Nick Reiner was reportedly diagnosed with schizophrenia before the gruesome murders of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, and the medications he was taking were making him act “erratic and dangerous.”
Sources told TMZ Friday that Nick, 32, had been under the care of a psychiatrist for mental illness, claiming that his behavior had become “alarming” in the weeks leading up to his parents’ stabbing deaths.
About a month before the killings, doctors reportedly changed Nick’s meds, at which point he became “out of his head.”
They were reportedly in the process of adjusting his meds to stabilize him when tragedy struck.
He had also recently received care at an expensive Los Angeles-based rehab facility that specializes in mental illness and substance abuse, the outlet reported, noting that Nick’s substance abuse was worsening the schizophrenia.
Per the outlet, he will likely plead not guilty by reason of insanity.
Nick’s lawyer, famed criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson, did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Nick, who lived in his parents’ guesthouse in Brentwood, has a history of violence and drug addiction. He has been to rehab almost 20 times and experienced bouts of homelessness.
On Sunday afternoon, Rob, who was 78, and Michele, who was 70, were found by their daughter, Romy Reiner, stabbed to death in their home, with sources claiming their throats had been slit.
The LA County Medical Examiner has confirmed that the couple died from “multiple sharp force injuries,” ruling that the manner was homicide.
Nick was arrested Sunday night near Exposition Park in Downtown LA.
He was originally booked in DTLA’s Parker Center Jail before being transferred to Twin Towers Correctional Facility, where he is being held without bail.
On Tuesday, he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of multiple murders.
Nick is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.
He made his first court appearance Wednesday. With disheveled hair, he remained stoic and somber throughout the hearing, looking straight ahead. He was shackled at both hands and feet and wore an anti-suicide smock.
Nick spoke only three words during his appearance to tell the judge, “Yes, your honor,” confirming that he was sure he wanted to waive his right to a fast arraignment.
Following the short hearing, Jackson announced to reporters outside the courthouse that his client would be arraigned on Jan. 7.
He also asked the public to not rush to judgment or jump to conclusions, as he described the case as “very, very complex and serious.”
The night before the murders, Nick joined Rob and Michele for a Christmas party at Conan O’Brien’s house. The couple was reportedly “reluctant to leave him home alone” because his “extreme and stressful behavior” had escalated and “grown degrees even more concerning in recent weeks.”
The Post was told that Nick behaved bizarrely at the bash and made guests feel uncomfortable, which led to an argument with his parents.
The post Nick Reiner diagnosed with schizophrenia weeks before murders, meds made him ‘erratic and dangerous’: sources appeared first on Page Six.
