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

[katydid23]

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 think it's more complicated than that. If someone uses hard drugs for over 15 years of their life, they can easily begin showing symptoms which mimic schizophrenia. In other words, it's not necessarily true that they were suffering from an onset of the mental health disease. It is quite possible they were suffering from meth induced psychosis---which looks like schizophrenia.

And if so, if it was a drug induced psychosis, then they cannot legally use that as a defense. That is self inflicted. Just like trying to use being drunk as an excuse for rape or assault. It's not legally possible.

Personally, I am leaning more towards his mental state being the result of his many years of hard drugs and his decades of anger and resentment towards his parents and their desire for him to get clean. imo

 

[Niner]

To be clear, the hour 1545 translates to 3:45 pm-- which is the date and time that EMS reportedly arrived at the Reiner residence after receiving the 911 call from RR's roommate. It's also been reported that the bodies were already in rigor mortis when found.

A body gets stiff (rigor mortis) starting around 2-6 hours after death, beginning in small muscles like the face and hands, becoming fully stiff within 8-12 hours, and then gradually relaxing within 24-48 hours as decomposition starts, with factors like temperature significantly affecting the timeline.

If they were in full rigor - 8 to 12 hours - would make it about 2am to 3am that they could have died, as he checked into the hotel at 4am. I have not looked at the autopsy to see if it says "full-rigor" - probably doesn't have that yet....

 

[Niner]

I searched the court site - and still no "next hearing" date yet. And jail site still has 1/7/26 as next hearing date.
I did find this -

The People of the State of California	Plaintiff
Deputy District Attorney	Attorney for The People of the State of California Deputy District Attorney
Sarah Elizabeth Ballog	Attorney for The People of the State of California Deputy District Attorney
Nick Reiner	Defendant

I thought Asst. Head Deputy DA Habib Balian & Jonathan Chung were going to try this case?

 

[Hexe]

What prevented him from knifing them long ago? Seems like there would be a last straw at play here.

IMO looking for that last straw is trying to rationalize the behaviour of an active addict. Addicted brains do not operate on logic and reason.

 

[Fabled Automatic]

I think it's more complicated than that. If someone uses hard drugs for over 15 years of their life, they can easily begin showing symptoms which mimic schizophrenia. In other words, it's not necessarily true that they were suffering from an onset of the mental health disease. It is quite possible they were suffering from meth induced psychosis---which looks like schizophrenia.

And if so, if it was a drug induced psychosis, then they cannot legally use that as a defense. That is self inflicted. Just like trying to use being drunk as an excuse for rape or assault. It's not legally possible.

Personally, I am leaning more towards his mental state being the result of his many years of hard drugs and his decades of anger and resentment towards his parents and their desire for him to get clean. imo

Nick seems to have been actually diagnosed with schizophrenia, aside from drug induced psychosis.

they said that in general, substance use can play a role in delaying diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders.

the New York Post quoted a family friend as saying Nick’s outbursts at age 11 were so severe he had to be restrained in bear hugs.

Source

 

[Hexe]

Nick seems to have been actually diagnosed with schizophrenia, aside from drug induced psychosis.



Source

Rage episodes are not a schizophrenia symptom.

 

[iamshadow21]

Rage episodes are not a schizophrenia symptom.

But they're pretty typical of certain behavioural disorders and conduct disorders in kids, which can be a precursor to diagnosis of certain personality disorders in adults.

No reason he can't have both one of those AND schizophrenia. In fact, given his history, I'd suggest it's likely he will have met the diagnostic criteria for something of that ilk at various points in his life.

Not diagnosing, I am not a psych, just pointing out that multiple diagnoses or fitting the criteria for such is a thing.

MOO

 

[Hexe]

But they're pretty typical of certain behavioural disorders and conduct disorders in kids, which can be a precursor to diagnosis of certain personality disorders in adults.

Sure. But it is not what the post I commented on was about.

 

[iamshadow21]

Sure. But it is not what the post I commented on was about.

Wasn't it? If it wasn't, I apologise. I thought you were responding to this part:

the New York Post quoted a family friend as saying Nick’s outbursts at age 11 were so severe he had to be restrained in bear hugs.

MOO

 

[lohrtabitha]

Oh, I'm not blaming the doctors in this, and could have worded it differently.
It wouldn't be surprising if his defense atty. does, though.

To clarify; this is such an egregious case and even somewhat simple.
A man filled with anger selfishly killed his parents for no discernible reason.

But I'm guessing his lawyer may blame everyone BUT Nick.
There's no other way Alan Jackson can expect for a chance of an acquittal.
He certainly can't say something to the effect of : "Nick is responsible for the deaths of Rob and Michele."
Think how that would sound ?
Alan J. will most likely try to take the focus off of Nick and place the blame elsewhere, if this comes to trial.
Imo.

Or maybe Allan Jackson is intervening because he wants Nick instead of prison to be confined to s mental institution. If he is being paid by the family, then he represents not only Nick but the family. The Reiners were constantly campaigning for better mental health benefits in the US. I believe that they, may the rest in peace, would rather have Nick institutionalized than in prison. Perhaps they would have pushed for this if they were still alive and Nick committed a criminal act. Everyone wants to make AJ out as the bad guy, but that us not the AJ I came to know watching the Karen Read trial. He is compassionate and his job is to defend and seek justice. He is a remarkable and perhaps one of the greatest attorneys I have ever witnessed. I'll be honest, at first I was sad when I heard he took the case, but a wise websleuther friend pointed out everything that I mentioned above. Imo

 

[lohrtabitha]

Rage episodes are not a schizophrenia symptom.

But they could be. People aren't a one size fits all deal. Rage does seem more like a bipolar symptom. However, people can have several mental disabilities. As a teacher for 35 years, I see this all the time. I have taught students who are bipolar with ADHD and dyslexia.

 

[Izzylizzy]

Apologies if this was already posted.

That's it folks.
Harvey has it all figured out and is 100 % in AJ's corner with the NGRI defense.
Harvey even knows where ALL the doctors who treated NR went wrong.
I do agree with him about the obscene luxury and obscene costs of some of these treatment centers..
$70,000 a month to be pampered when rehab is supposed to be hard,hard work.IMO

 

[lohrtabitha]

Apologies if this was already posted.

Thanks for posting. He is spot on with this. I wish we could post this on the Reiner main thread.

 

[lohrtabitha]

Thanks for posting. He is spot on with this. I wish we could post this on the Reiner main thread.

Oops you did. Not enough coffee this morning. This is a great post!

 

[katydid23]

Nick seems to have been actually diagnosed with schizophrenia, aside from drug induced psychosis.



Source

The problem is, it's very hard to tell the difference between the two. IMO

And even if he did have wild tantrums at age 11, that does not mean he was schizophrenic back then. There are several other potential diagnosis for major tantrums in children.

Also, if he had been diagnosed with bipolar/schizophrenia a long time ago, why were they sending him to in-house rehabs? He should have been in mental health centres, not drug rehabs.

I don't think he was diagnosed as schizophrenic until relatively recently. And I think that it is possible that the psychosis that appears to be schizophrenic may be drug induced psychosis. IMO

 

[everlearning]

My deceased father-in-law, who worked with child truancy and child welfare for years in a parish in Louisiana, once said, "You never know what goes on behind closed doors. I've been in rich homes and poor homes. I've seen bad in both."

I feel AJ will be digging deep into NR's childhood. He will need to be careful because NR's parents are beloved. But, I suspect he's digging in deep.

If this goes to trial, we will hear more than we want about the family. AJ will make sure of it.

Personally, there is NO skeleton that makes this even remotely ok. He is grown. Get away. NR must be held accountable.

My amateur opinion

 

[lohrtabitha]

The problem is, it's very hard to tell the difference between the two. IMO

And even if he did have wild tantrums at age 11, that does not mean he was schizophrenic back then. There are several other potential diagnosis for major tantrums in children.

Also, if he had been diagnosed with bipolar/schizophrenia a long time ago, why were they sending him to in-house rehabs? He should have been in mental health centres, not drug rehabs.

I don't think he was diagnosed as schizophrenic until relatively recently. And I think that it is possible that the psychosis that appears to be schizophrenic may be drug induced psychosis. IMO

I agree there could be many factors to his behaviors combined with mental illness. He was a middle child and sometimes psychologists say they don't get enough attention. He was rich and very spoiled. With competing with his siblings and parents, he never found himself. Temper tantrums in childhood are thrown usually for attention and gratification.He was self medicating with drugs and alcohol on top of prescription drugs. He seems to blame his parents for his homelessness, but actually said in his interview it wasn't bad at all? The list could go on and on. If you haven't watched the video that Izzy posted recently, it seems to sum up a whole lot of things. IMO

 

[Seattle1]

I searched the court site - and still no "next hearing" date yet. And jail site still has 1/7/26 as next hearing date.
I did find this -

The People of the State of California	Plaintiff
Deputy District Attorney	Attorney for The People of the State of California Deputy District Attorney
Sarah Elizabeth Ballog	Attorney for The People of the State of California Deputy District Attorney
Nick Reiner	Defendant

I thought Asst. Head Deputy DA Habib Balian & Jonathan Chung were going to try this case?

I believe Ballog is the Dep DA for the case, and Balian & Chung are the assigned prosecutors.

 

[Niner]

I believe Ballog is the Dep DA for the case, and Balian & Chung are the assigned prosecutors.

Okay - then I shall add her name to my list! Thanks!

 

[SaraSmile]

Yes, indeed.
Agreed on both cases.
And A. Jackson wasn't chosen to represent NR at random, imo.
IF NR is fully acquitted and exonerated due to his meds being changed, Alan Jackson will have figuratively pulled a rabbit out of a hat.
But I wouldn't be totally shocked, just saying that.
My .02 is that ain't gonna happen, no way no how.

It seems like many are saddened and outraged at what NR has done.
Imo.

IMO looking for that last straw is trying to rationalize the behaviour of an active addict. Addicted brains do not operate on logic and reason.

Yes, it seems anything and everything could set him off, for whole life really, short fuse, bad temper. Constant warning to others “ don’t upset Nick”.