Rob Reiner's Daughter Romy 'Lived in Fear' of Brother Nick Before Parents' Murders: 'His Outbursts Were Frightening'

Rob Reiner’s daughter Romy Reiner reportedly “lived in fear” of her brother Nick long before the tragic deaths of their parents.

“It feels like Romy has been scared of Nick since she was a child,” an insider told an outlet. “Even before his drug addiction, his outbursts were frightening because they seemed to come out of nowhere. She tried to stay out of his way as much as she could, but it wasn’t easy.”

According to the source, Romy "didn’t even like the idea of him living across the street from her."

Rob and Michele let Nick stay in their guesthouse, which he previously destroyed repeatedly.

“But she knew they moved him in so they could keep a close eye on him and give him a roof over his head,” they added. “There were plenty of times when Romy would be upset with Nick, and naturally that made her much closer to [her other brother] Jake.”

Romy’s 34-year-old brother Jake reportedly shared the same concerns about Nick and became her emotional anchor during tense moments.

“Romy was able to talk about it when she didn’t want to burden their parents,” the insider stated. “She and Jake are numb right now.”

Despite her fears, Romy remained patient with Nick before the December 14 killings and even referred to him as her “best friend,” the source said.

“Anytime that her parents looked overwhelmed or asked for help, Romy and Jake were there for Nick. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but she never disowned Nick,” the insider added.

As OK! previously reported, Rob and Michele Reiner were found dead inside their Brentwood, Calif., home on Sunday, December 14.

Their son Nick — who has battled drug addiction for more than a decade — was located hours later and taken into custody. On December 16, he was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Authorities claim a knife was used in the killings, which could result in the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Nick appeared in court on December 17.

That same day, Romy and Jake released a deeply emotional statement addressing the devastating loss of their parents.

"Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience," they wrote. "They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.”

The siblings went on to thank supporters and requested privacy as they grieve, asking for “respect and privacy and for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave."

The statement made no direct mention of Nick.