NEWSRob and Michele Reiner Had 'Such a Tight-Knit Family' Before Son Nick Was Accused of Murdering His Parents: 'They Did Everything Together'
Nick Reiner has been accused of killing his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner.
Dec. 16 2025, Published 10:49 a.m. ET
Though Rob and Michele Reiner's addict son Nick has his struggles, an insider claimed that before the latter was accused of brutally murdering his parents, they "were such a tight-knit family."
"They did everything together," the source spilled to a news outlet.
Rob and Michelle Reiner Desperately Tried to Help Son Nick
Nick Reiner's 'deep' addiction struggles were 'a parent's worst nightmare,' admitted an insider.
Aside from Nick, 32, the slain couple were parents to son Jake, 34, and daughter Romy, 28, while the director also had an adopted daughter, Tracy, 61, from his first marriage to late ex-wife Penny Marshall.
However, "they could never reach stability with Nick" amid his demons. "They tried everything — giving him space, keeping him close — but his struggles are so deep. It’s just a parent’s worst nightmare."
"They were such lovely people, and tried in every way to help their son," the source insisted.
Nick Reiner's Addiction Battle
The couple tried to help Nick with his addiction before he was accused of murdering them on Sunday, December 14.
The Princess Bride director and his wife — who were 78 and 68, respectively, when they died — didn't try to sweep Nick's issues under the rug, having checked him into rehab more than a dozen times since he was a teenager.
According to insiders, Nick recently hit another rough patch, which prompted the spouses to invite him to live with them instead of having him go back to the streets, where he's lived before.
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How Things Escalated the Night Before the Murders
The Reiners were 'a tight-knit family' before the shocking tragedy, a source shared.
"Michele had been anguishing to friends over the last few months that she and Rob were at their wits' end over Nick's mental illness and alleged substance abuse issues," another insider told a separate news outlet.
In order to keep an eye on Nick, the duo had him tag along to Conan O'Brien's Christmas party on Saturday, December 13, where they got into a "very loud argument" that led to Rob and Michele leaving the bash.
The next day, Romy arrived to her family's Brentwood, Calif., house to find her parents dead with slit throats.
Nick Reiner was placed on suicide watch after his arrest.
When Romy contacted the police, she informed them her brother Nick could be a suspect since he's "dangerous." Nick wasn't at the house when she arrived, and it took around five hours for cops to locate him that night and arrest him.
"It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner," the family confirmed in a statement that same night. "We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time."
On Monday, December 15, it was claimed Nick was on suicide watch and "in administrative segregation" at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in L.A., where he's being held without bail.
