A devastating new detail has emerged in the Brentwood double murder case involving the family of legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner. Just hours before he and his wife Michele were found dead in their home, Rob Reiner reportedly confided to friends that he feared his own son, Nick Reiner—an admission that now reads as a chilling warning.
Court documents and family sources reveal that Nick Reiner, who was arrested for the December 2025 killings, had been placed under a strict mental health conservatorship five years earlier. The arrangement, imposed in 2020 and ending in 2021, underscores the severity of the mental health struggles that had long plagued him while he lived under his parents’ roof.
According to reporting by The New York Times, a licensed fiduciary was appointed to oversee Nick’s care under what is known in California as an L.P.S. conservatorship. This rare legal status is reserved for individuals deemed “gravely disabled” due to serious mental illness and requires extensive medical evaluations and judicial approval. Such conservatorships are typically temporary and must be renewed annually through the courts. In Nick’s case, the conservatorship was not renewed when it expired in 2021, though the reasons remain confidential under state law.
Those familiar with Nick’s history say his struggles stretched back decades. He reportedly battled addiction and mental illness since his teenage years, cycling through at least 18 rehabilitation attempts. At the time of the murders, Nick was undergoing treatment for schizophrenia, with sources indicating he had also previously been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder.
In the weeks leading up to the killings, his condition appeared to deteriorate rapidly. About a month before his parents’ deaths, his medication was changed after severe side effects from earlier treatment. Family members grew increasingly alarmed, fearing what might happen if he was left alone.
On the night of December 13, 2025, Rob and Michele brought Nick with them to Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party, reportedly out of concern for his safety. Guests later described Nick’s behavior as erratic and unsettling, with several saying they felt deeply uncomfortable around him. Witnesses also recalled a loud argument between Rob and Nick that drew attention from others at the gathering.
Before leaving the party, Rob allegedly confided in close friends that he was afraid of his son and worried he could be hurt by him. Less than 24 hours later, those fears became a grim reality.
The following afternoon, Rob and Michele Reiner were discovered dead in their Brentwood home by their daughter, Romy. Nick was arrested hours later and charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances.
The legal battle has already taken dramatic turns. High-profile defense attorney Alan Jackson initially represented Nick but withdrew from the case earlier this month, suggesting the likelihood of an insanity defense. Nick is now represented by the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, as the case continues to raise painful questions about mental illness, family responsibility, and whether more could have been done to prevent the tragedy.
