CA - Murder victims Identified as Rob Reiner and wife Michele - LA Dec 14 2025

[Cedars]

I am sooo hoping for a plea as well.
There is plenty of money, so just put him away forever and hopefully the other family members can try to figure out a way to go forward....

However, it wouldn't be the family paying for his stay in a mental hospital, it would be taxpayers.

And all the other people who commit murders, probably on the basis of their mental issues and addictions, have to serve time in prison.

JMO

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2002060104401555588

 

[Arkay]

AS I have followed this case a bit I had someone pose this question to me and it is a very reasonable one. Maybe some here have thoughts. It is even more relevant as I read the Page Six report. Why did Rob bring an unstable and potentially dangerous person to his friend's Holiday celebration? It seems he was putting all the guests at that party in danger that night. Clearly Nick could not be left alone. Could Romy have come over? Were they afraid only of him harming himself or the house? Someone with this diagnosis and in process of adjusting meds in not someone you bring to a party. Any ideas? Clearly he should have been hospitalized.

I see your point, and in hindsight this seems possible.

My guess is that Hollywood people going to Hollywood parties with their Hollywood friends is just par for the course during Chanukah and Christmas season.

They’d been living with Nick’s severe issues for most of his life, it seems, and I imagine they really had no idea that his state of mind was in the most dangerous place now. Even with his change of meds, they were laypeople when it comes to grasping that Nick was on another level this time.

Had they had some notion that he was in a murderous state, presumably they wouldn’t have allowed him to be in the guesthouse and able to enter their home.

I would cast some blame on whatever institution allowed him to leave while he was in the process of changing meds. Even if the Reiners insisted.

I assume there are knives in Conan O’Brien’s house and I’m grateful there wasn’t a slaughter there.

JMO

 

[turaj]

However, it wouldn't be the family paying for his stay in a mental hospital, it would be taxpayers.

And all the other people who commit murders, probably on the basis of their mental issues and addictions, have to serve time in prison.

JMO

I THINK even his family would want him contained for the rest of his life. It was a double murder and it could be argued pre meditated and his actions after show he knew what he did. He should be in prison in a mental wing with treatment but no release..

 

[Sundog]

Wouldn't his diagnosis change things though? I mean, if he wasn't of sound mind, doesn’t that change the legality of his actions and therefore punishment?

I'm sure that his attorney will use this information as a mitigating factor in NR's favor with regard to the crime, if the information is accurate.

Nonetheless, we still need justice for Rob Reiner and Michelle.

 

[turaj]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2002060104401555588

I wonder how much the "star power" influence played in having docs not insist that he be in patient with this med adjustment? Letting him stay at home was a fatal mistake. Don't of course know the exact medical interaction.

 

[Cedars]

Wouldn't his diagnosis change things though? I mean, if he wasn't of sound mind, doesn’t that change the legality of his actions and therefore punishment?

There is a well established legal precedent for 'insanity', which means being in a state of psychosis. Which is usually manifested by the person being unable to comprehend or exist in reality.

For example, they cannot speak coherently, they cannot control their behaviour in any manner, they don't recognize the people around them, they are under a delusion such seeing little green men trying to kill them, and they may blindly strike back, unaware of where the knife came from or who exactly is in front of them, they may run into traffic, take off their clothes, etc, etc.

IMO, walking in a purposeful direction along a street, being deliberately rude to people, using a credit card to.check into a hotel, are all sign of a person not in a psychotic state.

JMO

 

[Sarahlou]

I wonder how much the "star power" influence played in having docs not insist that he be in patient with this med adjustment? Letting him stay at home was a fatal mistake. Don't of course know the exact medical interaction.

Yes, it's tragic for all involved that he was at home if his medication wasn't right and was making his behaviour worse. It seemed like these murders should have been preventable.

 

[formerlyme]

I wonder how much the "star power" influence played in having docs not insist that he be in patient with this med adjustment? Letting him stay at home was a fatal mistake. Don't of course know the exact medical interaction.

It is my understanding it is very hard to have someone hospitalized for mental issues before something tragic happens. I have a family member who is schizophrenic, you cannot force them to even take meds , or have them committed until they do something, unless you have a mental health power of attorney which is also hard to get. This is in Arizona.

 

[Sundog]

I THINK even his family would want him contained for the rest of his life. It was a double murder and it could be argued pre meditated and his actions after show he knew what he did. He should be in prison in a mental wing with treatment but no release..

Agree. If he is not sent to prison but to a non-forensic psychiatric hospital setting, then he could be released based on a number of factors, including his ability to function with medications at some point. But there is no guarantee that he would comply with this treatment once released. In fact, there is lots of evidence over his lifetime to indicate that he wouldn't comply with the conditions of a release. So prison setting in mental health wing sounds more appropriate and justified.

 

[Cedars]

I THINK even his family would want him contained for the rest of his life. It was a double murder and it could be argued pre meditated and his actions after show he knew what he did. He should be in prison in a mental wing with treatment but no release..

Ok, but I don't understand why permamentally the mental wing.

Lori Daybell spent a long time in a mental hospital to stabilize her state so she could participate in her own trial, and you could say she must be suffering from some Goddess delusion, but she's serving in prison...

 

[Marie A]

AS I have followed this case a bit I had someone pose this question to me and it is a very reasonable one. Maybe some here have thoughts. It is even more relevant as I read the Page Six report. Why did Rob bring an unstable and potentially dangerous person to his friend's Holiday celebration? It seems he was putting all the guests at that party in danger that night. Clearly Nick could not be left alone. Could Romy have come over? Were they afraid only of him harming himself or the house? Someone with this diagnosis and in process of adjusting meds in not someone you bring to a party. Any ideas? Clearly he should have been hospitalized.

Diagnosis of schizophrenia is nothing to be taken lightly and very often is heritable- it could have been heritable on the mother’s side of the family rather than Rob’s side.
This disease is widely accepted to be 80% inherited- but I personally think it is more than that.
This type of illness is extremely misunderstood unless you are a professional in the field or unless you personally know someone with this awful disease or have studied it.

I personally think the murders could have taken place less out of anger/ rage than out of paranoia/ psychosis.
Schizophrenics tend to think people are out to get them and they can either end their own lives or the lives of others based on their paranoia. They have delusions. Nick could have heard voices telling him to kill his parents.

It’s a psychotic disorder DSM-5 and Nick was in a psychotic state when he killed his parents.

I think Rob was likely in denial about the severity of his son’s disease and the danger- though maybe deep down he knew.
Also, he likely didn’t have the authority to institutionalize his son without the son’s consent. Those custodial papers should be signed but often are not.

This is a matter of what came first - the chicken or the egg- the schizophrenia or the drugs?
Drugs (especially hallucinogenics) can set off psychosis.

Sadly I think Rob believed the drugs were Nick’s issue when in reality the schizophrenia was the issue. (The schizophrenia came first)
It can present in a more subtle way by the time high school hits- forgetfulness/ losing things/ detachment and hearing voices. Many of those with psychotic disorders turn to drugs to “quiet the noise”- which is what Nick admitted doing during a 2016 interview.

It appears that Nick’s psychosis was full on if they were trying to adjust his meds.
If Nick also had bipolar- which I suspect- the antidepressants can set off a horrible mania.

I think the combination of mania and psychosis from his schizophrenia was the perfect storm leading to this tragedy.

Also, it could be days or weeks before the mania subsides and Nick realizes and cares about what he did. When he does realize what happened he will be horribly grief stricken and tortured.

Looking back at Nick’s 2016 interviews and knowing about his schizophrenic diagnosis - he seems much more tormented/ paranoid and much less smug.

His previous bouts of destruction were likely fueled by his psychosis.
The drugs were never able to quiet his noise.

This is a man to be pitied and institutionalized privately for the rest of his days.
He does not belong in federal prison.

All IMHO

 

[tlcya]

It is my understanding it is very hard to have someone hospitalized for mental issues before something tragic happens. I have a family member who is schizophrenic, you cannot force them to even take meds , or have them committed until they do something, unless you have a mental health power of attorney which is also hard to get. This is in Arizona.

Even with a healthcare POA it is difficult. You cannot force someone to take medication and you cannot force someone into a hospital unless they are considered an immediate danger to themselves or others. and from personal experience, describing rage fueled fits and threats doesn't even necessarily qualify as immediate danger. Authorities and medical personnel rely upon self reporting from the ill individual. "Do you want to harm yourself? Have you thought about how? Do you want to harm others? etc. and if they lie then games over, everybody go home. That has just been IME.

A mentally ill individual can simply revoke your authority as POA if you try to force them into a treatment or facility they do not wish to go to. To do so requires court intervention and in my state (don't know about CA) that is extremely difficult to achieve.

 

[BUF]

“They got in an argument, the father and son. It got so bad and loud someone wanted to call the police to report it,” an insider familiar with the event told Daily Mail on Friday.

“But Conan stepped in and said, ‘It’s my house, my party, I’m not calling the police.’ He talked them out of calling the police.”

A second source echoed the first insider’s comments, adding that guests worried that Nick needed to be placed on a psychiatric hold due to his behavior.

“When the s–t was hitting the fan, somebody said we need to call the police. The conversation was about getting this kid put into a mental-health hold,” the source told the outlet.

Conan O’Brien stopped guests from calling 911 on Nick Reiner during explosive fight with dad Rob at holiday party: report

Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Los Angeles home hours after leaving O’Brien’s holiday party over the weekend.

pagesix.com

 

[tlcya]

Diagnosis of schizophrenia is nothing to be taken lightly and very often is heritable- it could have been heritable on the mother’s side of the family rather than Rob’s side.
This disease is widely accepted to be 80% inherited- but I personally think it is more than that.
This type of illness is extremely misunderstood unless you are a professional in the field or unless you personally know someone with this awful disease or have studied it.

I personally think the murders could have taken place less out of anger/ rage than out of paranoia/ psychosis.
Schizophrenics tend to think people are out to get them and they can either end their own lives or the lives of others based on their paranoia. They have delusions. Nick could have heard voices telling him to kill his parents.

It’s a psychotic disorder DSM-5 and Nick was in a psychotic state when he killed his parents.

I think Rob was likely in denial about the severity of his son’s disease and the danger- though maybe deep down he knew.
Also, he likely didn’t have the authority to institutionalize his son without the son’s consent. Those custodial papers should be signed but often are not.

This is a matter of what came first - the chicken or the egg- the schizophrenia or the drugs?
Drugs (especially hallucinogenics) can set off psychosis.

Sadly I think Rob believed the drugs were Nick’s issue when in reality the schizophrenia was the issue. (The schizophrenia came first)
It can present in a more subtle way by the time high school hits- forgetfulness/ losing things/ detachment and hearing voices. Many of those with psychotic disorders turn to drugs to “quiet the noise”- which is what Nick admitted doing during a 2016 interview.

It appears that Nick’s psychosis was full on if they were trying to adjust his meds.
If Nick also had bipolar- which I suspect- the antidepressants can set off a horrible mania.

I think the combination of mania and psychosis from his schizophrenia was the perfect storm leading to this tragedy.

Also, it could be days or weeks before the mania subsides and Nick realizes and cares about what he did. When he does realize what happened he will be horribly grief stricken and tortured.

Looking back at Nick’s 2016 interviews and knowing about his schizophrenic diagnosis - he seems much more tormented/ paranoid and much less smug.

His previous bouts of destruction were likely fueled by his psychosis.
The drugs were never able to quiet his noise.

This is a man to be pitied and institutionalized privately for the rest of his days.
He does not belong in federal prison.

All IMHO

Just wanted to thank you for this. Very insightful and IMO correct analysis of a diagnosis that is often not well understood by many.

 

[Cedars]

Yes, it's tragic for all involved that he was at home if his medication wasn't right and was making his behaviour worse. It seemed like these murders should have been preventable.

I guess that means it's utterly impossible that a son could hate his own father and want to kill him?

- Chandler Halderson who dismembered his parents and hid their remains
- ditto Joel Guy Jr.
-Tyler Hadley who planned it for weeks
-Virginia McCullough (UK) lived in their home with her murdered parents, collecting their benefits

and that's just a handful off the top of my head

JMO

 

[JoeFromLB]

I agree with the opinion that he belongs in a locked psychiatric hospital, probably indefinitely.
Not a good candidate for prison.
I see some sort of plea deal coming.

 

[Sundog]

This is a man to be pitied and institutionalized privately for the rest of his days.
He does not belong in federal prison.

All IMHO

<Snipped for focus>

I think an option would be for the Court to order institutionalization until his condition is stable through medications, treatment, etc. and he is able to stand trial.

Above it was posted that this was the course of action taken for Lori Daybell.

And this is what the Court is also doing in the case of Liren Chen, the Google employee from Santa Clara who viciously murdered his wife and fellow Google employee, Xuanyi Yu, about two years ago, who continues to be hospitalized and unable to make a plea in his case before the Court. Status hearings continue to be held by the Court several times a year, but he will remain hospitalized until such time as he is deemed able to enter a plea and stand trial.

The problem, though, with this approach is that after a certain amount of time, in California, a Court case can be closed and the perpetrator can eventually be discharged from the hospital and never face accountability for their crime(s).

I don't think this would be justice.

 

[detective.moon]

IMO, walking in a purposeful direction along a street, being deliberately rude to people, using a credit card to.check into a hotel, are all sign of a person not in a psychotic state.

rsbm

i’m not an expert and i think others here might be able to say this much better! but my dad has had psychoses and while it can cause issues that would make that someone doesn’t know how to use a credit card and check into a hotel, you could also have a psychosis and still be able to do those things.

i translated this from a source in my native language, so some terms might be a little off! but i think this is a good explanation:

In a psychotic disorder, the patient always has one or more psychotic symptoms (symptom group 1) and may also have symptoms from three other symptom clusters:
1. psychotic symptoms—delusions, hallucinations, incoherent speech, disorganized behavior, or catatonia;
2. negative symptoms - poverty of speech, motivation problems, loss of initiative, flattening of affect;
3. cognitive symptoms - including disorders in information processing, concentration, (working) memory, planning, and problem-solving ability;
4. affective symptoms - anxiety, gloominess, mania.

 

[formerlyme]

I agree however I think the lawyer will try to get a plea deal. Getting him stable to stand trial could risk jail time or? and a plea deal the attorney will try to get exactly what he wants , not necessarily what is deserved.