December 18, 2025 • 49 mins
Nick Reiner appears in a Los Angeles courthouse on Wednesday for the first time since he is accused of killing his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
While in court, Nick Reiner, 32, appears to be wearing an all-blue vest. The only words he utters during the brief appearance are, “Yes, your honor.”
His arraignment is pushed back to January 7, marking the second time it was delayed since his arrest Sunday in his parents' deaths.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office on Wednesday listed the couple's cause of death as multiple sharp force injuries.
Many jump to the conclusion that the Reiners were bad parents to their middle child, and somehow responsible for their demise at their troubled son's hands.
Critics highlight Nick Reiner’s early signs of addiction and meth. The teen reportedly entered rehab for around his 15th birthday.
Joining Nancy Grace:
- Heather Michaels - Reiner Family Friend and Neighbor, Investigative Reporter, Producer and Social Justice Advocate; Instagram: HeatherMichaelsTV, Facebook: HeatherSMichaels
- Troy Slaten - Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney, Slaten Lawyers; X @TroySlaten
- Caryn Stark - Forensic Psychologist, Renowned TV and Radio trauma Expert and Consultant; Instagram: carynpsych, FB: Caryn Stark Private Practice
- Joseph Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author of "Blood Beneath My Feet," and Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan;" X @JoScottForensic
- Jaclyn Roth - Editor-in-Chief of OK! Magazine; Instagram & Twitter: JRoth104
- Sydney Sumner - Investigative Reporter, ‘Crime Stories’
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
No remorse, no remorse whatsoever. Nick Reiner stone faced and
court in the last hours, uttering only three.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Words in front of the judge.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
This as the suspect is facing claims he slit his parents'
throats in their sleep. Rob Reiner, his wife Michelle Singer,
writer murdered. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I
want to thank you for being with us. Brutal murder
(00:45):
of Hollywood legend Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
It was a horrific scene. There was blood everywhere, slaughtered
in their own home.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Swooping in is high profile lawyer Alan Jackjackson, who has
represented the likes of Karen Reid, Harvey Weinstein, so many others.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
And this is what he has to say.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
There are very very complex and serious issues that are
associated with this case. Therese need to be thoroughly but
very carefully dealt with and examined and looked at and analyzed.
This was a continuance of arrangement. Nothing happened today substantively.
(01:30):
Will be back for an arrangement in the same department
on the seventh of January and we'll see you then.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
I'm going to analyze that.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
That's where our friends at Fox News joining me an
all star panel. He says, there are very very complex,
serious issues associated.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
With this case.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
In other words, how am I going to get paid?
And what in the hey am I going to tell
a jury my client was covered in his parents' blood
he acted normally.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
There goes the mental defense.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Those are the complex issues Alan Jackson is thinking about tonight,
Very complex, serious.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Issues associated with this case.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Those need to be thoroughly but very carefully dealt with
and examined and looked at and analyzed. This was a
continuous of narrayment. Nothing happened today. A lot happened. A
lot happened. Joining me, Jacqueline Roth, editor in chief Okay Magazine, Jacqueline,
thank you so much for being with us. Nick Reiner
(02:28):
in court, completely stone faced, no remorse whatsoever what happened.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
He only said three words, yes, your honor, which is
really frightening. I mean, you know, he allegedly just killed
his parents and that's all he has to say to
everyone out there. It's very very concerning, and obviously all
the drug stuff that's come out about him and all
these things are now catching up with him. We've now
seen old videos of him, you know, saying all these things,
(02:57):
get me out of jail and bail me out, and
all this money he's been using from his parents. It's super,
super frightening and scary. You know what was really going
on behind the scenes, We have no idea, but obviously
something bigger than anyone could have ever imagined.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
We are talking about the developments in the last hours.
Nick ryin or in court making a first appearance, and
during that appearance, he doesn't play guilty. He doesn't plead
not guilty. Troy Slayton joining us high profile lawyer out
of this jurisdiction.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
LA.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
He's a veteran criminal defense attorney with Slayton Lawyers. Troy Slayton,
thank you for being with us tonight. He can't say
not guilty.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Your honor. I mean, why the drama, why the suspense?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Is this somehow distirring the pot of mental defect on
behalf of Nick Reiner, which of course is not going
to work because voluntary use of drugs and alcohol is
not a defense.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
So why not in repla, is he pulling a coburger?
Speaker 5 (03:56):
Absolutely not, Nancy. This is a very common thing that
happens every single day. In the Criminal Courts Building in
Los Angeles. He waved time for his arrangment. He's entitled
to have an arraignment in two days, but people all
the time wave time for arraignment and put it over
to another date. This way, This way his attorney can
(04:18):
when he comes in on January seventh, likely declare a
doubt as to his competency and in the meantime can
have him by.
Speaker 6 (04:31):
No.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
He's waiting to see a copy of the discovery, the
initial packet from the from the DA so that way
he can start to wrap his head around what type
of evidence the government has.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Troy, he has to see and what the state's gotten
on hand before he can say I didn't do this
if he were incident, wouldn't he says?
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Would reason, Nancy, There's a strategic reason, because once you
enter the plea of not guilty, then a certain timeline
starts for a preliminary hearing. Because then the court starts
pressing to have that's.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
On the state to lead, Troy, do not try and
mislead the viewers the time line that you are talking about,
that really means nothing because the defense can ask.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
For delay, delay, delay, delay and get it.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
So The only thing that would legally be triggered is
if the defense, Oh I'm hearing a buzzing in my ear.
Oh it is Troy Slaton. The only thing that is
a firm deadline is if the defense files a demand
for speedy trial.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Cases can go years without being tried. So that's not accurate.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
This is, as you said, correctly, a rategic tactic.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
Absolutely, and it happens every single day in court. This
is not a a new thing with this case. It
happens in criminal cases every single day here in Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
It's standards, just strategy. We're being played.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
We all know we're being played, but that is not
going to deter anyone from seeking justice. Guys, shedding insight
on the family dynamic is a very special guest now.
She is an investigative reporter and she is a producer
and advocate. Heather Michaels is also a Rener family friend.
(06:36):
She is a neighbor.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Heather. Thank you for being with us.
Speaker 7 (06:43):
Thank you, Nancy.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
What do you recall happened following the discovery of Michelle
and Rob's bodies?
Speaker 7 (06:57):
All right, we all saw this fold in real time.
You know, I I the tragedy of this really is,
you know, the main focus and the lives of Rob
and Michelle, and how wonderful and kind and genuine they were.
(07:17):
Nick has struggled with mental health issues. He has struggled with,
you know, experimenting with drugs and being on and off
met That's no secret. I think that he also was
broken in a lot of ways. I, like you, am
very disturbed by what we saw yesterday unfold and the
(07:40):
stone face reaction to the death of his parents, the
brutal alleged murder by him of his parents, of his
own parents. It's just it's heartbreaking. It's just devastating.
Speaker 8 (07:55):
You know.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
I'm trying to come from a place of love and empathy,
but this is just something that's shocking to the communities,
to our families, to the entertainment world.
Speaker 6 (08:05):
You know, just.
Speaker 9 (08:05):
It's there really are no words.
Speaker 7 (08:09):
And I appreciate everything you said, because he really nailed it,
and that you cannot be ignored either.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Heather Michaels is joining us. She is an investigative reporter.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
She is a producer and advocate, but tonight she's here
as a neighbor and a friend of the Reiner family. Heather,
I had the opportunity, the privilege of getting to meet
Rob Reiner.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
He was so kind to me, and he had absolutely.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
No reason he should have been or needed to, and
actually knew my name. I was stunned, and at first
I heard someone say Nancy, and I turned around. I
actually thought it was Carl Reiner when I looked up
at him, but of course that was impossible, and then
I realized it was Rob Reiner, and was just overwhelmed
(09:03):
that someone like him would someone like me's first name
and be familiar with what was happening is during Dancing
with the Stars.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
And it struck me.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
How he would be familiar with other people and kind
to other people when he really didn't need to. Heether,
you mentioned that Nick Reiner now being held behind bars
and the murders of both of his parents, Rob and
Michelle battle not only drug addiction but mental health issues.
(09:39):
What I'm not familiar with him ever being diagnosed with
a mental health issue other than being whacked out on drugs.
Speaker 7 (09:51):
So that is the severe underlying issue is you know,
it's a mix of like a bipolar and media small
amount of schizophrenia. He struggled with mental health issues most
of his life and unfortunately, you know, this is not uncommon.
(10:12):
This is something that it could have been actually one
of five families, famous families that have children with mental
health issues. And so that is another, you know, place
of where something needs to be addressed there. But this
is something that then became such a tragedy, and you know,
for somebody like him to you know, just snap like
(10:34):
that and then brutally murder your parents when they are sleeping.
They were sleeping, you know, this was after that party,
and you know, it's it's just unthinkable, it's unfathomable.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
It's very hard for me to take in Heather, My
mom was with us, She just turned ninety four this
past weekend. And I go in all during the night
to check on her and I see her lying or sleep.
The thought of taking a knife and slitting her throat
is physically repulsive to me. You stated that you believe
(11:11):
Nick Reiner was bipolar, possibly schizophrenic. Do you know he
had been diagnosed with that or is that your educated
guess observing him.
Speaker 7 (11:23):
There was some level of diagnosis and it was he
was I would say, a functioning, you know, child with
mental health challenges.
Speaker 10 (11:33):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (11:33):
You know, as you know, there's various levels. So he
was functioning, but he struggled with a lot and you know,
they made some of these kids maybe on some medication
for some time. A lot of times they go off
the medication in the experiment with various drugs. I'm sure
you heard that he was, you know, sort of homeless.
(11:54):
You know, various times he had open access to the home.
But sometimes the these kids that are struggling just end
up going on the street. So this is something he
hit some But Heather.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Did he have a formal diagnosis, because nowhere in any
documents or commentary have I heard he was actually diagnosed
bipolar or diagnosed schizophrenic. I repeatedly am hearing from multiple
sources that years and years of drug abuse had left
(12:29):
him adult, that that was the source of his mental
health problems.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
From what I am told, it's a combination. And like
I said, he was a functioning individual with mental health
challenges and a lot of times they do then lean
on various drugs. I'm sure you heard the podcast.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
So there was no formal diagnosis, did the rhiners there
likely was.
Speaker 7 (13:01):
This is something that was discussed from time to time,
but it was kept private, you know, And like I said,
so they told.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
You he was bipolar or schizophrenic.
Speaker 7 (13:15):
There was discussion of mental health challenges and that that
could be an underlying factor.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Okay, so I'm taking that as a no formal diagnosis,
bipolar or schizophrenic, but.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
They discussed mental health challenges absolutely, yes, okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
When you would observe Nick Reiner, what did you say?
Speaker 7 (13:46):
Sometimes I would see a you know, a fairly balanced child.
But then there were times when some things that he
said were just like socially awkward, you know, a little odd.
You know, I've known other families in the industry with
(14:08):
children with mental health issues and on the higher spectrum.
You know, he struggled with those issues and then also
just feeling a little awkward, never really finding his place,
you know. But he was he was talented in some ways,
and he had the deep love and respect and compassion
from Rob and Michelle. You know, they were very supportive
(14:31):
of all of their children. He was the one though,
that just was a little less balanced than the others.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
You referred to him as a child. He's thirty two
years old.
Speaker 7 (14:44):
I know a lot of times when there's a mental
health aspect like this, you know, they just don't really evolve,
and I it's been so emotional last couple of days.
They keep playing over and over and over again that podcast.
Then he spoke on and candidly. I just feel like
(15:07):
that was very telling of his personality at this time.
And I know that was over ten years ago, but
this is a kid. I'm going to keep calling him
a kid that is fairly broken. But the tragedy of
then taking it that much further, and whether it was
an argument or what you killed your parents in cold blood,
(15:29):
he murdered his parents and we allegedly and we can't
get past that. That is a tragedy all the way around,
and it's just unfathomable.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Joining us is Heather Michaels, not only investigative reporter, producer,
but tonight here on behalf of the Rhiner family. She
is describing Nick Reiner, now charged in both of his
parents murders.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Let's hear it from the horse's mouth.
Speaker 11 (15:57):
Why do you like snapple so much?
Speaker 12 (16:00):
Because when I'm done drinking it, I can go in
my room and squirt lotion in it and then use
it to stick my.
Speaker 8 (16:12):
Sometimes I just come out to gather.
Speaker 13 (16:15):
My my sick thoughts, you know, we're close to making
a deal that will of course make him the worldwide.
Speaker 6 (16:25):
Star that he deserves to be.
Speaker 13 (16:27):
Fifty million on the line, and they were like black
to Mayor.
Speaker 8 (16:31):
The whole time.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Okay, Yeah, now I see what you're saying, Heather.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Michael's about socially awkward.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Statements, Sidney Summer joining US investigative reporter Crime Stories.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Sidney, what we were just playing? I believe.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Was him acting in a different persona or was that
really him?
Speaker 10 (16:53):
You know, Nancy, It's a little bit hard to tell.
There's not a lot of context associated with this YouTube video.
This was posted to Nick Reiner's YouTube in twenty sixteen.
The title is d Dud David. So I think what's
happening here is that Reiner is portraying a Bubba Gump
esque rapper by that name, and this is some kind
(17:17):
of skit with his friends. I thought he's maybe making
fun of his dad's movie Spinal Tap, which was kind
of a similar mockumentary about fake rock stars.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Sidney, Can I just ask you a very harsh question.
Are you just spinning out here? Are you extrapolating? Are
you saying you want to believe he's portraying a rapper
because you want to think that. You don't want to
think that. Nick Reiner says, I drink Snapple because I
go home escort luhen and it stick my pennant.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Yeah, I don't want to think that.
Speaker 10 (17:49):
Well, that might be part of it.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Okay, so you are projecting that nobody in their right
mind would say that. Okay, let's take another look at
Nick Reiner.
Speaker 8 (18:02):
Why do you like Snapple so much? Mainly because.
Speaker 12 (18:07):
When I'm done drinking it, I can go in my
room and squirt lotion in it and then use it.
Speaker 8 (18:14):
To stick my Sometimes I just come out to gather
my my sick thoughts.
Speaker 14 (18:24):
You know, we're close to making a deal that will
of course make him the worldwide.
Speaker 13 (18:29):
Star that he deserves to be fifty million on the line,
and they were like back to major the whole time.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
So let me understand under Sydney Summers would be theory
that it is just another white boy out of Brentwood
living in his dad's a multimillion dollar pool house, portraying
a rapper.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Okay, more of Nick Reiner from the Horse's Mouth.
Speaker 11 (18:58):
I guess it could have been pretty awkward to Impede
approached you about joining their team.
Speaker 8 (19:06):
I'm gonna go back to.
Speaker 11 (19:06):
Show that you bought Heroin off a transvestine.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
He doesn't lost, are you No?
Speaker 15 (19:14):
I have a famous dad and a famous grandpa, and
they are they sort of you know that fame sort
of informs who you are.
Speaker 8 (19:22):
So I wanted to etch out my own identity with a.
Speaker 15 (19:24):
More rebellious, angry.
Speaker 8 (19:27):
Drug addicted sort of persona.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
What that's from?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Inside Out Podcast with Paul Mercurio. Did I just hear
him say I have a famous dad and a famous grandpa,
and they, you know, famous informs who you are?
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Aren't they? Is he blaming his father? Rob Crime Stories
with Nancy Grace.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Heather Michaels is with us, who is not only an
investigative reporter and producer, a social justice advocate. You can
find her on Insta at Heather Michael's TV. She is
a friend of the Reiner family and a neighbor. It
(20:25):
seems to me that Nick Reiner had everything handed to him,
fed with a silver spoon. How many people in this
country would give their iteth to live in Reiner's poolhouse
for Pete's sake. It's just everything to tramp into his
(20:47):
gorgeous kitchen and free load out of the sub zero.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
I mean, he had the life.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
I don't understand his hatred toward his parents, blaming them
for what.
Speaker 7 (21:02):
You know, there's a lot of theories just in general
and the entertainment industry, when you have children that are
under the you know, that have famous parents, it's challenging
in itself. But this does not reflect on Rob and
Michelle because they love their children unconditionally. They with compatient,
(21:24):
genuine intention and so supportive of him. You know, it's
what you see time and time again. I think that
this is just a child. I'm going to say a
child again that he he struggled with, not just the
difficulties of you know, being having very famous parents, but
(21:48):
some of the mental health issues that he struggled with,
the drug abuse that absolutely impacted his personality.
Speaker 11 (22:00):
You brought heroin off a transvestite.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
He doesn't lost, are you no?
Speaker 8 (22:05):
No?
Speaker 2 (22:08):
The son of Rob Reiner and wife Michelle Singer Reiner
in court wearing a suicide vest, shackled hand and foot,
no remorse at all. His high priced lawyer, Alan Jackson says,
this case is very complex. He asked for a continuance,
(22:30):
he got one, and I'm sure during this time he's
going to make sure that check is good. He is
a very high profile lawyer and he has gotten results.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
By the way you saw the Karen.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Reed trial outcome he defended Harvey Weinstein is a total ps.
He defended Kevin Spacey and got a good outcome on
that and many many more. What card is up his sleeve?
In this case, we are told that Nick Reiner was
(23:05):
covered in his parents' blood, had the wherewithal to leave
the scene, pack new, fresh clothes. Let's see the video
of him in a gas station, goes to a nearby hotel,
not cheap, I might add, pretty nice checks in uses
his own name.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
There, he is in completely clean clothes, he packed fresh
and nappies.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Goes in, goes to the refrigerated area of the store,
gets a drink, goes in line, waits patiently, pays for it,
seemingly completely in control. But the hotel finds blood, a
trail of blood from the bed, across the floor to
the shower where he cleaned up, washed his hair, cleaned
(23:48):
the blood out from under his fingernails, and.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
We had to go get himself a drink.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
That video from our friends at CBS News good luck,
arguing mental defect after that video. He also had the
wherewithal to black out the windows of the hotel with sheets. Now,
who the thunk he did? Cunning cunning. In the last hours,
(24:12):
we also learned the official c D cause of death,
joining us Jacqueline Roth, editor in chief OK Magazine. Jacqueline,
thank you for being with us tonight. What is the
official cause of death?
Speaker 4 (24:25):
The official cod is multiple sharp force injuries aka likely
that the knife slit their throat, unfortunately, which is so tragic.
He as you saw in that video, he obviously was
looking around, you know, looking kind of you know, haunted,
and you know, it's a very haunting video in general.
But as you said, all his clothes were clean, the
hotel afterwards full of blood, housekeeping, all of that. Found that,
(24:47):
you know, it's it's unthinkable that he could commit something
like that and act totally I mean, I wouldn't say
it was normal, but could act like that after that?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Can I say, Jacqueline Roth, please, Jacqueline Roth, U, I'd
like you to review the gas station video again. Can
I see that control room very quickly? The gas station video?
You say he looks haunted To me, he looks thirsty.
He doesn't look haunted. He's going looking around. I see
no signs of a haunting. He is there, you go,
(25:19):
there's that diet doctor pepper and he goes and pays
for it. How are you divining from the video from
our friends and say, there you go from CBS News
that he was haunted.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
It's slightly chilling. I mean, look the way that he's
turning and stuff like that. You know, in that video
you can kind of see he's kind of I don't know,
it feels as though there's like an eerie presence there. Definitely,
you know, a little unfazed for sure. But I do
think that there is a sense of oddness, weirdness. He's obviously,
you know, I mean something obviously I think just happened.
And he looks a little bit, you know, cautious. He's
(25:55):
looking over his shoulder. So I do think that there
is sort of a sense of a haunting to it.
I do think it is obviously very weird, and he
is a little on face as well.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
He's looking Jacqueline, that's true.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
He's looking for the refrigerated aisle to Karen start joining me.
Forensic psychologists, renowned TV and radio.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Advocate.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
She's an expert, she has a consultant and you can
find her at Karenstark dot com Karen Stark. He doesn't
look haunted to me. I think that's certainly open to interpretation.
To me, he looks like he's looking for the refrigerated
area to find his favorite drink that he's paying for,
probably with a credit card that's sent to his mom
and dad.
Speaker 6 (26:36):
Without a doubt, Nancy, because they took such good care
of him. And I don't know where it's coming from
that they might not have been good parents, because I
think that they were actually excellent parents. When it comes
to mental health, it's almost impossible to know what to
do with your child. It's a terrible situation. I want
(26:57):
to add that this kind of drug abuse for so
many years affect the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which
means executive functioning.
Speaker 9 (27:07):
In other words, he didnt make the decisions impulsive. He
clearly had a hostile dependency relationship with his parents. He
needed them, but he didn't want to need them because
he was thirty two years old, he felt inferior. There's
so much evidence that points to that, and there was
(27:29):
growing anger.
Speaker 6 (27:31):
He messed up their guest house. That's been reported repeatedly,
and his sister was afraid of him, and a neighbor
talked about violent tendencies, and so I think these parents
really were trying very hard to do their best and
did not intentionally ignore these symptoms. It's very hard to
(27:54):
know what's going on with this type of son child.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Karen start will put and that is why you're a
renowned TV radio trauma expert. Joe Scott Morgan joining us now.
Joseph Scott Morgan is Professor of Forensics to Jacksonville State University.
He is the author of Blood Beneath My Feet on Amazon.
He is the star of a hitting you podcast, Body
Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
But for my purposes. He is a death investigator who
has investigated.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Thousands, over ten thousand death scenes to determine one of
just a handful of manners of death. There's a difference
between cod cause of death and manner of death. Manner
of death can only be accidental suicide, natural causes such
(28:48):
as heart attack or stroke unexplained, or homicide.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Those are your choices.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Joe Scott, thank you for being with us tonight. Joe
Scott Morgan, could you explain what Jacqueline Roth from OK
magazine just reported as the official c D Because Joe
Scott I got a problem. It's bad enough that their
throats were split in their sleep, which leads me to
(29:19):
a special circumstance.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
The DA hasn't included lying in.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Wait, but also there were other stab wounds Joe Scott,
other stab wounds.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
What does that mean in your world?
Speaker 16 (29:33):
It means that this is an anger filled, frenzied attack,
you know, Nancy, You know, because this is something that
is driven by rage. We see this many times, particularly
with sharp force injuries. Think about what you use a knife,
a pair of scissors for a hatchet, for those sorts
of things. They are used to slice and destroy things. Right,
(29:56):
It's the most personal of types of attack that you
can possibly have in my field and so and it's
in addition to that, Nancy, this is something that everybody
needs to hold on to. This is always a close
and personal and I have my own theory about this.
Speaker 8 (30:13):
Uh.
Speaker 16 (30:14):
You know, based upon what has been stated thus far,
that mister and mister Reiner and miss Singer were found
in their bed, it would not be outside the realm
possibility that the attacker potentially climbed into bed with them
to facilitate the attack if they did not have the
(30:34):
opportunity to flee. So again, this goes to this very personal,
personal event that has taken place. I hate to use
the term events more like butchery, because I can guarantee
you that's what it would have been. But Nancy, there's
something that is even more dark here. Because the medical
examiner listed the cause of death. They ruled it the
(30:58):
manner as homicide of but they said multiple sharp force injuries.
But they see, you know, there's a line beneath this
where it says and other significant conditions contributed to their deaths.
And that's like this big unknown that's hiding out there.
And we can put any number of things into those categories,
(31:19):
all right. You can say that there was underlying natural disease,
like you know, if someone is attacked you have heart disease,
you're not going to survive it. There could be toxicological issues.
I can't imagine they would have talks back this soon.
But you also have the specter of blunt force trauma
like where they were hit, punched, kicked, stomped, any number
(31:41):
of things like that and it's really painting this very
very dark picture as we moved through all of this
data that's coming forth to us. Now we're going to
know more. We're not going to know everything because this
is an ongoing case, but just this little bit of
the information that the coroner has really used out in
la is something to you know, kind of kind of
(32:04):
chew on for a bit here, because this is going
to be highly complex from a forensic standpoint.
Speaker 17 (32:09):
Upon arrival, officers located two deceased individuals inside the residents,
later identified as Rob and Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner.
Both victims were found in the master bedroom of the
area of the home. Officers conducting a thorough search of
the residents to determine whether there were any additional victims
or suspects, and no one else was located.
Speaker 10 (32:32):
Nick Reiner is charged with two counts of murder with
the special circumstances of multiple murders because he killed two
people at the same time. From an early age, he
appeared to be a difficult child, He had.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Anger in his eyes.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Nick Reiner is an abuse or is a drug addict.
The district attorney stating that these charges include special circumstances.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
What are they?
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Special circumstances are alleged and they must be under the
law alleged in the indictment.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
If the death penalty is being sought.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
When a murder occurs with quote special circumstances, that means
that there are circumstances supporting the state seeking the death penalty.
That is not true in every homicide.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
The special circumstances that have.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Been announced in this case are one mass murder which
means more than one.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
Body, and to the use of a weapon.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
To Troy Slayton joining me veteran trial lawyer defense attorney
out of LA Isn't that true, Troy?
Speaker 5 (33:35):
It is true. There's currently a moratorium in place, signed
by the governor by executive order, but that could change
as soon as a new governor is elected, or there's
some sort of proposition put into law by the people
of the state of California.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
So a new governor could eradicate Newsom's moratorium. There's a
lot of people sitting on California's death row, or the
people of California could vote on a proposition allowing or
getting rid of the moratorium. Choice Layton and many jurisdictions
there are multiple special circumstances. You know, both of us
(34:15):
have worked on death penalty cases before. I was thinking
about the possibility of pecuniary interest as an underlying factor,
a special circumstance in this case, because as it stands
right now, Nick Reiner could inherit from his parents. Killing
them would make him one of the few beneficiaries there
(34:37):
are four children.
Speaker 5 (34:38):
It could if he were to not be convicted. However,
California prohibits people from profiting from their crime. So if
he is convicted of actly yes, if he is convicted.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Of guilty by reason of insanity, that's a good question.
Speaker 5 (35:04):
He would probably spend the rest of his life in
a California mental institution, possibly at Patton State Hospital here
in California, where, whether he had the money or not,
he wouldn't be able to use it.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Correction tiny correction gb or I. Under the California Slayer Act,
someone that kills the victim cannot then inherit under the
law if they're convicted. If they're found in gb r
I not guilty by reason of insanity, it then is
thrown into probate and they may inherit GB or I
(35:42):
not guilty insanity Once you are. Once you are treated
and declared well, you then are out of the mental facility.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Isn't that right?
Speaker 5 (35:54):
It is so rare for somebody who is convicted of well,
found not guilty by reason of insanity, placed in California
mental hospital to ever be released.
Speaker 8 (36:07):
It almost the.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
Answer to that would be yes, once treated and declared well.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Look at Hankley last I looked.
Speaker 5 (36:16):
The way that it works in California is you're entitled
to another jury trial on whether or not you're well.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
But again, he could walk after being deemed cured, even
following a not guilty by raising up.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
Are you familiar with John Hankley? Is that ringing a
bell to you?
Speaker 5 (36:40):
Yes, but that's not California.
Speaker 1 (36:43):
Do you recall what John Hinckley was convicted of.
Speaker 5 (36:47):
Yes, shooting the president of the United States.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
And do you know where he is today? He's out, Yes,
he he is out. That's what happened.
Speaker 5 (37:03):
It was an attempted assassination. It wasn't murder.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
I'm the president.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
You know what, I feel like I should be talking
to a lamppost right now. Hinckley walked. It could happen.
Things change. Charles Manson got the death penalty. Then the
law changed and he got life behind bars. Then when
the DP was reinstated, it would not be applied retroactively.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
You never know what's going to happen. So back to
where I started.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Pecuniary interest in the death of the victim is typically
a special circumstance, and lying in wait is a special circumstance.
To Joseph Scott Morgan, you brought up the specter that
he Nick Reiner waited until his parents were asleep to
(37:55):
sneak in and murder them.
Speaker 1 (37:57):
That's lying in wait.
Speaker 14 (37:59):
Yeah, of course is. And listen, Nancy, you know I
talked about how personal these these the slaughter was, uh.
And with that being said, this goes to an idea
that whoever did this would have familiarity with the habits
of the victims. They would know what time individuals went
to bed, They would know where their bedroom is, right
and so how how better to do this than to wait?
(38:22):
Because not only are you trying to the assailant could
be attempting to kill one person, they're trying to kill two.
So you have to be able to take advantage of
the darkness. You have to be able to take advantage
that the person or persons are not aware of what's
going along, going around because they might be in rim
at that point in time. So yeah, I think that
that lying in wait is a big factor here going forward.
(38:45):
And what does that go to, That goes to some
level of planning.
Speaker 2 (38:55):
Crime stores With Nancy Gray.
Speaker 11 (39:01):
You know, he's been great.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
He's you know, hasn't been doing drug for over six years.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
I mean he's he's in a really good place. I
really much to hear that.
Speaker 16 (39:08):
Much better place.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
He's a good place now.
Speaker 18 (39:10):
Though Rob Reiner boasted in September that previously troubled son
Nick has been cleaned for more than six years now,
a source close to the family says Reiner was rapidly
declining in the weeks before attacking his parents. The source
claims Reiner did not give any indication of violent tendencies,
and if he had, things would have been much different.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
You were hearing Rob Reiner speaking with Terry Gross on
NPR's Fresh Air podcast. Karen start joining us addiction specialist
for now TV radio trauma expert and forensic psychologist, Karen
Why is it we parents don't want to see anything
(39:50):
wrong with our children.
Speaker 6 (39:53):
It's purely instinctive. Nancy think about the twins. It makes
such a difference. When it's you child, you want to
believe the best. And it was a long time, a
very long time since he was in rehab, and so
it was what they were hoping. It was not the
reality because allegedly he was getting worse. He did trash
(40:18):
the guest house. He certainly was hostile when he went
to that party, enough so that somebody private like Rob Reiner,
actually had a fight with him, an argument in front
of all those people, which was reported. And so he
was not actually this mild kid who had recovered and
(40:40):
was doing very well. But parents want to believe that,
desperately want to believe that.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
And of course now the endless finger pointing has started,
including blaming the victims.
Speaker 5 (40:55):
Listen, what did Rob Ryaner do so bad that this
kid hated him so much?
Speaker 16 (41:02):
Was it money?
Speaker 6 (41:03):
Was it abuse?
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Was it neglect? High test?
Speaker 2 (41:08):
You're right, I don't know how the Rhiners were his parents,
but I do know, and which I'm quite frankly kind
of embarrassed that you don't, is that you can't just
murder your parents.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
What they mean, do you?
Speaker 2 (41:17):
That is from at the Midnight one two three on
TikTok and chillis Girl Forever on TikTok. I'm going to
go to a family friend that knows the Rhiners, that
knows Nick Hiner, that has known them for years. Heather
Michaels is with US investigative reporter producer at Heather Michael's TV. Heather,
(41:43):
I strongly resent people asking what did the Rhiners do
to deserve this. They didn't deserve this, And all they
did was love him and pay for his endless rehab stancing,
give him a place to live, a car to try.
I think I saw him driving by in a restored
(42:03):
vintage Mustang. I think I saw that he didn't pay
for that. He didn't pay for those clothes. He probably
charged his parents for his Heidi hole after the murder.
I mean, they did nothing wrong. They did everything they
could to help him.
Speaker 7 (42:19):
Yes, and the comments are disgraceful, They're despicable, But everybody's
got an opinion. Now, you know, you have all these
podcasts that everyone wants to chime in. These are two
parents that were absolutely fantastic. We're loving, compassionate. You know,
you ask neighbors, you ask the long term, longtime family friends.
(42:40):
People in the industry. Everybody loved and adore these people,
and they were fantastic with each and every one of
their children.
Speaker 1 (42:47):
They gave him a clear choice.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
You can live here in our multimillion dollar home, I
believe the home and once belonged to Norman Lear it's beautiful.
Or you can go to reh or you can go
to jail or the street. And we're learning that from
a movie created by Rob Reiner with his son Nick,
(43:10):
detailing Nick Reiner's struggles with drugs, and it's called Being Charlie.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
What does the movie reveal? Look, I love it, I
love it.
Speaker 8 (43:22):
I don't love it.
Speaker 13 (43:23):
You've had plenty of course, Charlie, you have or jail.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
You know, quite a wide selection there.
Speaker 6 (43:28):
One of us have to keep him safe for him
or for you.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
That's from Being Charlie.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
And you clearly see this is a mirror of the
winer's life, the arguments, the fights, the disruptions with the son,
Nick Reiner. The dad says, you've had plenty of choices,
and the son says, yeah, rehab or jail. What a selection?
Speaker 8 (43:51):
You know.
Speaker 2 (43:51):
To Karen Stark, people all over this country would love
to be in Betty Ford or some other really expensive,
really posh rehab where they could live in luxury and
actually get well.
Speaker 6 (44:10):
Yes, but Nancy, in this case, nothing really worked for him.
I want to say something about the movie, if that's
okay with you. I think that the movie had a
negative effect on him. And the reason I'm saying this
is it portrays him as the one in the family
that is not okay, the one that's sick, the one
that has drug problems. And I think that what that
(44:32):
did was reinforce his feelings of inferiority and the fact
that he could not get out from underon couldn't stop
his addiction.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
Karen, it was his movie. He wanted to know badly
to be a screenwriter.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
That's the only credit he's got for Pete's sake. His
father handed it to him on a silver platter.
Speaker 6 (44:51):
But Nancy looked at the credit. It's a negative credit.
I don't know that he actually thought about that. I
bet he did it. I mean, he wanted his story told,
but it's a bad story, and he really couldn't do
anything after that. He couldn't move forward. He just had
this week.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
We never did anything before that.
Speaker 6 (45:11):
Right, But it shows him as being the one of
all of the children and the parents and the grandparents.
That was not successful, that didn't do well.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
Okay, let me understand something.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
Are you saying that the movie was not the truth,
Karen Stark?
Speaker 6 (45:30):
No, I'm saying it was. But I'm saying that.
Speaker 1 (45:33):
Okay, Can I help that? Could Rob Reiner help that
that was the truth. The point of the movie was
to help other people.
Speaker 6 (45:39):
About I'm talking the bet.
Speaker 1 (45:42):
I can't help that.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
You think that had a negative impact on Nick Reiner.
To Heather Michaels, I want to follow up with what
Karen Stark is saying. The one movie, the one credit
Nick Reiner ever had was a movie his father created
and brought him in on it to help other people.
Speaker 1 (46:02):
Heather, I don't know how.
Speaker 2 (46:03):
That could have had a negative impact on Nick Rhyner.
You got a big fat paycheck out of the thing.
Speaker 7 (46:09):
The movie could have had such a tremendous impact on
so many people. It could have been educational. His story
was being told in a very respectful way, in a
very educational way. That movie was fantastically done, and it
really could have made such an impact for others. But
rather that portrayal and the way he Nick, you know what,
(46:33):
Nick took from it, then it ended up having such
a negative impact. And this is being played over and
over and over again.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
In an eerie premonition. Let's take a look at Nick
Reiner rapping.
Speaker 12 (46:51):
And I don't even care if anyone calls me a
sally because I'm a snail and I'm never gonna fail.
Speaker 8 (46:58):
And you know what, You're going to have to bail
me out of jail.
Speaker 2 (47:01):
Nate Ryiner behind bars tonight without bail. Let's take a
look at Rob Reiner.
Speaker 16 (47:10):
You call her up, you say them a let's get together.
We look at swatches.
Speaker 13 (47:13):
What have I done?
Speaker 8 (47:17):
Why don't you just make ten louder?
Speaker 15 (47:19):
And make ten be the top number, and make that
a little louder.
Speaker 8 (47:25):
These card two eleven.
Speaker 1 (47:27):
I'm never gonna get out of this town.
Speaker 2 (47:29):
I'm my glory.
Speaker 8 (47:30):
You can do anything you want.
Speaker 1 (47:31):
Man, I'll have what she's having.
Speaker 8 (47:41):
What the truth?
Speaker 1 (47:42):
You can't handle the truth.
Speaker 6 (47:44):
I like to take care of one foot at a time.
Speaker 2 (47:51):
If you know or think you know anything about this case,
the state is building a case. As we go to
Eric tonight, please dial eight hundred two two eight four
seven seven.
Speaker 1 (48:05):
Did you see Nick Ryner that evening? Did he speak
to you. Did you observe anything he did? Did you
see him slow down throw something out of the window,
i e. A knife? If you know or think you.
Speaker 2 (48:21):
Know anything about this case, please dial eight hundred two
two two eight four seven seven. Eight hundred two two
two eight four seven seven. We remember American Hero Officer
Lisa Meldon Miller County Sheriff's Office, Arkansas, killed in the
line of duty, leaving behind a husband turned widow, Travis,
(48:43):
and three daughters with no mom. American Hero Officer Lisa Maldon.
Speaker 1 (48:51):
Nancy Grace signing off goodbye, trap
Speaker 7 (49:00):
Yeah
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
No remorse, no remorse whatsoever. Nick Reiner stone faced and
court in the last hours, uttering only three.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Words in front of the judge.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
This as the suspect is facing claims he slit his parents'
throats in their sleep. Rob Reiner, his wife Michelle Singer,
writer murdered. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I
want to thank you for being with us. Brutal murder
(00:45):
of Hollywood legend Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
It was a horrific scene. There was blood everywhere, slaughtered
in their own home.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Swooping in is high profile lawyer Alan Jackjackson, who has
represented the likes of Karen Reid, Harvey Weinstein, so many others.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
And this is what he has to say.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
There are very very complex and serious issues that are
associated with this case. Therese need to be thoroughly but
very carefully dealt with and examined and looked at and analyzed.
This was a continuance of arrangement. Nothing happened today substantively.
(01:30):
Will be back for an arrangement in the same department
on the seventh of January and we'll see you then.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
I'm going to analyze that.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
That's where our friends at Fox News joining me an
all star panel. He says, there are very very complex,
serious issues associated.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
With this case.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
In other words, how am I going to get paid?
And what in the hey am I going to tell
a jury my client was covered in his parents' blood
he acted normally.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
There goes the mental defense.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Those are the complex issues Alan Jackson is thinking about tonight,
Very complex, serious.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Issues associated with this case.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Those need to be thoroughly but very carefully dealt with
and examined and looked at and analyzed. This was a
continuous of narrayment. Nothing happened today. A lot happened. A
lot happened. Joining me, Jacqueline Roth, editor in chief Okay Magazine, Jacqueline,
thank you so much for being with us. Nick Reiner
(02:28):
in court, completely stone faced, no remorse whatsoever what happened.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
He only said three words, yes, your honor, which is
really frightening. I mean, you know, he allegedly just killed
his parents and that's all he has to say to
everyone out there. It's very very concerning, and obviously all
the drug stuff that's come out about him and all
these things are now catching up with him. We've now
seen old videos of him, you know, saying all these things,
(02:57):
get me out of jail and bail me out, and
all this money he's been using from his parents. It's super,
super frightening and scary. You know what was really going
on behind the scenes, We have no idea, but obviously
something bigger than anyone could have ever imagined.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
We are talking about the developments in the last hours.
Nick ryin or in court making a first appearance, and
during that appearance, he doesn't play guilty. He doesn't plead
not guilty. Troy Slayton joining us high profile lawyer out
of this jurisdiction.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
LA.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
He's a veteran criminal defense attorney with Slayton Lawyers. Troy Slayton,
thank you for being with us tonight. He can't say
not guilty.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Your honor. I mean, why the drama, why the suspense?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Is this somehow distirring the pot of mental defect on
behalf of Nick Reiner, which of course is not going
to work because voluntary use of drugs and alcohol is
not a defense.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
So why not in repla, is he pulling a coburger?
Speaker 5 (03:56):
Absolutely not, Nancy. This is a very common thing that
happens every single day. In the Criminal Courts Building in
Los Angeles. He waved time for his arrangment. He's entitled
to have an arraignment in two days, but people all
the time wave time for arraignment and put it over
to another date. This way, This way his attorney can
(04:18):
when he comes in on January seventh, likely declare a
doubt as to his competency and in the meantime can
have him by.
Speaker 6 (04:31):
No.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
He's waiting to see a copy of the discovery, the
initial packet from the from the DA so that way
he can start to wrap his head around what type
of evidence the government has.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Troy, he has to see and what the state's gotten
on hand before he can say I didn't do this
if he were incident, wouldn't he says?
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Would reason, Nancy, There's a strategic reason, because once you
enter the plea of not guilty, then a certain timeline
starts for a preliminary hearing. Because then the court starts
pressing to have that's.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
On the state to lead, Troy, do not try and
mislead the viewers the time line that you are talking about,
that really means nothing because the defense can ask.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
For delay, delay, delay, delay and get it.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
So The only thing that would legally be triggered is
if the defense, Oh I'm hearing a buzzing in my ear.
Oh it is Troy Slaton. The only thing that is
a firm deadline is if the defense files a demand
for speedy trial.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Cases can go years without being tried. So that's not accurate.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
This is, as you said, correctly, a rategic tactic.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
Absolutely, and it happens every single day in court. This
is not a a new thing with this case. It
happens in criminal cases every single day here in Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
It's standards, just strategy. We're being played.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
We all know we're being played, but that is not
going to deter anyone from seeking justice. Guys, shedding insight
on the family dynamic is a very special guest now.
She is an investigative reporter and she is a producer
and advocate. Heather Michaels is also a Rener family friend.
(06:36):
She is a neighbor.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Heather. Thank you for being with us.
Speaker 7 (06:43):
Thank you, Nancy.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
What do you recall happened following the discovery of Michelle
and Rob's bodies?
Speaker 7 (06:57):
All right, we all saw this fold in real time.
You know, I I the tragedy of this really is,
you know, the main focus and the lives of Rob
and Michelle, and how wonderful and kind and genuine they were.
(07:17):
Nick has struggled with mental health issues. He has struggled with,
you know, experimenting with drugs and being on and off
met That's no secret. I think that he also was
broken in a lot of ways. I, like you, am
very disturbed by what we saw yesterday unfold and the
(07:40):
stone face reaction to the death of his parents, the
brutal alleged murder by him of his parents, of his
own parents. It's just it's heartbreaking. It's just devastating.
Speaker 8 (07:55):
You know.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
I'm trying to come from a place of love and empathy,
but this is just something that's shocking to the communities,
to our families, to the entertainment world.
Speaker 6 (08:05):
You know, just.
Speaker 9 (08:05):
It's there really are no words.
Speaker 7 (08:09):
And I appreciate everything you said, because he really nailed it,
and that you cannot be ignored either.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Heather Michaels is joining us. She is an investigative reporter.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
She is a producer and advocate, but tonight she's here
as a neighbor and a friend of the Reiner family. Heather,
I had the opportunity, the privilege of getting to meet
Rob Reiner.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
He was so kind to me, and he had absolutely.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
No reason he should have been or needed to, and
actually knew my name. I was stunned, and at first
I heard someone say Nancy, and I turned around. I
actually thought it was Carl Reiner when I looked up
at him, but of course that was impossible, and then
I realized it was Rob Reiner, and was just overwhelmed
(09:03):
that someone like him would someone like me's first name
and be familiar with what was happening is during Dancing
with the Stars.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
And it struck me.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
How he would be familiar with other people and kind
to other people when he really didn't need to. Heether,
you mentioned that Nick Reiner now being held behind bars
and the murders of both of his parents, Rob and
Michelle battle not only drug addiction but mental health issues.
(09:39):
What I'm not familiar with him ever being diagnosed with
a mental health issue other than being whacked out on drugs.
Speaker 7 (09:51):
So that is the severe underlying issue is you know,
it's a mix of like a bipolar and media small
amount of schizophrenia. He struggled with mental health issues most
of his life and unfortunately, you know, this is not uncommon.
(10:12):
This is something that it could have been actually one
of five families, famous families that have children with mental
health issues. And so that is another, you know, place
of where something needs to be addressed there. But this
is something that then became such a tragedy, and you know,
for somebody like him to you know, just snap like
(10:34):
that and then brutally murder your parents when they are sleeping.
They were sleeping, you know, this was after that party,
and you know, it's it's just unthinkable, it's unfathomable.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
It's very hard for me to take in Heather, My
mom was with us, She just turned ninety four this
past weekend. And I go in all during the night
to check on her and I see her lying or sleep.
The thought of taking a knife and slitting her throat
is physically repulsive to me. You stated that you believe
(11:11):
Nick Reiner was bipolar, possibly schizophrenic. Do you know he
had been diagnosed with that or is that your educated
guess observing him.
Speaker 7 (11:23):
There was some level of diagnosis and it was he
was I would say, a functioning, you know, child with
mental health challenges.
Speaker 10 (11:33):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (11:33):
You know, as you know, there's various levels. So he
was functioning, but he struggled with a lot and you know,
they made some of these kids maybe on some medication
for some time. A lot of times they go off
the medication in the experiment with various drugs. I'm sure
you heard that he was, you know, sort of homeless.
(11:54):
You know, various times he had open access to the home.
But sometimes the these kids that are struggling just end
up going on the street. So this is something he
hit some But Heather.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Did he have a formal diagnosis, because nowhere in any
documents or commentary have I heard he was actually diagnosed
bipolar or diagnosed schizophrenic. I repeatedly am hearing from multiple
sources that years and years of drug abuse had left
(12:29):
him adult, that that was the source of his mental
health problems.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
From what I am told, it's a combination. And like
I said, he was a functioning individual with mental health
challenges and a lot of times they do then lean
on various drugs. I'm sure you heard the podcast.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
So there was no formal diagnosis, did the rhiners there
likely was.
Speaker 7 (13:01):
This is something that was discussed from time to time,
but it was kept private, you know, And like I said,
so they told.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
You he was bipolar or schizophrenic.
Speaker 7 (13:15):
There was discussion of mental health challenges and that that
could be an underlying factor.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Okay, so I'm taking that as a no formal diagnosis,
bipolar or schizophrenic, but.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
They discussed mental health challenges absolutely, yes, okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
When you would observe Nick Reiner, what did you say?
Speaker 7 (13:46):
Sometimes I would see a you know, a fairly balanced child.
But then there were times when some things that he
said were just like socially awkward, you know, a little odd.
You know, I've known other families in the industry with
(14:08):
children with mental health issues and on the higher spectrum.
You know, he struggled with those issues and then also
just feeling a little awkward, never really finding his place,
you know. But he was he was talented in some ways,
and he had the deep love and respect and compassion
from Rob and Michelle. You know, they were very supportive
(14:31):
of all of their children. He was the one though,
that just was a little less balanced than the others.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
You referred to him as a child. He's thirty two
years old.
Speaker 7 (14:44):
I know a lot of times when there's a mental
health aspect like this, you know, they just don't really evolve,
and I it's been so emotional last couple of days.
They keep playing over and over and over again that podcast.
Then he spoke on and candidly. I just feel like
(15:07):
that was very telling of his personality at this time.
And I know that was over ten years ago, but
this is a kid. I'm going to keep calling him
a kid that is fairly broken. But the tragedy of
then taking it that much further, and whether it was
an argument or what you killed your parents in cold blood,
(15:29):
he murdered his parents and we allegedly and we can't
get past that. That is a tragedy all the way around,
and it's just unfathomable.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Joining us is Heather Michaels, not only investigative reporter, producer,
but tonight here on behalf of the Rhiner family. She
is describing Nick Reiner, now charged in both of his
parents murders.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Let's hear it from the horse's mouth.
Speaker 11 (15:57):
Why do you like snapple so much?
Speaker 12 (16:00):
Because when I'm done drinking it, I can go in
my room and squirt lotion in it and then use
it to stick my.
Speaker 8 (16:12):
Sometimes I just come out to gather.
Speaker 13 (16:15):
My my sick thoughts, you know, we're close to making
a deal that will of course make him the worldwide.
Speaker 6 (16:25):
Star that he deserves to be.
Speaker 13 (16:27):
Fifty million on the line, and they were like black
to Mayor.
Speaker 8 (16:31):
The whole time.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Okay, Yeah, now I see what you're saying, Heather.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Michael's about socially awkward.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Statements, Sidney Summer joining US investigative reporter Crime Stories.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Sidney, what we were just playing? I believe.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Was him acting in a different persona or was that
really him?
Speaker 10 (16:53):
You know, Nancy, It's a little bit hard to tell.
There's not a lot of context associated with this YouTube video.
This was posted to Nick Reiner's YouTube in twenty sixteen.
The title is d Dud David. So I think what's
happening here is that Reiner is portraying a Bubba Gump
esque rapper by that name, and this is some kind
(17:17):
of skit with his friends. I thought he's maybe making
fun of his dad's movie Spinal Tap, which was kind
of a similar mockumentary about fake rock stars.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Sidney, Can I just ask you a very harsh question.
Are you just spinning out here? Are you extrapolating? Are
you saying you want to believe he's portraying a rapper
because you want to think that. You don't want to
think that. Nick Reiner says, I drink Snapple because I
go home escort luhen and it stick my pennant.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Yeah, I don't want to think that.
Speaker 10 (17:49):
Well, that might be part of it.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Okay, so you are projecting that nobody in their right
mind would say that. Okay, let's take another look at
Nick Reiner.
Speaker 8 (18:02):
Why do you like Snapple so much? Mainly because.
Speaker 12 (18:07):
When I'm done drinking it, I can go in my
room and squirt lotion in it and then use it.
Speaker 8 (18:14):
To stick my Sometimes I just come out to gather
my my sick thoughts.
Speaker 14 (18:24):
You know, we're close to making a deal that will
of course make him the worldwide.
Speaker 13 (18:29):
Star that he deserves to be fifty million on the line,
and they were like back to major the whole time.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
So let me understand under Sydney Summers would be theory
that it is just another white boy out of Brentwood
living in his dad's a multimillion dollar pool house, portraying
a rapper.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Okay, more of Nick Reiner from the Horse's Mouth.
Speaker 11 (18:58):
I guess it could have been pretty awkward to Impede
approached you about joining their team.
Speaker 8 (19:06):
I'm gonna go back to.
Speaker 11 (19:06):
Show that you bought Heroin off a transvestine.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
He doesn't lost, are you No?
Speaker 15 (19:14):
I have a famous dad and a famous grandpa, and
they are they sort of you know that fame sort
of informs who you are.
Speaker 8 (19:22):
So I wanted to etch out my own identity with a.
Speaker 15 (19:24):
More rebellious, angry.
Speaker 8 (19:27):
Drug addicted sort of persona.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
What that's from?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Inside Out Podcast with Paul Mercurio. Did I just hear
him say I have a famous dad and a famous grandpa,
and they, you know, famous informs who you are?
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Aren't they? Is he blaming his father? Rob Crime Stories
with Nancy Grace.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Heather Michaels is with us, who is not only an
investigative reporter and producer, a social justice advocate. You can
find her on Insta at Heather Michael's TV. She is
a friend of the Reiner family and a neighbor. It
(20:25):
seems to me that Nick Reiner had everything handed to him,
fed with a silver spoon. How many people in this
country would give their iteth to live in Reiner's poolhouse
for Pete's sake. It's just everything to tramp into his
(20:47):
gorgeous kitchen and free load out of the sub zero.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
I mean, he had the life.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
I don't understand his hatred toward his parents, blaming them
for what.
Speaker 7 (21:02):
You know, there's a lot of theories just in general
and the entertainment industry, when you have children that are
under the you know, that have famous parents, it's challenging
in itself. But this does not reflect on Rob and
Michelle because they love their children unconditionally. They with compatient,
(21:24):
genuine intention and so supportive of him. You know, it's
what you see time and time again. I think that
this is just a child. I'm going to say a
child again that he he struggled with, not just the
difficulties of you know, being having very famous parents, but
(21:48):
some of the mental health issues that he struggled with,
the drug abuse that absolutely impacted his personality.
Speaker 11 (22:00):
You brought heroin off a transvestite.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
He doesn't lost, are you no?
Speaker 8 (22:05):
No?
Speaker 2 (22:08):
The son of Rob Reiner and wife Michelle Singer Reiner
in court wearing a suicide vest, shackled hand and foot,
no remorse at all. His high priced lawyer, Alan Jackson says,
this case is very complex. He asked for a continuance,
(22:30):
he got one, and I'm sure during this time he's
going to make sure that check is good. He is
a very high profile lawyer and he has gotten results.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
By the way you saw the Karen.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Reed trial outcome he defended Harvey Weinstein is a total ps.
He defended Kevin Spacey and got a good outcome on
that and many many more. What card is up his sleeve?
In this case, we are told that Nick Reiner was
(23:05):
covered in his parents' blood, had the wherewithal to leave
the scene, pack new, fresh clothes. Let's see the video
of him in a gas station, goes to a nearby hotel,
not cheap, I might add, pretty nice checks in uses
his own name.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
There, he is in completely clean clothes, he packed fresh
and nappies.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Goes in, goes to the refrigerated area of the store,
gets a drink, goes in line, waits patiently, pays for it,
seemingly completely in control. But the hotel finds blood, a
trail of blood from the bed, across the floor to
the shower where he cleaned up, washed his hair, cleaned
(23:48):
the blood out from under his fingernails, and.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
We had to go get himself a drink.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
That video from our friends at CBS News good luck,
arguing mental defect after that video. He also had the
wherewithal to black out the windows of the hotel with sheets. Now,
who the thunk he did? Cunning cunning. In the last hours,
(24:12):
we also learned the official c D cause of death,
joining us Jacqueline Roth, editor in chief OK Magazine. Jacqueline,
thank you for being with us tonight. What is the
official cause of death?
Speaker 4 (24:25):
The official cod is multiple sharp force injuries aka likely
that the knife slit their throat, unfortunately, which is so tragic.
He as you saw in that video, he obviously was
looking around, you know, looking kind of you know, haunted,
and you know, it's a very haunting video in general.
But as you said, all his clothes were clean, the
hotel afterwards full of blood, housekeeping, all of that. Found that,
(24:47):
you know, it's it's unthinkable that he could commit something
like that and act totally I mean, I wouldn't say
it was normal, but could act like that after that?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Can I say, Jacqueline Roth, please, Jacqueline Roth, U, I'd
like you to review the gas station video again. Can
I see that control room very quickly? The gas station video?
You say he looks haunted To me, he looks thirsty.
He doesn't look haunted. He's going looking around. I see
no signs of a haunting. He is there, you go,
(25:19):
there's that diet doctor pepper and he goes and pays
for it. How are you divining from the video from
our friends and say, there you go from CBS News
that he was haunted.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
It's slightly chilling. I mean, look the way that he's
turning and stuff like that. You know, in that video
you can kind of see he's kind of I don't know,
it feels as though there's like an eerie presence there. Definitely,
you know, a little unfazed for sure. But I do
think that there is a sense of oddness, weirdness. He's obviously,
you know, I mean something obviously I think just happened.
And he looks a little bit, you know, cautious. He's
(25:55):
looking over his shoulder. So I do think that there
is sort of a sense of a haunting to it.
I do think it is obviously very weird, and he
is a little on face as well.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
He's looking Jacqueline, that's true.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
He's looking for the refrigerated aisle to Karen start joining me.
Forensic psychologists, renowned TV and radio.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Advocate.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
She's an expert, she has a consultant and you can
find her at Karenstark dot com Karen Stark. He doesn't
look haunted to me. I think that's certainly open to interpretation.
To me, he looks like he's looking for the refrigerated
area to find his favorite drink that he's paying for,
probably with a credit card that's sent to his mom
and dad.
Speaker 6 (26:36):
Without a doubt, Nancy, because they took such good care
of him. And I don't know where it's coming from
that they might not have been good parents, because I
think that they were actually excellent parents. When it comes
to mental health, it's almost impossible to know what to
do with your child. It's a terrible situation. I want
(26:57):
to add that this kind of drug abuse for so
many years affect the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which
means executive functioning.
Speaker 9 (27:07):
In other words, he didnt make the decisions impulsive. He
clearly had a hostile dependency relationship with his parents. He
needed them, but he didn't want to need them because
he was thirty two years old, he felt inferior. There's
so much evidence that points to that, and there was
(27:29):
growing anger.
Speaker 6 (27:31):
He messed up their guest house. That's been reported repeatedly,
and his sister was afraid of him, and a neighbor
talked about violent tendencies, and so I think these parents
really were trying very hard to do their best and
did not intentionally ignore these symptoms. It's very hard to
(27:54):
know what's going on with this type of son child.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Karen start will put and that is why you're a
renowned TV radio trauma expert. Joe Scott Morgan joining us now.
Joseph Scott Morgan is Professor of Forensics to Jacksonville State University.
He is the author of Blood Beneath My Feet on Amazon.
He is the star of a hitting you podcast, Body
Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
But for my purposes. He is a death investigator who
has investigated.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Thousands, over ten thousand death scenes to determine one of
just a handful of manners of death. There's a difference
between cod cause of death and manner of death. Manner
of death can only be accidental suicide, natural causes such
(28:48):
as heart attack or stroke unexplained, or homicide.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Those are your choices.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Joe Scott, thank you for being with us tonight. Joe
Scott Morgan, could you explain what Jacqueline Roth from OK
magazine just reported as the official c D Because Joe
Scott I got a problem. It's bad enough that their
throats were split in their sleep, which leads me to
(29:19):
a special circumstance.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
The DA hasn't included lying in.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Wait, but also there were other stab wounds Joe Scott,
other stab wounds.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
What does that mean in your world?
Speaker 16 (29:33):
It means that this is an anger filled, frenzied attack,
you know, Nancy, You know, because this is something that
is driven by rage. We see this many times, particularly
with sharp force injuries. Think about what you use a knife,
a pair of scissors for a hatchet, for those sorts
of things. They are used to slice and destroy things. Right,
(29:56):
It's the most personal of types of attack that you
can possibly have in my field and so and it's
in addition to that, Nancy, this is something that everybody
needs to hold on to. This is always a close
and personal and I have my own theory about this.
Speaker 8 (30:13):
Uh.
Speaker 16 (30:14):
You know, based upon what has been stated thus far,
that mister and mister Reiner and miss Singer were found
in their bed, it would not be outside the realm
possibility that the attacker potentially climbed into bed with them
to facilitate the attack if they did not have the
(30:34):
opportunity to flee. So again, this goes to this very personal,
personal event that has taken place. I hate to use
the term events more like butchery, because I can guarantee
you that's what it would have been. But Nancy, there's
something that is even more dark here. Because the medical
examiner listed the cause of death. They ruled it the
(30:58):
manner as homicide of but they said multiple sharp force injuries.
But they see, you know, there's a line beneath this
where it says and other significant conditions contributed to their deaths.
And that's like this big unknown that's hiding out there.
And we can put any number of things into those categories,
(31:19):
all right. You can say that there was underlying natural disease,
like you know, if someone is attacked you have heart disease,
you're not going to survive it. There could be toxicological issues.
I can't imagine they would have talks back this soon.
But you also have the specter of blunt force trauma
like where they were hit, punched, kicked, stomped, any number
(31:41):
of things like that and it's really painting this very
very dark picture as we moved through all of this
data that's coming forth to us. Now we're going to
know more. We're not going to know everything because this
is an ongoing case, but just this little bit of
the information that the coroner has really used out in
la is something to you know, kind of kind of
(32:04):
chew on for a bit here, because this is going
to be highly complex from a forensic standpoint.
Speaker 17 (32:09):
Upon arrival, officers located two deceased individuals inside the residents,
later identified as Rob and Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner.
Both victims were found in the master bedroom of the
area of the home. Officers conducting a thorough search of
the residents to determine whether there were any additional victims
or suspects, and no one else was located.
Speaker 10 (32:32):
Nick Reiner is charged with two counts of murder with
the special circumstances of multiple murders because he killed two
people at the same time. From an early age, he
appeared to be a difficult child, He had.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Anger in his eyes.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Nick Reiner is an abuse or is a drug addict.
The district attorney stating that these charges include special circumstances.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
What are they?
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Special circumstances are alleged and they must be under the
law alleged in the indictment.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
If the death penalty is being sought.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
When a murder occurs with quote special circumstances, that means
that there are circumstances supporting the state seeking the death penalty.
That is not true in every homicide.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
The special circumstances that have.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Been announced in this case are one mass murder which
means more than one.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
Body, and to the use of a weapon.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
To Troy Slayton joining me veteran trial lawyer defense attorney
out of LA Isn't that true, Troy?
Speaker 5 (33:35):
It is true. There's currently a moratorium in place, signed
by the governor by executive order, but that could change
as soon as a new governor is elected, or there's
some sort of proposition put into law by the people
of the state of California.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
So a new governor could eradicate Newsom's moratorium. There's a
lot of people sitting on California's death row, or the
people of California could vote on a proposition allowing or
getting rid of the moratorium. Choice Layton and many jurisdictions
there are multiple special circumstances. You know, both of us
(34:15):
have worked on death penalty cases before. I was thinking
about the possibility of pecuniary interest as an underlying factor,
a special circumstance in this case, because as it stands
right now, Nick Reiner could inherit from his parents. Killing
them would make him one of the few beneficiaries there
(34:37):
are four children.
Speaker 5 (34:38):
It could if he were to not be convicted. However,
California prohibits people from profiting from their crime. So if
he is convicted of actly yes, if he is convicted.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Of guilty by reason of insanity, that's a good question.
Speaker 5 (35:04):
He would probably spend the rest of his life in
a California mental institution, possibly at Patton State Hospital here
in California, where, whether he had the money or not,
he wouldn't be able to use it.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Correction tiny correction gb or I. Under the California Slayer Act,
someone that kills the victim cannot then inherit under the
law if they're convicted. If they're found in gb r
I not guilty by reason of insanity, it then is
thrown into probate and they may inherit GB or I
(35:42):
not guilty insanity Once you are. Once you are treated
and declared well, you then are out of the mental facility.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Isn't that right?
Speaker 5 (35:54):
It is so rare for somebody who is convicted of well,
found not guilty by reason of insanity, placed in California
mental hospital to ever be released.
Speaker 8 (36:07):
It almost the.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
Answer to that would be yes, once treated and declared well.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Look at Hankley last I looked.
Speaker 5 (36:16):
The way that it works in California is you're entitled
to another jury trial on whether or not you're well.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
But again, he could walk after being deemed cured, even
following a not guilty by raising up.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
Are you familiar with John Hankley? Is that ringing a
bell to you?
Speaker 5 (36:40):
Yes, but that's not California.
Speaker 1 (36:43):
Do you recall what John Hinckley was convicted of.
Speaker 5 (36:47):
Yes, shooting the president of the United States.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
And do you know where he is today? He's out, Yes,
he he is out. That's what happened.
Speaker 5 (37:03):
It was an attempted assassination. It wasn't murder.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
I'm the president.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
You know what, I feel like I should be talking
to a lamppost right now. Hinckley walked. It could happen.
Things change. Charles Manson got the death penalty. Then the
law changed and he got life behind bars. Then when
the DP was reinstated, it would not be applied retroactively.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
You never know what's going to happen. So back to
where I started.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Pecuniary interest in the death of the victim is typically
a special circumstance, and lying in wait is a special circumstance.
To Joseph Scott Morgan, you brought up the specter that
he Nick Reiner waited until his parents were asleep to
(37:55):
sneak in and murder them.
Speaker 1 (37:57):
That's lying in wait.
Speaker 14 (37:59):
Yeah, of course is. And listen, Nancy, you know I
talked about how personal these these the slaughter was, uh.
And with that being said, this goes to an idea
that whoever did this would have familiarity with the habits
of the victims. They would know what time individuals went
to bed, They would know where their bedroom is, right
and so how how better to do this than to wait?
(38:22):
Because not only are you trying to the assailant could
be attempting to kill one person, they're trying to kill two.
So you have to be able to take advantage of
the darkness. You have to be able to take advantage
that the person or persons are not aware of what's
going along, going around because they might be in rim
at that point in time. So yeah, I think that
that lying in wait is a big factor here going forward.
(38:45):
And what does that go to, That goes to some
level of planning.
Speaker 2 (38:55):
Crime stores With Nancy Gray.
Speaker 11 (39:01):
You know, he's been great.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
He's you know, hasn't been doing drug for over six years.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
I mean he's he's in a really good place. I
really much to hear that.
Speaker 16 (39:08):
Much better place.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
He's a good place now.
Speaker 18 (39:10):
Though Rob Reiner boasted in September that previously troubled son
Nick has been cleaned for more than six years now,
a source close to the family says Reiner was rapidly
declining in the weeks before attacking his parents. The source
claims Reiner did not give any indication of violent tendencies,
and if he had, things would have been much different.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
You were hearing Rob Reiner speaking with Terry Gross on
NPR's Fresh Air podcast. Karen start joining us addiction specialist
for now TV radio trauma expert and forensic psychologist, Karen
Why is it we parents don't want to see anything
(39:50):
wrong with our children.
Speaker 6 (39:53):
It's purely instinctive. Nancy think about the twins. It makes
such a difference. When it's you child, you want to
believe the best. And it was a long time, a
very long time since he was in rehab, and so
it was what they were hoping. It was not the
reality because allegedly he was getting worse. He did trash
(40:18):
the guest house. He certainly was hostile when he went
to that party, enough so that somebody private like Rob Reiner,
actually had a fight with him, an argument in front
of all those people, which was reported. And so he
was not actually this mild kid who had recovered and
(40:40):
was doing very well. But parents want to believe that,
desperately want to believe that.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
And of course now the endless finger pointing has started,
including blaming the victims.
Speaker 5 (40:55):
Listen, what did Rob Ryaner do so bad that this
kid hated him so much?
Speaker 16 (41:02):
Was it money?
Speaker 6 (41:03):
Was it abuse?
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Was it neglect? High test?
Speaker 2 (41:08):
You're right, I don't know how the Rhiners were his parents,
but I do know, and which I'm quite frankly kind
of embarrassed that you don't, is that you can't just
murder your parents.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
What they mean, do you?
Speaker 2 (41:17):
That is from at the Midnight one two three on
TikTok and chillis Girl Forever on TikTok. I'm going to
go to a family friend that knows the Rhiners, that
knows Nick Hiner, that has known them for years. Heather
Michaels is with US investigative reporter producer at Heather Michael's TV. Heather,
(41:43):
I strongly resent people asking what did the Rhiners do
to deserve this. They didn't deserve this, And all they
did was love him and pay for his endless rehab stancing,
give him a place to live, a car to try.
I think I saw him driving by in a restored
(42:03):
vintage Mustang. I think I saw that he didn't pay
for that. He didn't pay for those clothes. He probably
charged his parents for his Heidi hole after the murder.
I mean, they did nothing wrong. They did everything they
could to help him.
Speaker 7 (42:19):
Yes, and the comments are disgraceful, They're despicable, But everybody's
got an opinion. Now, you know, you have all these
podcasts that everyone wants to chime in. These are two
parents that were absolutely fantastic. We're loving, compassionate. You know,
you ask neighbors, you ask the long term, longtime family friends.
(42:40):
People in the industry. Everybody loved and adore these people,
and they were fantastic with each and every one of
their children.
Speaker 1 (42:47):
They gave him a clear choice.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
You can live here in our multimillion dollar home, I
believe the home and once belonged to Norman Lear it's beautiful.
Or you can go to reh or you can go
to jail or the street. And we're learning that from
a movie created by Rob Reiner with his son Nick,
(43:10):
detailing Nick Reiner's struggles with drugs, and it's called Being Charlie.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
What does the movie reveal? Look, I love it, I
love it.
Speaker 8 (43:22):
I don't love it.
Speaker 13 (43:23):
You've had plenty of course, Charlie, you have or jail.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
You know, quite a wide selection there.
Speaker 6 (43:28):
One of us have to keep him safe for him
or for you.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
That's from Being Charlie.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
And you clearly see this is a mirror of the
winer's life, the arguments, the fights, the disruptions with the son,
Nick Reiner. The dad says, you've had plenty of choices,
and the son says, yeah, rehab or jail. What a selection?
Speaker 8 (43:51):
You know.
Speaker 2 (43:51):
To Karen Stark, people all over this country would love
to be in Betty Ford or some other really expensive,
really posh rehab where they could live in luxury and
actually get well.
Speaker 6 (44:10):
Yes, but Nancy, in this case, nothing really worked for him.
I want to say something about the movie, if that's
okay with you. I think that the movie had a
negative effect on him. And the reason I'm saying this
is it portrays him as the one in the family
that is not okay, the one that's sick, the one
that has drug problems. And I think that what that
(44:32):
did was reinforce his feelings of inferiority and the fact
that he could not get out from underon couldn't stop
his addiction.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
Karen, it was his movie. He wanted to know badly
to be a screenwriter.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
That's the only credit he's got for Pete's sake. His
father handed it to him on a silver platter.
Speaker 6 (44:51):
But Nancy looked at the credit. It's a negative credit.
I don't know that he actually thought about that. I
bet he did it. I mean, he wanted his story told,
but it's a bad story, and he really couldn't do
anything after that. He couldn't move forward. He just had
this week.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
We never did anything before that.
Speaker 6 (45:11):
Right, But it shows him as being the one of
all of the children and the parents and the grandparents.
That was not successful, that didn't do well.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
Okay, let me understand something.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
Are you saying that the movie was not the truth,
Karen Stark?
Speaker 6 (45:30):
No, I'm saying it was. But I'm saying that.
Speaker 1 (45:33):
Okay, Can I help that? Could Rob Reiner help that
that was the truth. The point of the movie was
to help other people.
Speaker 6 (45:39):
About I'm talking the bet.
Speaker 1 (45:42):
I can't help that.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
You think that had a negative impact on Nick Reiner.
To Heather Michaels, I want to follow up with what
Karen Stark is saying. The one movie, the one credit
Nick Reiner ever had was a movie his father created
and brought him in on it to help other people.
Speaker 1 (46:02):
Heather, I don't know how.
Speaker 2 (46:03):
That could have had a negative impact on Nick Rhyner.
You got a big fat paycheck out of the thing.
Speaker 7 (46:09):
The movie could have had such a tremendous impact on
so many people. It could have been educational. His story
was being told in a very respectful way, in a
very educational way. That movie was fantastically done, and it
really could have made such an impact for others. But
rather that portrayal and the way he Nick, you know what,
(46:33):
Nick took from it, then it ended up having such
a negative impact. And this is being played over and
over and over again.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
In an eerie premonition. Let's take a look at Nick
Reiner rapping.
Speaker 12 (46:51):
And I don't even care if anyone calls me a
sally because I'm a snail and I'm never gonna fail.
Speaker 8 (46:58):
And you know what, You're going to have to bail
me out of jail.
Speaker 2 (47:01):
Nate Ryiner behind bars tonight without bail. Let's take a
look at Rob Reiner.
Speaker 16 (47:10):
You call her up, you say them a let's get together.
We look at swatches.
Speaker 13 (47:13):
What have I done?
Speaker 8 (47:17):
Why don't you just make ten louder?
Speaker 15 (47:19):
And make ten be the top number, and make that
a little louder.
Speaker 8 (47:25):
These card two eleven.
Speaker 1 (47:27):
I'm never gonna get out of this town.
Speaker 2 (47:29):
I'm my glory.
Speaker 8 (47:30):
You can do anything you want.
Speaker 1 (47:31):
Man, I'll have what she's having.
Speaker 8 (47:41):
What the truth?
Speaker 1 (47:42):
You can't handle the truth.
Speaker 6 (47:44):
I like to take care of one foot at a time.
Speaker 2 (47:51):
If you know or think you know anything about this case,
the state is building a case. As we go to
Eric tonight, please dial eight hundred two two eight four
seven seven.
Speaker 1 (48:05):
Did you see Nick Ryner that evening? Did he speak
to you. Did you observe anything he did? Did you
see him slow down throw something out of the window,
i e. A knife? If you know or think you.
Speaker 2 (48:21):
Know anything about this case, please dial eight hundred two
two two eight four seven seven. Eight hundred two two
two eight four seven seven. We remember American Hero Officer
Lisa Meldon Miller County Sheriff's Office, Arkansas, killed in the
line of duty, leaving behind a husband turned widow, Travis,
(48:43):
and three daughters with no mom. American Hero Officer Lisa Maldon.
Speaker 1 (48:51):
Nancy Grace signing off goodbye, trap
Speaker 7 (49:00):
Yeah
Host
Nancy Grace
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