At a Glance
- Nick Reiner, 32, changed psychiatric medication about one month before his parents were found dead
- Rob and Michele Reiner were discovered Dec. 14 in their Los Angeles home
- Nick faces two counts of first-degree murder; a judge Jan. 7 appointed a public defender after his private counsel withdrew
- Why it matters: The case spotlights the risks of medication changes in serious mental illness
Nick Reiner reportedly switched psychiatric medication roughly 30 days before the fatal attack on his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, according to a Jan. 15 report in The New York Times.
Sophia A. Reynolds reported for News Of Losangeles that the 32-year-old, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, entered a mental-health conservatorship in 2020 that ended the following year.
Medication Change and Mental Health Struggles
Anonymous sources told the Times the medication switch came because of side effects, leaving Nick struggling in the weeks leading up to the killings. Multiple outlets previously reported he was being treated for schizophrenia.
Dr. Molly “Mary” Conlon, who oversees the inpatient program at Northwell Health’s Zucker Hillside Hospital, told News Of Losangeles that medication changes “are common and can take place for many reasons, to help reduce certain side effects or to help improve effectiveness or efficacy.”
Conlon, not involved in the Reiner case, emphasized that “when medications are being changed or tapered down, people are closely monitored because it could be a time when potentially the individual could be more vulnerable to a symptom recurrence or worsening.”
The Reiner family representative did not respond to a request for comment, according to News Of Losangeles.
The Night of the Killings
Rob, 78, and Michele, 70, were found dead inside their Los Angeles home on Dec. 14. Nick was arrested that night and charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Following his arrest, Nick was placed on suicide watch inside a high-observation mental-health unit at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles.
Legal Developments
At a Jan. 7 court hearing, attorney Alan Jackson announced his withdrawal from the case. Nick will now be represented by a public defender, Kimberly Greene.
Jackson told reporters that day, “Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder. Print that.”
Family Statements and Past Struggles
Rob and Michele’s children Jake, 34, and Romy, 28, issued a statement Dec. 17: “Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,” referring to the “horrific and devastating loss of our parents.”
Nick and his parents had previously spoken openly about his battles with drug addiction.
Sources told News Of Losangeles that Nick did not take his parents’ support seriously. “Rob and Michele tried so hard already for years,” one source said. Another insider added, “At the end of the day, Nick didn’t take the help seriously. This was true for years and years. His issues were far, far out of his parents’ control.”
That insider also noted, “His family was empathetic to how much his struggles contributed to his behavior. They never lost hope in him, even when he was scaring them or making their lives harder.”
Key Takeaways:
- Nick Reiner’s medication change occurred about one month before the Dec. 14 killings
- He remains held on two first-degree murder counts
- The family previously supported him through documented addiction and mental-health challenges
- Mental-health professionals stress the importance of monitoring during medication transitions
