Nick’s Expertise in His Rehab Stints
Within the documentary, TMZ detailed Nick’s alleged expertise in rehab (which he beforehand admitted to getting into 18 occasions). The documentary claimed that Nick would do 30-day stints to “get you clear they usually allow you to out” however the stays weren’t lengthy sufficient to handle underlying psychological well being points.
“His first rehab stint was when his dad and mom discovered him doing each Percocet and Xanax with a good friend,” Heinle mentioned.
Dr. Drew Pinsky, an dependancy specialist who just isn’t Nick’s physician, informed the outlet, “Thirty days for me appears virtually meaningless for somebody with Nick‘s historical past. What you’ll need to do is put him someplace structured and custodial for a really lengthy time period, possibly completely. And fogeys have an actual tough time coming to phrases with that.”
Latibeaudiere claimed that whereas in rehab, Nick encountered different addicts that solely resulted in him studying different drug securing strategies.
“When he was there for the primary rehab stint, he met one other addict who was telling him how a lot simpler it’s to attain heroin than pharmaceuticals,” Latibeaudiere reported.
Micholas Mathews, Stillwater Behavioral Well being CEO, defined within the documentary how medication can influence somebody’s psychological sickness.
“The scariest factor about it’s whenever you’re altering your mind chemistry with illicit substances, i.e. you’re abusing methamphetamine, you’re abusing opiates… it will probably exacerbate your signs and make them exponentially worse,” mentioned Mathews.
Medical doctors Allegedly Modified Nick Reiner’s Medicine After He Gained Weight
Levin claimed within the documentary that sources informed the outlet that though Nick’s earlier medicine gave the impression to be working, medical doctors modified what they have been prescribing a month earlier than the murders.
“He was doing effective on the meds he had been taking. They have been working. Medical doctors modified the meds, and it messed Nick up. It messed him up profoundly,” Levin mentioned.
“We’re informed this new cocktail of meds despatched Nick off the rails. We’re informed he received more and more erratic and harmful,” Latibeaudiere alleged.
“There have been temper modifications starting from excessive despair to manic habits.”
Latibeaudiere reported: “We’re informed Rob and Michele Reiner have been effectively conscious that they modified Nick’s meds. They have been alarmed at what they have been seeing. There have been modifications in his habits. They only didn’t know what to do.”
Levin additionally shared the alleged motive medical doctors modified the medicine Nick was taking.
He claimed, “We have now been looking for out why medical doctors modified Nick’s meds a month earlier than the murders. Nobody would inform us. All they might say is, you’re going to be shocked whenever you discover out. However we’re not going to say. We have now simply discovered. A supply with direct information of this case tells us the rationale medical doctors modified Nick’s meds was weight achieve. He was sad together with his weight.”
Latibeaudiere famous that weight achieve is a standard aspect impact of some anti-psychotic medication.
Levin claimed, “Medical doctors accommodate Nick by altering his meds, which then ends in a cascade of psychological issues that finish with the murders of Rob and Michele Reiner.
Rob Reiner poses with household in April 2014. Michael Loccisano/Getty Photographs
The Bling Ring’s Alexis Haines Claims the Psychological Well being System ‘Failed’ the Reiners
Drawing on her expertise with being a 19-year-old heroin addict and convicted felon, former actuality star Alexis Haines (née Neiers), now 34, claimed the psychological well being system “failed” the Reiner household.
“People who find themselves in lively psychosis don’t belong in a residential therapy heart at first. They belong in a hospital. With out a shadow of a doubt, the psychological well being system in America has failed the Reiner household,” she mentioned. “There’s no query that Nick ought to have been hospitalized throughout this time period. He ought to have been contained and in a protected surroundings the place he couldn’t go away till his medicines have been adjusted till there was a noticeable distinction in his have an effect on and habits.”
Levin echoed the sentiment that the psychological well being system within the nation got here up brief, claiming, “Medical professionals betrayed the Reiners in a deadly approach.”
Rob’s Buddy Invoice Maher Slams Donald Trump’s Response to Murders
Invoice Maher, who was a longtime good friend of Rob Reiner, mentioned there’s nothing to justify President Donald Trump criticizing the director so quickly after his grisly homicide.
“After all not,” Maher, 69, responded when requested if there was something he may say to excuse Trump’s feedback. “However I can say that about 1,000 issues Donald Trump has executed. It was type of good to see Republicans, not all of them, however fairly a couple of standing up and saying, ‘Let’s not do this. Actually? It’s important to do this?’”
“I misplaced a good friend and simply in addition to that an incredible filmmaker,” he mentioned. “Rob positively gave ‘nepo child’ a great title. I cherished his father. The Dick Van Dyke Present was the best sitcom ever. Rob was an A-list director on a stage Carl Reiner by no means received to. Carl Reiner by no means had a string of films like When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Males, Princess Bride. He had a run that was A-list and assorted.”
What Do We Know Concerning the Murders of Rob and Michele Reiner?
Rob and Michele Reiner have been discovered useless of their Brentwood, California, dwelling on December 14, 2025.
The New York Instances reported that Rob and Michele’s daughter, Romy, found her father’s physique. She was reportedly referred to as to her dad and mom’ residence once they didn’t reply a therapeutic massage therapist who’d arrived for a scheduled appointment. Romy’s roommate reportedly referred to as 911 someday later.
Per The Instances, Romy didn’t really see her mom Michele’s physique when she entered the house and realized of her dying from paramedics on the scene later within the day.
In the meantime, her brother Nick Reiner was apprehended close to Exposition Park in Los Angeles on December 14. Video footage from a number of media shops confirmed Nick surrendering and being taken into custody after being swarmed by police automobiles on the road.
Within the hours after information broke, Us Weekly completely reported that Nick attended Conan O’Brien’s Christmas get together together with his dad and mom on December 13, 2025. Us realized that get together friends witnessed Nick appearing “creepily” all through the night.
“Nick was going as much as individuals at Conan O’Brien’s get together asking in the event that they have been well-known,” a supply informed Us on the time.
Per TMZ, Nick reportedly had a “very loud argument” together with his father Rob that was overheard by different friends. Rob and Michele left quickly after the alleged confrontation.
As soon as his dad and mom have been gone, Nick approached a number of friends and interrupted their conversations, in accordance with The Wall Road Journal. He allegedly requested the identical three questions: “What’s your title? What’s your final title? Are you well-known?”
Invoice Hader was one of many get together friends whom Nick approached, NBC Information reported. When Hader mentioned he was having a non-public dialog, Nick allegedly stood nonetheless and stared at Hader for a short while earlier than “storming off.”
Us reached out to representatives for O’Brien and Hader for remark.
What Has Nick Reiner Been Charged With?
Nick Reiner was charged with two counts of first-degree homicide on December 16, 2025, and denied bail. If convicted, Nick may face life in jail with out parole or a doable dying sentence. (There may be at present a moratorium on capital punishment in California however dying sentences can nonetheless be handed down.)
Nick was initially held on suicide watch at Los Angeles’ Twin Towers Correctional Facility within the days following his arrest. He first appeared in courtroom sporting a suicide prevention vest on December 17, 2025. (These clothes are used to stop hospitalized or incarcerated individuals from taking their very own lives if they’re discovered to be a hazard to themselves.)
A number of media shops confirmed in January 2025 that Nick had been faraway from suicide watch on the L.A. jail.
Nick Reiner’s former lawyer, Alan Jackson, dodged questions concerning the homicide suspect’s funds whereas getting into the courthouse for what was alleged to be his arraignment. “Alan, who’s paying for Nick’s protection?” one reporter may very well be heard asking Jackson as he received out of his car on the Los Angeles Superior Court docket and walked towards the […]
At his arraignment on January 7, 2026, Nick’s lawyer Alan Jackson revealed that the protection already issued “10 present subpoenas” for potential witnesses within the double homicide trial.
Jackson stunned courtroom observers at that very same arraignment by resigning from the case, citing disagreements with Nick. Los Angeles County public defender Kimberly Greene formally took over as Nick’s authorized consultant and efficiently lobbied Los Angeles County Superior Court docket Choose Theresa McGonigle to proceed the arraignment till February 23, 2026.
What Is Nick Reiner’s Plea?
Nick has but to formally enter a plea. He could achieve this on the subsequent scheduled courtroom listening to on February 23, 2026.
What Have Nick Reiner’s Siblings Stated Concerning the Murders of Rob and Michele Reiner?
Nick Reiner’s siblings, Romy and Jake Reiner, broke their silence over the stunning murders of their dad and mom Rob and Michele Reiner on December 17.
“Phrases can’t even start to explain the unimaginable ache we’re experiencing each second of the day. The horrific and devastating lack of our dad and mom, Rob and Michele Reiner, is one thing that nobody ought to ever expertise,” they informed TMZ on the time. “They weren’t simply our dad and mom; they have been our greatest pals.”
They went on, “We’re grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and help we now have acquired not solely from household and pals however individuals from all walks of life.”
Following the information in January 2026 that Nick’s lawyer Alan Jackson resigned from his case, the Reiner household mentioned in an announcement that that they had “the utmost belief within the authorized course of.”
“[We] won’t remark additional on issues associated to the authorized proceedings,” the Reiners informed The New York Instances on January 7.
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