Nick Reiner’s weight gain and medication change fueled parents’ killings, documentary claims

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The unraveling of Nick Reiner, which ended with the shocking killings of his parents, Rob and Michelle Reiner, may trace back to a decision made just weeks earlier, when concerns about weight gain led to a change in his psychiatric medication, sources familiar with the case told TMZ.

The new details emerged as part of TMZ’s latest documentary, 'The Reiner Murders: What Really Happened,' which examines Reiner’s long struggle with mental illness, substance abuse, and the series of events that culminated in the double homicide.

According to multiple sources with direct knowledge, Reiner’s mental state deteriorated rapidly after doctors altered the medication that had kept him stable for years.

Nick Reiner’s schizoaffective disorder diagnosis and years of treatment

Sources say Nick Reiner was diagnosed around 2020 with schizoaffective disorder, a serious mental illness marked by delusions, hallucinations, mania, and deep depression. For years, medication reportedly helped manage his symptoms and kept him grounded in reality.

That stability, however, came at a cost. Reiner allegedly struggled with significant weight gain, a known side effect of some psychiatric medications and voiced growing frustration to his doctors. Those concerns, sources say, prompted a change in his treatment plan roughly a month before the murders.

Medication change triggered rapid and dangerous mental decline

According to people familiar with the case, the switch proved catastrophic. The new medication allegedly sent Reiner into an increasingly erratic and unstable state, with his behavior becoming more alarming as days passed.

Sources say Rob and Michelle noticed the dramatic change in their son and were deeply concerned, but felt uncertain about how to intervene. Despite the escalating warning signs, doctors did not place Reiner on a temporary psychiatric hold - an option that could have allowed authorities to detain him for up to 14 days to stabilize his condition.

By the time of the killings, sources say Reiner had experienced a complete break from reality.

Parents were aware of warning signs but felt powerless

Those close to the family say Rob and Michelle were not in denial about their son’s condition. They reportedly understood that something was terribly wrong, but lacked the authority or guidance to force treatment.

The absence of a temporary psych hold has since become a point of quiet but profound scrutiny among those following the case, particularly given how abruptly Reiner’s mental health deteriorated after years of relative stability.

Legal defense centers on insanity and competency concerns

As previously reported, Nick’s legal team planned to pursue a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, a position his now-former attorney, Alan Jackson, strongly suggested following a recent court hearing.

Multiple sources now tell TMZ that Nick is not competent to stand trial. Behind bars, he is said to understand that he killed his parents, yet remains convinced that his incarceration is the result of a conspiracy against him rather than his own actions.

Those close to the situation describe a man still deeply disconnected from reality, trapped in delusions even as the legal system moves forward.