Why Rob and Michele Reiner Had No Way Out | The System That Failed Them
Jan 05, 11:00 PM
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When your adult child is severely mentally ill and refuses treatment, you get two choices. Let them go — and watch them die slowly on the streets. Or keep them close — and hope every day they don't hurt you.
Rob and Michele Reiner chose the second option. On December 14th, 2025, they were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood bedroom. Their son Nick has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
But this episode isn't about excusing Nick. It's about understanding how his parents got trapped — and why millions of other families are trapped right now.
California's LPS Act makes involuntary commitment nearly impossible. The standard is imminent danger — not "getting worse," not "clearly unstable." The 5150 hold gives families 72 hours before the patient can walk out. Conservatorships require years of legal battle and have to be renewed annually. CARE Court promised change and delivered paperwork.
Nick had reportedly been through seventeen rehab programs. He admitted on a podcast to gaming the system. He convinced his parents to trust him over the experts. He created the situation that put him in their guesthouse — two elderly people managing a 32-year-old with schizophrenia and active addiction.
Rob reportedly told friends the night before: "I'm petrified of Nick. I think my own son can hurt me."
He was right. And the law gave him no options.
Nick made choices that led to that bedroom. But the system made it impossible for his parents to stop him. This is the full story of the Reiner murders — and the broken mental health system behind them.
#RobReiner #NickReiner #MicheleReiner #ReinerMurders #TrueCrime #MentalHealthSystem #LPSAct #BrentwoodMurder #Justice #TrueCrime2025
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Rob and Michele Reiner chose the second option. On December 14th, 2025, they were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood bedroom. Their son Nick has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
But this episode isn't about excusing Nick. It's about understanding how his parents got trapped — and why millions of other families are trapped right now.
California's LPS Act makes involuntary commitment nearly impossible. The standard is imminent danger — not "getting worse," not "clearly unstable." The 5150 hold gives families 72 hours before the patient can walk out. Conservatorships require years of legal battle and have to be renewed annually. CARE Court promised change and delivered paperwork.
Nick had reportedly been through seventeen rehab programs. He admitted on a podcast to gaming the system. He convinced his parents to trust him over the experts. He created the situation that put him in their guesthouse — two elderly people managing a 32-year-old with schizophrenia and active addiction.
Rob reportedly told friends the night before: "I'm petrified of Nick. I think my own son can hurt me."
He was right. And the law gave him no options.
Nick made choices that led to that bedroom. But the system made it impossible for his parents to stop him. This is the full story of the Reiner murders — and the broken mental health system behind them.
#RobReiner #NickReiner #MicheleReiner #ReinerMurders #TrueCrime #MentalHealthSystem #LPSAct #BrentwoodMurder #Justice #TrueCrime2025
Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISDOES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/
Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod
X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod
Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872