The latest claims about his condition were published by the Daily Mail.
The case has drawn significant attention because of Rob Reiner’s long career as one of Hollywood’s most celebrated filmmakers, directing films including When Harry Met Sally…, Stand by Me, Misery and A Few Good Men, while also starring as Michael “Meathead” Stivic in the television sitcom All in the Family.
Film director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, were allegedly murdered at their home by their son Rob. He has pleaded not guilty. Photo / Getty Images
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the source said: “Nick no longer looks like Nick. He is rapidly deteriorating. No one would recognise him.
“He is almost bald because they have to keep his hair super short to keep the bugs out, and he is super skinny because of the intense medication he is on. His eyes are very sunken in.”
The same source also alleged that Reiner’s mental health had worsened during his time in custody.
“Nick has not been well for many years.
“But before jail, some of his personality could be recognised. Not now. He is like a babbling child, totally out of it. It’s so bad his lawyers have a hard time talking to him.”
Nick Reiner appears with Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene during his arraignment in Los Angeles County Superior Court on February 23, 2026 in Los Angeles. Photo / Getty Images
According to the report, siblings Jake and Romy Reiner were concerned about his condition.
The source alleged they feared “he will never be sane again and that he could possibly die as his heart could weaken from the constant strain”.
Nick Reiner was diagnosed with schizophrenia and had a history of drug addiction at the time of his parents’ murders.
It has also been reported that he had previously damaged their mansion during what was described as a methamphetamine-fuelled incident.
He is said to have argued with the pair at Conan O’Brien’s home the day before they were killed.
Sources previously told the New York Post that he had “freaked out”, with Rob Reiner reportedly telling guests he was “scared” by his son’s “deteriorating” mental state.
The bodies of Rob and Michele Reiner were found by Romy at their home on December 14, 2025. Both had been stabbed.
After entering a plea of not guilty in February, Nick Reiner requested access to his reported $1.5 million trust fund to pay his legal fees while awaiting trial.
The Daily Mail also cited a former inmate of the Los Angeles Twin Towers Correctional Facility as saying, “Inmates constantly scream night and day – they don’t shut up. There is no mute button.
“The noise really gets to you, it rocks your nervous system because it’s weird, like howling and all the profanity and sick sex talk.”
The former inmate claimed conditions inside the prison were particularly cold during winter, and that prisoners had little exposure to sunlight.