Nick Reiner switched schizophrenia meds month before parents' death: Report
What's the story
Nick Reiner, the son of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his photographer wife Michele Reiner, reportedly changed his medication for schizophrenia one month before the tragic deaths of his parents. The couple was found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025. Reiner was arrested that night and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with their deaths. His then-lawyer declined to enter a plea during a court appearance on December 17.
Medication adjustment
He had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder
According to The New York Times, Reiner, 32, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. He struggled in the weeks leading up to his parents' deaths after switching his medication due to side effects. Psychiatrist Dr. Molly "Mary" Conlon previously told PEOPLE that "medication changes are common" and can happen for various reasons such as reducing certain side effects or improving effectiveness.
Mental health journey
Reiner's mental health history and conservatorship
Reiner was placed under a mental health conservatorship in 2020, which ended in 2021. Licensed fiduciary Steven Baer was appointed as his conservator during this time. Baer told The Times that mental illness "is an epidemic that is widely misunderstood, and this is a horrible tragedy." After his arrest, Reiner was initially placed on suicide watch inside a high-observation mental health unit at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles.
Addiction struggle
His troubled past with drug addiction
In interviews from a decade ago while promoting his semi-autobiographical movie Being Charlie, Reiner was candid about his past struggles with drug addiction since his teen years. He revealed being in and out of rehabs over 18 times by age 22. Despite their efforts to help him, sources told PEOPLE that Reiner didn't take his parents' support seriously and that his issues were far out of their control.