Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield

Episode: Grisly New Details Surface in Brentwood Double Murder Tied to Hollywood’s Inner Circle | Rob & Michele Reiner

Date: December 17, 2025

Main Theme

This gripping episode dives into the shocking double homicide of Hollywood legends Rob and Michelle Reiner in Brentwood. Host Ashleigh Banfield analyzes emerging grisly details, media reports, and psychological red flags surrounding their son, Nick Reiner—now charged with their murders. Featuring insights from reporters, an FBI veteran, and a forensic psychologist, the episode explores unresolved questions, secrets from the crime scene, and the psychological factors that may have led to tragedy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Breaking News: The Death Penalty and Case Developments

• Ashleigh Banfield recaps the national shock following the murders and focuses on Nick Reiner, who’s been officially charged (01:31).
• The LA County District Attorney states the death penalty is actively under consideration due to the "vicious" nature of the case.
  • Quote: “These charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty... and currently Nick Reiner is being held without bail.” (DA, 02:34)

Timeline: The Days Leading Up to the Murders

• Discovery of the Bodies:
  • The couple's daughter, Romy, discovers her father’s body after being alerted by a massage therapist who couldn’t enter the property.
  • Romy flees in terror; her roommate calls 911. A paramedic informs Romy her mother’s body was also found (04:50).
• Social Calendar:
  • The Reiners were scheduled for a Sunday night dinner with Barack and Michelle Obama, underlining their elite social ties.
  • The whole family, including Nick, attended Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party the evening prior; Nick had arguments and unusual behavior there (05:50).

Nick Reiner’s Suspected Actions and Arrest

• Nick’s erratic behavior at the party, specifically an awkward confrontation with Bill Hader, is highlighted as a potential red flag.
  • Memorable moment: Nick interrupts Hader, freezes, stares ahead, and storms off (NBC News per Banfield, 06:50).
• After the party, Nick allegedly checks into a Santa Monica hotel—staff later find a “shower full of blood” (07:30).
• Nick is arrested the following night in Exposition Park by LAPD; the arrest is described as “dramatic, but without incident” (08:45).
  • Banfield underscores that Nick is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Legal Strategy and Forensic Considerations

• Nick misses his initial court date—his attorney, Alan Jackson, cites “not medically cleared to appear.”
  • Banfield speculates this could be due to withdrawal from substance abuse, a mental health breakdown, or other reasons (02:54).
• Discussion of strong forensic evidence (hotel blood) and strategy, including how Nick might afford a high-profile attorney, possibly through a family trust (14:24).
  • Analysis: “Blood evidence is going to be fantastic and it’s going to be great for the prosecution... likely will be his blood as well as the blood of his parents.” — Maureen O’Connell, ex-FBI (11:52)

Psychological Perspective with Dr. Leslie Dobson

• Dr. Dobson outlines possible psychological roots of such parricide: decades-long resentment, escalating violence, substance abuse, and potential untreated psychosis (16:21).
  • Quote: “People who kill their parents usually fantasize about doing it for many, many years and… build this vengeance towards their parents. And usually there’s this perfect storm at the end.” — Dr. Dobson (16:21)
• She discusses the "trigger event" (possibly the argument at the party), but stresses that these acts almost never emerge from nowhere (17:50).
• Physical and mental changes in Nick are referenced via a Spinal Tap premiere photo comparison—he now looks “disheveled,” has gained weight, and appears “not at the best where he was” (19:04).
• Dr. Dobson emphasizes that such cases are preventable, warning against “learned helplessness” in families with troubled, violent members (20:03).
  • Quote: “We stop paying attention to the red flags and they kind of fade into the background when... the individual is still fantasizing, he is still growing in his mind this resentment.” (20:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• LA County District Attorney (02:34):
  “These charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.”

• Maureen O’Connell, Ex-FBI Agent (11:52):
  “He goes to a nearby hotel, he gets in the hotel, he wants to take a shower, he looks in the mirror, he’s a mess. And all that blood evidence is going to be fantastic and it’s going to be great for the prosecution…”

• Dr. Leslie Dobson, Forensic Psychologist (16:21):
  “People who kill their parents usually fantasize about doing it for many, many years and they don’t tell anyone about it... Then you have one trigger.”

• Dr. Dobson on Preventability (20:03):
  “When people are very, very difficult in our lives… we don’t think they’re going to get worse. So we stop paying attention to the red flags...”

Timeline of Important Segments

• 01:31 – Episode proper begins, summary of case so far
• 02:34 – DA’s statement on maximum penalties
• 04:50 – Discovery of the bodies and timeline uncertainties
• 05:50 – Reiner family’s social plans and details of Conan O’Brien’s party
• 06:50 – Nick’s strange interaction with Bill Hader
• 07:30 – Nick’s Santa Monica hotel stay; report of bloody shower
• 08:45 – Details of Nick’s arrest
• 09:04 – Interview with NewsNation’s Brian Enten
• 11:52 – FBI vet Maureen O’ Connell discusses implications of Nick’s actions
• 14:24 – Discussion on Nick’s legal funding and family trust
• 15:57 – Segment with Dr. Leslie Dobson begins
• 16:21–20:56 – Dr. Dobson on psychological factors, escalation, family dynamics, and preventability

Tone & Approach

Ashleigh Banfield’s style is analytical, direct, and occasionally irreverent, blending factual reporting with thoughtful speculation and hard-nosed questioning. The episode is sensitive to presumption of innocence but unflinching in its exploration of red flags, psychological complexity, and high-profile Hollywood intrigue.

For Listeners: Takeaways

• Though sensational, this case is also a devastating family tragedy involving mental health struggles, cycles of violence, and possible systemic oversights.
• The episode raises tough questions about warning signs in troubled adult children, family wealth complications, and justice in the face of celebrity.
• Listeners are promised ongoing coverage of the legal proceedings and psychological angles as the case evolves.