The public has gained further insight into Nick Reiner's intense mental health battle, as two individuals with knowledge of the legal arrangement shared their insights with The New York Times. It was revealed that the 32-year-old, who stands accused of murdering his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, was placed under a mental health conservatorship from 2020 to 2021. A clerk from the Los Angeles Superior Court confirmed to the outlet that the conservatorship concluded in 2021, though E! News has reached out to the court without receiving a response.
Nick's appointed conservator, Steven Baer, a licensed fiduciary responsible for managing matters and care for clients, shared with the NYT that mental illness "is an epidemic that is widely misunderstood and this is a horrible tragedy." However, he declined to elaborate further.
According to The New York Times, Nick was placed under an L.P.S. conservatorship based on the 1967 law known as the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, which is typically initiated by a doctor or following an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. The Judicial Branch of California explains that mental health conservatorships are intended for individuals with severe mental illnesses who require special care, and they cannot be initiated by family members or other private parties. Typically, treatment staff at the hospital where the person is receiving care can initiate the process.
Over the years, Nick has been candid about his struggles with substance abuse, which began as a teenager and led to 18 stays in rehab. In 2015, he teamed up with his father to create the semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie, which depicts a father trying to help his son navigate his addiction battle. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2016, Rob shared, "It's reflected in the movie where the father character talks about how he didn't know what to do, so he listened to anybody who had a desk and a diploma. I made mistakes and didn't go with my gut instinct and the feel. And I know Nick better than some expert who's never met him."
In fact, the Spinal Tap director went on to express his regrets about how he handled Nick's addiction in the past. "Had I listened to my own instincts, I would have done a lot better by Nick," he said. "But you do what you do. You want to keep him safe. So, you do what they tell you. You feel you're at their mercy. But what I feel after all of this is it's not about punishing. If somebody is struggling and has difficulties, you don't punish them for that. And I think a lot of these programs feel like the kid is being punished. And I don't think that's a great way to go."
For his part, Nick said he didn't feel like his parents knew how to handle him when he struggled as a teen. "I didn't go to either of them 'cause neither of them believed a word I said," he told Entertainment Tonight. "But it was sort of comforting to talk to [my mom] because she was a little bit more in touch with her emotions and how she felt about it."
Nick was ultimately arrested in December 2025 and formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of multiple murders. He is accused of stabbing Rob and Michele with a knife at their Los Angeles home. He has not yet entered a plea.
