New claims say medication change triggered Nick Reiner’s mental collapse before killing his parents

New claims have raised serious questions about the mental health treatment of Nick Reiner in the weeks leading up to the killings of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner, according to sources cited in a new TMZ investigation.

Sources with direct knowledge told TMZ that Nick Reiner, who was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder around 2020, experienced a rapid and severe mental deterioration after doctors altered his medication roughly a month before the killings.

Schizoaffective disorder is a psychiatric condition that combines symptoms associated with schizophrenia, including delusions and hallucinations, with mood disorder symptoms such as mania and severe depression.

Claims he was stable before medication change

According to the report, Reiner had been stable on his prescribed medication prior to the change. Sources allege the decision to alter his treatment caused a sharp decline in his mental state, describing behaviour that became increasingly agitated, erratic and alarming.

The report claims that Rob and Michele Reiner grew increasingly concerned by what they were witnessing but did not know how to intervene as their son’s condition worsened.

Sources declined to explain why the medication change was made, saying only that the reasoning behind the decision would be “shocking”. No medical professionals involved have publicly commented on the claims.

Alleged breakdown and legal implications

It’s further reported that by the time of the killings, Nick Reiner had suffered what sources describe as a complete break from reality. It is alleged that no psychiatric hold was initiated during attempts to adjust his medication and stabilise his condition.

According to the report, these circumstances may form a central part of Reiner’s legal defence. Under California law, an insanity defence does not require a defendant to prove they could not distinguish right from wrong, but rather that they did not understand the nature and quality of their actions at the time.

New documentary examines the case

The claims are explored in TMZ Investigates: The Reiner Murders: What Really Happened, which examines the timeline leading up to the killings and the role mental health treatment may have played.

The documentary also presents perspectives from both sides of the case. The allegations outlined remain unproven, and no official findings have been made regarding the role of medication in the events described.

Aasiya Niaz