350: D4vd's Burn Cage Found, Nick Reiner's Bloody Hotel Room & Woman Found in Dollar Tree Freezer

Summary

Serialously with Annie Elise — Episode 350: D4vd's Burn Cage Found, Nick Reiner's Bloody Hotel Room & Woman Found in Dollar Tree Freezer (Dec 25, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this Christmas Day edition of Serialously, Annie Elise dives into breaking updates and newly emerging details across several disturbing true crime cases. The episode brings listeners up to speed on the D4vd/Celeste case, gives a jaw-dropping update on the Rebecca Park murder, covers the heartbreaking freezer death of Dr. Helen Sanchez, discusses a gruesome Florida murder involving a teen and a retired nurse, and delves deep into the high-profile double homicide of Rob and Michelle Reiner, allegedly at the hands of their son Nick Reiner. Throughout, Annie’s signature conversational and unflinching approach guides listeners through the chaos, red flags, and unanswered questions that haunt each case.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Update: D4vd (David) Case & the Mysterious Incinerator

[02:00–10:00]

• Background: Annie revisits the case where D4vd, a well-known singer, is implicated after the body of 14-year-old Celeste was found in the trunk of his car.
• The Update: A private investigator, Steve Fisher, discovered a boxed, unused industrial-grade burn cage (incinerator) in the Hollywood Hills property D4vd was renting.
  • The incinerator can burn at 1600 degrees—possibly hotter than legally allowed and certainly hotter than most legal devices in LA County.
  • The incinerator’s purchase and storage in the home raises red flags. "Why would a 55-pound burn cage be delivered to a private residence instead of going directly to a prop house or a production company or a warehouse...?" (Annie Elise, [04:10])
• Speculation: Debate rages: Was it a prop or intended for evidence destruction? The investigative community is abuzz, with Annie summarizing the public’s skepticism and frustration over a lack of arrests.
  • She notes that the information originates from a private investigator, not law enforcement, urging listeners to stay critical and informed.
• Quote: “If this incinerator was not a prop, was it purchased to dispose of her body? And when they didn't go that route, that's why she was then stuffed in the trunk?” (Annie Elise, [07:30])

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2. Rebecca Park Case: Complex Web of Lies and Betrayal

[10:10–14:15]

• Case Recap: Rebecca Park was murdered, her body dumped, and her unborn child cut out. Multiple family members have been arrested or implicated.
• Major Update: New court documents reveal that Rebecca's sister, Kimberly, allegedly had an affair with Rebecca's fiancé, Richard, and protected him by lying to police.
• Layers of Deceit:
  • Kimberly claims Richard confessed to the murder and the failed attempt to remove the baby.
  • Initially, Kimberly lied to police, accusing her own mother and stepfather of murder—supposedly at Richard’s request.
  • Both Kimberly and her mother, Courtney, had affairs with Richard. Annie remarks: “That's like betrayal on a whole nother level. But as we also know, it gets a little bit deeper. There's the trifecta of betrayal.” ([12:45])
• Lingering Questions: Will charges shift? Who is truly culpable? Annie reinforces that all parties are innocent until proven guilty and new info will keep coming.

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3. Dollar Tree Freezer Death: Dr. Helen Sanchez

[15:26–22:26]

• Incident: Noted anesthesiologist and mother of two, Dr. Helen Sanchez, was found dead and unclothed in a Miami Dollar Tree walk-in freezer.
• Facts:
  • She entered the Dollar Tree just before closing, walked into a staff-only area, and became trapped in the freezer.
  • No evidence of foul play on surveillance; death classified as “unclassified,” pending autopsy and tox report.
  • Family and friends, devastated, are seeking to bring her home to Nicaragua.
• Hypothesis: Paradoxical undressing from hypothermia may explain her unclothed state.
• Discussion: Annie and Amy puzzle over why Helen would enter the freezer; speculate about malfunctioning safety mechanisms, mental health factors, or medical emergencies.
• Quote: “There’s still a lot of questions. A woman with this career that she loved, beloved by everyone… Her return flight was even booked. And a trip that was supposed to be about family ending in a place that nobody can really quite explain.” (Amy Collette, [21:38])

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4. Florida: Retired Nurse John Torino Murdered by Young Man He Tried to Help

[25:34–33:20]

• Tragedy Unfolds: 67-year-old nurse John Torino let 19-year-old Julian Trevino stay with him, trying to offer help. Trouble arose when Julian refused to leave after failing to pay rent.
• Murder Details:
  • After being told to leave, Julian broke in, waited for John to sleep, then stabbed and bludgeoned him to death; the scene described as “barbaric and disgusting.”
  • Julian stole John’s car and used his credit cards at places connected to himself (including at his workplace).
  • He confessed when apprehended: “He said he didn’t want to be away from his girlfriend. That was his reasoning, which, I’m sorry, but, like, what?” (Annie Elise, [30:51])
• Community Impact: John remembered as a generous, trusted neighbor. Annie emphasizes the pain of seeing kindness brutally betrayed.

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5. Houston, TX: Crystal Rose Angel Ramirez Murder & “Barrel” Disposal

[33:43–40:48]

• Case Outline: 41-year-old Crystal Rose Angel Ramirez was shot by her boyfriend, Jesus Varela, while asleep. Her body was wrapped in bags, stuffed in a barrel, and dumped, with the help of Jesus’s terrified nephew who was threatened with death if he refused to assist.
• Investigation: Unraveled quickly after the nephew’s friend went to police and the nephew confessed.
• Family Reaction: Crystal’s aunt warns, “Don’t die in a barrel,” urging others to get help in domestic violence cases ([35:45]).
• Arrests: Jesus faces multiple charges and is held without bond; nephew is cooperating.
• Memorable Quote: “Her family said...she didn’t deserve to be treated like trash, and nobody deserves to be treated like that.” (Annie Elise, [36:40])

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6. California: The Nick Reiner Double Murder Case

[40:48–63:20]

Case Summary

• Victims: Legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michelle Reiner, found stabbed to death in their Brentwood mansion.
• Alleged Perpetrator: Their son, Nick Reiner, 32, now charged with double homicide.
• Timeline Highlights:
  • Nick was seen walking calmly near their home hours before the murders ([42:00]).
  • That night, he and Rob had a loud fight at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party. Nick’s behavior at the party was erratic and confrontational.
  • After the murders, he checked into the Pierside Santa Monica Hotel, where staff later found “a shower full of blood, blood on the bed, and windows covered with bedsheets” ([49:30]).
• Family Dynamics: Annie recounts a former friend’s account of Nick’s lifelong instability, addiction, and violent outbursts.
  • “They (Rob and Michelle) viewed him as someone who was just deeply unwell and needed constant support, which I have to say, that is really complicated when you start breaking it down.” (Annie Elise, [47:30])

Legal Update

• Defense: Nick is represented by star attorney Alan Jackson, who warns the public:

  "There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case. Those need to be thoroughly but very carefully dealt with...not with a rush to judgment..." (Alan Jackson, [53:30])

• Possible Insanity Defense: Annie speculates recent changes in Nick’s schizophrenia medication (three weeks before the killings) may factor into legal strategy.
• Family Statement: Siblings Romy and Jake request “compassion and humanity” in the press, leaving open the possibility that they support Nick due to his mental illness ([55:45]).
• Open Questions: Did mental illness and addiction trump warning signs? Did the family’s well-meaning support help or enable? What about the substantial family trust?
• Annie’s Reflection:

  “Two people are still dead and brutally killed at that. Multiple sharp force injuries. Rob and Michelle weren't just this famous couple... They were parents... deeply loved human beings.” (Annie Elise, [55:10])

Audio Highlight

• Clip of Nick Reiner:

  "I was a real, like, nutcase. I was crazy. And I just... It was more than drugs. It's really always about more than that. And I needed a lot of that sort of discipline." (Nick Reiner, [51:33–52:05])

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Annie, on the D4vd case: “I am like so sick of this guy because...the writing is clearly on the wall...With this update that I'm about to give you, they can arrest him for something...at least scare him a little bit into sharing more information.” ([02:30])
• Amy on the Rebecca Park Case: “What kind of stronghold does this Richard guy have?...Nothing would make people group together like that for the inheritance.”
• Annie, on the holiday timing: "All of these cases are awful because it happened right at the holidays...That will forever be etched in your mind as a memory." ([62:51])
• Annie’s closing advice: “Be nice. Don’t kill people. I don’t even know where it begins.” ([63:35])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:00] — D4vd Update: Burn cage/Incinerator discovery
• [10:10] — Rebecca Park case—new documents and twists
• [15:26] — Dollar Tree freezer death of Dr. Helen Sanchez
• [25:34] — Florida: Retired nurse John Torino murdered
• [33:43] — Texas: Crystal Rose Angel Ramirez barrel killing
• [40:48] — California: Nick Reiner double homicide—timeline, details, and legal turns
• [51:33] — Nick Reiner voice clip—on addiction and discipline
• [53:30] — Defense Attorney Alan Jackson statement
• [62:51] — Discussion of family trauma and holiday pain

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Tone & Language

• Conversational, detailed, and empathetic, with plenty of “this is wild,” “what is wrong with people?” moments
• Annie and Amy foster a “true crime bestie” vibe, openly expressing shock, compassion, and frustration
• Explicit, direct about the brutality of the cases; some use of strong language and humor to process grim content

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Summary Takeaway

This Serialously episode is a rapid-fire, in-depth tour through disturbing and still-unfolding crime stories, each marked by betrayal, tragedy, and often unexplainable cruelty. Annie Elise brings equal parts meticulousness and humanity, repeatedly urging listeners to research, question, and most importantly, to honor the victims by telling their full stories—not just the headlines. Whether discussing celebrity-driven cases or those without any fame, Annie underscores the intersection of crime, psychology, and family in America today.

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For ongoing updates, Annie promises to follow each of these stories closely and bring new developments to the Serialously audience as they happen.

Transcript

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[Annie Elise]

Hey, true crime besties. Welcome back to an all new episode of Serial Asleep. Hello. Hello, hello. Welcome back to an all new episode of Serial with me. Annie Elise. Let me start by just saying Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. We weren't going to put out an episode today because of the holiday, but unfortunately, as you know, true crime doesn't sleep. There are so many cases we need to talk about. A lot of updates as well that we need to talk about. So I don't know if you are listening to this on Christmas or the day after Christmas or maybe on the weekend, but if you're listening and it is still Christmas Day, Merry Christmas. I hope that you had a good morning or that you're going to have a good day because I'm going to probably dump all over it right now, which doesn't really feel like the Christmas spirit. But like I said, true crime never sleeps. And unfortunately all of these people had to experience these situations. So the least that we can do is honor them and talk about them and share their stories. Which kind of leads me to my first little nugget of information that I want to share with you. There's two very big updates in cases that we've been talking about that I want to share with you. The first one, starting with The David case, D4VD, however the hell you say his name. And look, I am like so sick of this guy because it's like, why hasn't there been an arrest yet? We know that people have been named suspects. What the hell is really going on here. And like, I get it. There's a process for everything. They want to make sure that they have an airtight case. They have struggled with figuring out the cause and manner of death for Celeste. So I understand all of that. I do. But it also feels like one of those situations where it's like the writing is clearly on the wall. And with this update that I'm about to give you, they can arrest him for something. Not necessarily anything involving Celeste, but something that could at least you know, maybe scare him a little bit into sharing more information. Scare somebody? I don't know, but it's awful. So I want to talk about an update in this case. Again, this is the case for anybody who may not be familiar. I'm sure you've heard about it. It was the case where David is a very well known singer and a body was found in the trunk of his car. The body belonged to a young woman named Celeste, who would have been 14 years old at the time of her death. So here's the update. According to a private investigator that was hired by the property owner of the home that David was renting, there was a, quote, burn cage incinerator that was discovered inside this house after everything came to light. Yeah, an actual incinerator. So this private detective, Steve Fisher, says that he was actually hired to comb through the mansion that David was renting with his team, his entourage, all of the people it rented for about 20 grand a month as well. It was like this huge house in the Hollywood Hills. So as he combing through everything, that's when he found this incinerator. It was still boxed, still completely untouched, unused. But get this, this thing is advertised to burn at 1600 degrees. So he described it as something that you would maybe expect to find on a farm or where people are doing, you know, heavy work. It actually, I believe I read too, that it burns hotter than anything I think you're even legally allowed to have. I don't want to say it burns hotter than a crematorium. It might actually, but there was something where I was like, you're not even allowed, apparently you're not even allowed to own anything that burns this hot. So again, it's something you would find on, like, a property where they're doing, like, hard labor, things like that. Not in this, like, luxury Hollywood mansion. Right. So the photos of the box that this thing comes in online even show the exact wording which reads, professional power done. Right. And like I just said, he pointed out that incinerators are illegal to use in LA County. And you know what? Because of that, he's actually addressing something that a lot of people out there in the community are saying and that a lot of David Stans are saying, and that is that maybe this was just a prop. We know he did these like grandiose music videos. He did all these things. Like maybe this was just bought as a prop prop for one of those. But then he himself was pushing back on that idea, saying if this truly were a prop for a video, it raises some really pretty obvious questions, like why would a 55 pound burn cage be delivered to a private residence instead of going directly to a prop house or a production company or a warehouse or a set or wherever they actually film these music videos? Which fair. That's a totally fair question. Now, to be clear here, I want to re. Emphasize. This incinerator, again, was reportedly unused and still in the packaging, which that information too is. It's all coming from a private investigator, not law enforcement. So do your own research, form your own opinions. But it is something that is being heavily talked about right now. And when you take that and couple it with the context of this case, I mean, you have this teenage girl's body who was found in the trunk of this car, who's connected to somebody living at this home. It just doesn't feel right. Especially since it looked as though her body was so badly decomposed that it had been sitting there for a while. I remember there were early on some allegations too that at one point it was frozen. TMZ reported that, but that then law enforcement disputed that. I don't know if that's because it truly wasn't a fact or if it's because that information wasn't supposed to be released. But to me, it kind of starts to beg the question, if this incinerator was not a prop, was it purchased to dispose of her body? And when they didn't go that route, that's why she was then stuffed in the trunk. We have seen people use burn pits time and time again. I mean, hello, look at Chad Daybell, for example. So I don't know why else you would need that. Who knows? It's not like if you're lighting a fire or like having a burst of flame in a music video. You need something that goes to 1600 degrees. So I don't know, it has a lot of people just stopping in their tracks, including myself, kind of asking like, why was that even there? So I'm hoping that there is a Christmas miracle and some arrests are being made in this case and that Celeste can finally receive justice. But as of this moment in time and at the time of this recording, that has not yet happened. Now, jumping over to another case, this case we have talked about a lot. We also did a deep dive that just released this last Tuesday over on my podcast, Tend to Life. If you haven't listened yet, you can go back and listen after this. It's in the feed. It's not on the Serial Lessly podcast. It's on the 10 to life one, the uncensored version. The censored version is over on YouTube. But I want to give you an update on this case because we've been talking about it for a while now, and it's the case of Rebecca Park. And these details that I'm about to share with you, I feel like it kind of complicates this story quite a bit, almost to a point of it feeling unreal. So. So as a reminder, if you haven't listened to that episode, go back and listen. It's gonna give you the full context. But as a reminder, Rebecca park was found horrifically murdered, her body dumped in the woods and her baby cut out of her. Initially, her sister and her fiance were arrested on charges unrelated to her murder, but then were later released. They were on, like, drug charges and then obstruction charges and things like that. But then her biological mother and her stepfather were arrested and actually charged with Rebecca's murder and with taking the baby out of her body. But here's where it gets really, really interesting, because now the updates that are coming out center all around Rebecca's sister, Kimberly. And you may remember we talked about her early on for those obstruction charges. But investigators now also are confirming that she, too, was having an affair with Rebecca's fiance. So according to newly filed court documents, Kimberly was taken into custody, and she was, as I said, charged with tampering with evidence, lying to police, and filing a false report. After that, she agreed to speak with the detectives and she waived her Miranda rights. And what she allegedly told the investigators, I have to say, is pretty shocking because Kimberly told investigators that she lied to the police not to protect herself, but to protect Rebecca's fiance, Richard. According to the probable cause affidavit, Kimberly said that on November 4, while she was at Richard's home, Kimberly, he allegedly admitted to her that he killed Rebecca. Investigators also say that Kimberly told them that Richard admitted that something apparently went wrong while he allegedly was trying to cut the baby out of Rebecca, which is obviously absolutely horrifying for a multitude of reasons. But this Wasn't the first time that Kimberly hinted at something like this with the detectives. Earlier that same day, before she was in custody, she had also told the deputies that. That Richard had said Rebecca had been taken care of, and then he told her not to worry about it. So already, I mean, there were red flags everywhere. But here's where it gets even messier. According to the affidavit, Kimberly admitted that Richard told her to lie to the investigators because he was worried that this investigation was getting way too close to him. And the lie that she told to protect him, it was a huge one. Kimberly had previously told the police that Rebecca's biological mother, Courtney, and her stepfather, Bradley, were the ones responsible, claiming they struck Rebecca in the head, caused her to have a seizure, couldn't revive her. So then they called a friend to come and remove Rebecca's body. But investigators now are saying that Kimberly admitted that that story was completely false, that she only told them that story because Richard told her to say that. And then there's that whole element of them being romantically involved, because during the investigation, she had also admitted that she, too, was in a romantic relationship with Richard, the same man who was engaged to her pregnant sister, which I don't even know how to process that. Like, that is like betrayal on a whole nother level. But as we also know, it gets a little bit deeper. There's like, the trifecta of betrayal, because Kimberly's mom, Courtney, when she was interviewed with the police after her own arrest, she also said she was having an affair with Richard, which, if you see photos of this guy, I don't even know how this is possible. Not to say like that. Courtney and Kimberly are like prizes. No offense, not trying to throw any shade, but, like, how this guy is just sleeping with, like, Rebecca, her sister, her mom. It's twisted and bizarre. I mean, at this point, you've got this pregnant woman who is murdered, her fiance allegedly confessing to her sister that he's the one responsible, the sister then lying to protect him, and both the sister and the mom admitting to romantic relationships with the same man. It's like, what the fuck is going on? And in the deep dive from Tuesday, we talk a little bit, too about the charges being or not the charges being dropped, because they weren't dropped. But Richard and Kimberly being released from custody and lowering their bail amounts and all of that, and wondering, will another arrest happen? Is it because they're trying to build a case against them? What were those obstruction charges? I think I had said in my episode, too, I Think that Kimberly might be connected more, although law enforcement has not said as much at this point. But I don't know. It's wild. And to be clear, these are all allegations that are laid out in court documents, and it is an ongoing investigation. Form your own opinion, do your own research. Everything is alleged. But this update, I mean, it really does change how this case looks compared to where we started with this. Because if her sister Kimberly is telling the truth now, then that means that the focus is going to shift dramatically. Will the parents still go down for this? Will they be the only people who go down for this? Why would they then lie about the seizure? I mean, none of it makes any sense. So that's exactly why I wanted to update you guys, to figure out, like, what the hell is actually going on here. So I'm going to keep following this one closely. I will update you as soon as more information comes out. This case, I fear, is far from over, so we will see what happens. But before we get into the new cases that are also going to make you want to vomit all over yourself, gotta welcome back Amy Collette to the show.

[Amy Collette]

I'm back to Colette.

[Annie Elise]

You're back to Colette. Hello, Amy. Hello, and welcome back.

[Amy Collette]

Merry Christmas.

[Annie Elise]

Merry Christmas. And a Happy New Year.

[Amy Collette]

I knew you were gonna do that.

[Annie Elise]

Should we sing in harmony really quick? No, I think so. What song? I'll start and then you pick up the beat. Okay. Hold on.

[Amy Collette]

Oh, my gosh.

[Annie Elise]

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Happy holidays. Merry Christmas, Christmas Merry Christmas, Happy holiday. That was harmony.

[Amy Collette]

Scared to hear. I know what that sounds like.

[Annie Elise]

Harmonization. And there is your Christmas present, everybody. Just kidding. No. Hi. Welcome back.

[Amy Collette]

Hi.

[Annie Elise]

So, obviously those updates are crazy.

[Amy Collette]

What kind of stronghold does this Richard guy have?

[Annie Elise]

He's so freaking fugly. I don't even understand the very first.

[Amy Collette]

Time that we covered this on headline highlights, I thought it has to be some sort of crazy love triangle because why else would all these people be suspects? And like, nothing would make people group together like that for the inheritance. For two together. Yeah. No. It has to have some sort of romantic, weird involvement, but nothing like what the reality is.

[Annie Elise]

Well, no. And the mom had lied about being pregnant and giving birth to a son pre. Pre mature in the nicu. She said he was going to be coming home. So if that's true, it's like she obviously was going to try to pass Rebecca's baby off as her own. Was it because she lied to Richard saying she was pregnant and deliberate early because she wanted Richard to herself? And then she stole her daughter's baby to have Richard. Like, what?

[Amy Collette]

Like, who was the mastermind? And like, why did everyone feel compelled to keep this secret and are protecting each other? And why would Richard say, taken care of?

[Annie Elise]

It's so freaking bizarre.

[Amy Collette]

That poor, poor girl, Rebecca.

[Annie Elise]

I know.

[Amy Collette]

Everybody turned on the ultimate betrayal.

[Annie Elise]

I know. I know.

[Amy Collette]

Well, this next case I want to talk about, I had to reread when I read the headline because it's one that's like, really tragic, like most of these cases are, but also confusing and just raises a lot of questions, like how did this even happen? Because a 32 year old mom of two was found dead inside a freezer at Dollar Tree in Miami. So just that sentence alone is one that makes you stop and pause and think, wait, what? Early Sunday morning, December 14, an employee arrived at Dollar Tree in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood to open the store. But instead of unlocking the doors and getting ready for customers like they normally would, they found a woman's body inside the store's walk in freezer in the stock room in an employee only area. Police scanners picked up almost immediately, and dispatchers were heard saying the complainant had found a naked female inside of the cooler. And that's one of those calls where you immediately stop what you're doing and say, wait, what? Like, holy, what's going on? And when police arrived, they identified the woman as Dr. Helen Sanchez. She was only 32 years old, originally from Nicaragua, and was visiting Miami at the time. Investigators say Helen entered the Dollar Tree just before closing on Saturday night. Employees reportedly saw her come in, but she didn't buy anything. At some point, she walked into a restricted employee only area of the store and then into the freezer. No one realized she was there. The store closed then for the night, and Helen stayed inside that freezer until the next morning when she was found by that employee who was opening the store. So loved ones gathered outside as the police investigated. And you can imagine the confusion and devastation because at this point, no one can explain how a woman who didn't work there, who's just visiting Miami ended up alone and locked in that stock room in a freezer overnight. Dollar Tree released a statement saying they're aware of the incident and that their thoughts were with the and they are cooperating fully with the authorities, which is great. And as more information came in about who Helen was, the story somehow got even more heartbreaking than it already was. According to a GoFundMe and post from friends, Dr. Helen Sanchez was a respected anesthesiologist who specialized in congenital heart disease, which is work that has helped countless of families and children. She is also a devoted mother to two children herself, who live in Nicaragua and were described as the center of her world. Her family has referred to her death as a tragic accident and shared their greatest wish is to bring her body back to Nicaragua so she can be laid to rest at home, surrounded by loved ones. So funds are being raised to cover her transportation back to Nicaragua and for her funeral expenses. One of Helen's closest friends, Andrea Tomorrow Campos, also shared an incredibly emotional post, remembering their friendship from being college roommates to traveling together just weeks before Helen died. She talked about Helen's personality, her laughter, her love of dancing and singing, and how excited she was to travel to Miami, which was actually to go and see her father. Andrea shared that one of the last voice messages Helen sent her was on December 9, just days before her death. Helen was supposed to return home on December 15, but she never made it. And police say they do not suspect foul play at this time. The surveillance footage doesn't show any signs of an assault or any foul play, and the case is currently being treated as an unclassified death while the investigation continues. But obviously there's a lot of questions. Why did Helen enter an employee only area at a store that she didn't even work at? How did she end up inside that freezer? Was, did the door lock behind her? Did she intentionally want to stay there overnight? Were there safety mechanisms that malfunctioned? And why was she found unclothed? Forensic experts note that in cases of severe hypothermia, people can experience something called paradoxical undressing, where the body essentially malfunctions and then the person removes their clothing. It sounds unbelievable, but it is a documented phenomenon, and it's one that's possible that in this case and investigators are considering, which I thought that sounded weird, but I'd actually heard that myself. So they're going to be doing an autopsy, including a toxicology testing, expected to provide more answers. And because Helen's body was in the freezer, evidence would likely be preserved, which would allow medical examiners to look for injuries, trauma, or anything that might suggest any foul play and lead maybe in a different direction. But right now, investigators are reviewing that surveillance footage, employee statements, store protocols, and trying to piece together what actually happened during those final hours of Helen's life. Miami police say they'll release more information once the medical examiner's report is complete, which hopefully will provide more answers. When we see those toxicology reports and the autopsy. But until then, the case sits in that awful space where nothing really fully makes sense. There's still a lot of questions. A woman with this career that she loved, beloved by everyone who knew her kids waiting for her at home. Her return flight was even booked. And a trip that was supposed to be about family ending in a place that nobody can really quite explain. And no matter how this is ultimately classified, at the end of the day, two children are left without their mother right around the holidays. And a family is left trying to understand how this normal night on this vacation where she's going to visit her father ended up in just something so unimaginable.

[Annie Elise]

It's interesting because I've actually covered quite a few cases where bodies have been found in the freezer and it has been ruled as not having to do with foul play. I don't know if it's like a mental health crisis where then they walk into it or if there's some weird, you know, phenomenon with overheating and they go in. But like in each case, when you talked about the latch, could a latch have malfunctioned? Or the safety precautions, because most of those industrial grade freezers do have mechanisms so that if you get locked inside, you can get out. Similar to like a trunk now where you have like the glow in the dark pulley or things like that. So it does make you wonder, was it intentional? I can't imagine that it was. Because even if, and there's no proof or indication or even statements indicating that she in any way was going through, you know, self harm ideations. But even if somebody were to argue that of like, yeah, she wanted to do this to herself, that's not necessarily a typical method that people would use. And like the naked thing does make sense because your body tricks, you overheat, you do things like, and when you.

[Amy Collette]

Panic, you get really overheated. Sometimes you like sweat. And I was thinking it's in Miami. I don't know what the weather was like when that happened, but I'm like, maybe she was hot, overheated, had some sort of like panic or something and went to cool off. Yeah. And then. But when they said they're checking the store protocols, I'm curious to know because, like, what's part of your checklist when you leave the store? Do you check the freezer and like, was it that it was closed so you felt like, okay, it's closed and you didn't notice her walk back there? I mean, I know it's so sad, so sad.

[Annie Elise]

When it comes to holiday gifting, I always want to give people things that they will actually love and that's why I love the beautiful, timeless pieces that they will wear and use for years. And I go with Quint now. I have already showed you my closet haul my living room haul my bedroom sheets. But Quint really just does premium so well. For example, they have Mongolian cashmere sweaters starting at around $50, which I'm not exaggerating when I say that the quality truly does feel like something that I would normally expect to pay two or three times that amount for. The cashmere is soft structured, it doesn't pill. It's just so good. I have a matching set that I wear every time I travel and I just love it. They also have silk tops and skirts that just feel super elevated. They've got perfectly cut denim for everyday wear. They have outerwear that actually keeps you warm. They have jewelry, they have home goods, they have sheets, they've got throw blankets. I mean the works. And I love that everything is made with premium materials and from ethical, trusted factories. But they don't have that luxury brand markup. So I've been reaching for their sweaters and their coats non stop this season. And honestly, their gifting is just like covered. Even beyond clothing too. I think I told you guys in my last episode you need to get a throw blanket for every single person in your life. It is like the gift that keeps on giving. I absolutely love mine. They also have options for kitchen, bath, even travel things that make great gifts. Or maybe you just keep it for yourself. So if you're looking for gifts that are so good that you're going to want to keep them, go to quince.comae for free shipping and 365 day returns. And Quince is now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N c e.com ae for free shipping and 365 day returns.

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[Grainger Advertiser]

A New Beginning for our family on January 9th. The sequel to Greenland is so massive.

[Annie Elise]

You have to see it on the big screen. A promise against safety.

[Grainger Advertiser]

Starring Gerard Butler and Marina Baccarin.

[Annie Elise]

Oh my God.

[Grainger Advertiser]

Greenland 2 migration rated PG 13.

[Annie Elise]

Okay, so this next case that I want to talk about is one that honestly just makes you pause for a second because it starts with somebody trying to do the right thing, trying to help somebody be a good Samaritan. But it ends in the most horrifying way possible. So let me backtrack a minute. A retired nurse in Florida was murdered inside his own home. And the police say that the person responsible is a 19 year old teenager that he had actually taken in trying to help. So everything first started when the neighbors realized something was just off here. 67 year old John Torino lived in Davenport, Florida. He was a retired nurse. As I mentioned, he was a very routine oriented, very social and usually in constant contact with his friends. So when people didn't see him for a few days and they couldn't get him to answer the phone calls or the text messages, I mean it may it raised immediate concern, right? So one neighbor finally called in for a welfare check. A deputy ended up coming out and spoke with the neighbor. And this neighbor explained that John had been letting this 19 year old kid, Julian Trevino, live with him. Which I say kid, but I get it. Technically an adult, but still 19 years old. So Julian had been staying there since September. However, according to the neighbor, things were not going very well. Julian wasn't paying his rent, he wasn't helping out around the house. And apparently earlier that Same week on December 10, John had finally told him like, look, I'm over this. Pack up your, you gotta leave. The neighbor also mentioned that John had recently changed the locks because Julian was no longer allowed to even be there. So here's where it gets interesting and honestly, kind of a little bit frustrating. The neighbor had a key to the house and they also pointed out that John's car was not in the driveway. A deputy apparently even spotted the car traveling South. And because of that, they wrongfully assumed that John just wasn't home. Maybe he was out running errands. We see his car driving south like everything's fine. So because of that, that welfare check, the call, it was cleared without anybody going inside the property, which, knowing what we know now, it's incredibly frustrating. But then even after that, John still wasn't answering any calls or text messages. So later on, that same neighbor, along with a few other friends who were increasingly worried, they went back to John's house and they decided to take it upon themselves and go inside. And unfortunately, that's when they found him. John was dead inside his bathroom. Investigators described the scene as extremely violent and very large amounts of blood. Sheriff Grady Judd later said that John had been disemboweled and quote, eviscerated, which, that's one of those moments where you just take a pause, take a beat, because we don't hear that term very often. I mean, too often than I would ever like to, but we don't hear it very often. Disemboweled. That is so barbaric and disgusting. And then once the investigators started digging in, things really unraveled quickly. Mostly because Julian, being the 19 year old little dipshit that he is, didn't exactly try to hide what he had done. Detectives were easily able to track down John's stolen credit card after it was used at a Circle K, which is kind of like a liquor store convenience store type situation, like a 7 11. And they also discovered that another one of his cards had been used. This time the card was used at a pizza restaurant where Julian was working as a dishwasher. Which pro tip for anybody who's going to commit a crime. Maybe don't use stolen credit cards at your place of work if you're trying to like fly under the radar. But again, it doesn't appear that Julian was trying to fly under the radar. So this wasn't some complex investigation. I mean, he definitely left a trail behind. They also were able to then track John's stolen car. And early Monday morning around 4:42am deputies saw Julian getting into the car. However, when they tried to approach him, he just took off, booked it. He ended up crashing the car into a ditch and he tried to run, but the deputies caught him very quickly. And when they caught him, they also found John's bank card on his person. After that, it didn't take long. Julian folded and he just confessed. Which, according to investigators, Julian flat out admitted to killing John. And the reason why he told the Police. He was angry about being kicked out of the house. He said he didn't want to live in a shed behind his friend's house, and he didn't want to be away from his girlfriend. That was his reasoning, which, I'm sorry, but, like, what? So, because you don't want to be inconvenienced because you don't want to crash on a friend's couch or in their shed or whatever, because you don't want to be away from your girlfriend, you are going to brutally murder this older man who tried to help you, who tried to give you a place to stay and, like, give you a break in life. I mean, that's your explanation. Now, as for the way it all unfolded, Julian told the police that on Sunday, he broke back into John's house through a bathroom window. Once he was inside the. He hid inside a closet and just waited there. And just when he thought that John had settled in for the night, was going to sleep, that it was going to be easy, he started stealing his cash and credit cards. The problem was, and what Julian wasn't expecting was John woke up. He saw Julian inside his house, and he told him, quote, you're not supposed to be here. According to the investigators, Julian then shoved John onto his bed, went to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and then came back to the bedroom. Once he was back in the bedroom, he stabbed John. And then he grabbed a bottle of wine from a cooler that was in the bedroom, and he beat John over the head with it to make sure that he was dead. After that, Julian left the house with John's car, his bank cards, and even his phone. He later told the police that he threw the knife and the bottle of wine into a creek. But both weapons did end up being recovered. Investigators described this attack as just extremely vicious. And Sheriff Judd, who I personally love, he covers a lot of cases, because unfortunately, a lot of these cases happen in Florida. You probably would know him. Judd Grady. He had said that John suffered a very painful death. And what makes this case hit even harder is who John was. He had been a nurse for 30 years. Friends and neighbors described him as generous, trusting, and somebody who genuinely just wanted to help people. One friend even said that they went out to eat with John multiple times a week, just the two of them. And he knew that something was wrong when John suddenly just stopped responding. Sheriff Judd also said that John just believed that Julian was this young person who needed help, needed a little bit of a break in life. He wanted to be that person to help him. But in the end. That decision cost him his life. So Julian is now facing more than a dozen charges, including first degree murder, armed robbery, burglary, and tampering with evidence. He's being held without bond and his arraignment is scheduled for January 20, 2026. But this is one of those cases that kind of just sits with you in a very uncomfortable way because it's not about a random crime, a crime of opportunity, or even a crime of passion. It's about somebody who really tried to do the right thing and help someone give them a leg up. And that person just took advantage of you, ultimately allowing their entitlement and their wants and their selfish needs to take over and feel like that's the only thing that mattered. And because of that, they took your life over it. It's so sad. And just like, what is wrong with people, honestly?

[Amy Collette]

So just to be like, to get this straight, he didn't want to live in a shed, but now he wants to live in a jail, so.

[Annie Elise]

No, exactly.

[Amy Collette]

I mean, it makes. That's a 19 year old right there.

[Annie Elise]

And like, you don't want to be away from your girlfriend. You ain't getting conscious.

[Amy Collette]

Like, where was the logic? You really didn't even think one step ahead of yourself.

[Annie Elise]

Yeah, there was no logic. This guy is like a D bag.

[Amy Collette]

I mean, we've been saying there's something in the water in Florida.

[Annie Elise]

Sorry, Floridians.

[Amy Collette]

And Texas, which. The next case is in Texas. It is.

[Annie Elise]

Great, great.

[Amy Collette]

Okay, now I know when you said Florida, I had had the Miami one earlier. The freezer and then this.

[Annie Elise]

Yeah, yeah.

[Amy Collette]

And now Texas again.

[Annie Elise]

Maybe we need to just rename headline highlights like Florida and Texas cases. Guys, what's going on over there?

[Amy Collette]

Honestly, what's happening?

[Annie Elise]

Well, the last case that we're going to talk about is California, so I mean, shame on us because the call's coming from. I think I know which one that is.

[Amy Collette]

I'm like anxious to hear all the details. You have to share on that. Yeah, this next one is horrifying. And just as the details unravel, it just gets worse and worse. The more you learn. A woman in Texas was allegedly shot to death in her sleep by her boyfriend, stuffed into trash bags, sealed inside a plastic barrel, and then dumped along the side of a highway, all with the help of her boyfriend's nephew. And all I have to say is, as the way the prosecutors say this all unfolded was just chilling. The victim was 41 year old Crystal Rose Angel Ramirez. According to investigators, she was killed on December first, inside the home she shared with her boyfriend, Jesus varela, who is 48 years old. Prosecutors say Crystal Rose was asleep in bed when Jesus shot her. So just stop and let that sink in for a moment. You're in your home, in your bed, where you're most vulnerable, and your boyfriend shoots you in a place where you should feel the safest. Investigators later found blood throughout the bedroom, including the ceiling above the bed and the headboard, which lines up with. Up with what they believe actually happened. Crystal Rose's father, Ricardo, say investigators are the one who actually told him she was sleeping when she was shot and that they say afterwards, Jesus began putting her body inside multiple bags, which is just beyond, I'm sure, as a father, hearing that, that was unbelievable and probably felt surreal and like, I can't even imagine hearing that about a family member. And according to prosecutors, after killing her, Jesus placed Crystal Rose into a trash bag, then wrapped three more trash bags around her, then stuffed her body inside of a plastic barrel. And that's where things get even more disturbing. Prosecutors say Jesus then forced his nephew, of all people, to help him get rid of her body, threatening him if he didn't help. During a probable cause hearing, a judge said Jesus allegedly grabbed his nephew by the shirt and told him he had already killed one person and he wanted to kill another. Could you imagine having your uncle say that to you? I mean, it's sick and unbelievable. So not only is this evil loser accused of murder, now he's threatening his family, which. And having them involved in this crime. And it worked because the two of them dumped the barrel in a wooded area in northwest Houston near the site of Interstate 45. Prosecutors say they also disposed of the bed at a nearby apartment complex, that same bed that Crystal Rose was sleeping in when she was shot by Jesus. Her family later said what many families say in cases like this, she didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to be treated like trash, and nobody deserves to be treated like that. Crystal Rose's family described her as someone who helped everyone, even strangers, and confirmed she was a victim of domestic violence. And her Aunt Maggie said something that actually hit pretty hard. She warned others to speak up if they're going through something similar and to not let fear creep in. She said, quote, don't die in a barrel, which obviously is very jarring to hear and feels very extreme. But as we've covered many times here, so many of these cases, unfortunately, do end in situations like this. Again, this should never be something that someone has to say. So the Question is, how did investigators catch on to all of this? Well, according to prosecutors, a friend of the nephew heard what had happened and went to the police, thank God. And the nephew then confessed he had been assaulted, too, and threatened and forced to dispose of Crystal Rose's body. Investigators were eventually able to then locate Crystal Rose's remains by pinging her phone, which led them to the wooded area where the barrel had been dumped. An autopsy later confirmed that she died from multiple gunshot wounds. Jesus has since been charged with murder, tampering with evidence involving a human corpse, assault, and unlawful restraint. Prosecutors also say the phone data places him at the dump site the morning of December 1st. During questioning, Jesus acknowledged he was in a relationship with Crystal Rose. And he did say that they had argued right around Thanksgiving. He claims that she accused him of keeping her like a prisoner, which is. Is pretty ironic. But then he told police that she left for several days and then returned on November 30, and that when he came home from work on December 1, then she was suddenly gone, which, obviously, that story doesn't really line up. At one court appearance, Jesus briefly spoke through a translator and said, I want to say only that I am innocent. And then the judge cut him off because he didn't have an attorney yet. Crystal Rose's family say the relationship had been on and off since 2019 and had become abusive at times. Her father said he feels anger, depression, disbelief that he doesn't even believe this is real and that he cries every single day, which is heartbreaking because, again, to hear those details about your own daughter and that someone she trusted and a place she felt safe, that this could even happen to her, it's unimaginable. Jesus is currently being held without bond and is also on an ICE hold. He's due back in court soon. And this is just, again, one of those cases that makes me furious, similar to the case that we covered last week, because it wasn't random, it was domestic violence. It was targeted, and it just escalated to the worst possible outcome. And there were previous incidents, it sounds like, and that the family was somewhat aware of this. And in this case, this poor woman went to sleep and just never woke up because she was shot to death in her own home. And obviously that's something that should never happen. Not to mention that this creep enlisted the help of his nephew to cover up this horrific crime, be a witness to all of this and drag him, involved in, scare him, threaten him, and even go as far as to say, I killed someone else and admit that to him, and Then threaten him that he wants to do it again. I mean, who does that? So, again, a betrayal of a family member that I'm sure this nephew trusted. It's just awful.

[Annie Elise]

He sounds like the worst uncle alive, obviously. But, yeah, like, I'm glad that the friend of the nephew had the wherewithal to, like, go to the police and say something, because who knows what would have happened? And, like, getting rid of somebody in a barrel, that's not the most obvious thing. I mean, obviously a barrel is big, but, like, people, if they see a barrel on the side of the street, don't always think to, like, go into. I don't know, it's like. It's not like just dumping a body.

[Amy Collette]

In place in plain sight.

[Annie Elise]

Right? And so, I mean, good on that friend for going to the police, and then good on the nephew for immediately confessing and saying, well, yeah, my uncle was threatening me, saying he wanted to kill someone else, like, and he would. That would be me, if I didn't help him.

[Amy Collette]

You know, like, if this is all. You know, I know it's alleged, but if it is true, obviously, there's probably likely chance that that would have happened and he might have killed again.

[Annie Elise]

It's awful. Well, actually, as we're speaking of family on family crime, that leads us into this next case, because this next case is blowing up everywhere right now. It's the case of Rob Reiner, his wife Michelle. They were obviously brutally murdered inside their mansion in Brentwood, California. I'm sure so many of you have already heard about this case, the ba. Like the base of it, what happened. But now a former friend of Nick, the son, has recently spoken out, and suddenly there are a lot of new details coming out, and not just about the murders, but about Nick's behavior in the days and weeks leading up to the double murder. And I'll be honest, once you hear this timeline, it is a little bit difficult to not look at everything very differently. So here's what we know. Nick Reiner is 32 years old, and he has been charged now with murdering his parents. His dad, Rob Reiner, who is 78 years old, and the legendary filmmaker. He did When Harry Met Sally. He did Princess Bride. I mean, just iconic. And also his mom, Michelle Reiner, who is 70 years old and a very accomplished photographer. They were both found stabbed to death inside their Brentwood home on Sunday, December 14th. Now, get this. What's really sticking with people is what Nick was doing just hours before they were killed. And I think that the reason that does stick with People is because they want to see, okay, what were the precursors to this? Was there some sort of catalyst? Was there an argument, was there escalation? Like what's going on here? And sure enough, surveillance footage shows Nick just calmly walking near his parents house in their neighborhood right before midnight on Saturday night when this all went down. He's in jeans, a long sleeve shirt, a baseball cap, a backpack. And he just looks completely normal, totally unfazed, not frantic, not pacing, just walking. And that's wild because other footage was taken at a gas station only a few blocks away from the family's home. And this was hours before. And knowing what we know now happened later, it's one of those moments where you kind of like stop and say, what's the timeline here? Because in this footage he's buying things in this convenience store. He's acting very calm, very collected. We know he then went to the house and allegedly did what he did. Then he's seen walking around the neighborhood. It's just weird. And that surveillance footage from the convenience store, like I said, was, was hours before the murders happened. And nobody ever would have guessed that just hours later, you know, his parents, Robin, Michelle would be dead. Which that's not even the only thing that came out about that night. Here's another piece of the timeline that matters. According to tmz, earlier that same evening, Nick reportedly got into a very heated argument with his dad Rob at Conan o' Brien's Christmas party. I guess Conan has a party every year. He invites, you know, a list, celebrities, comedians, the works. And he had invited Rob, who then brought his son with him. And I guess this wasn't some sort of quiet disagreement. This was loud enough that people overheard it. Nick was also reportedly heard walking up to a bunch of different people at this party being like, hey, what's your first and last name? Are you famous? Like just kind of these like off putting questions and we'll get into more of his background and some mental health struggles and some drug addiction and all of that, but, but just approaching people in a very abrasive way and off putting kind of way. He also reportedly asked this to comedian and actor Bill Hader and there was some sort of exchange between the two of them. So anyways, after that argument, apparently Rob and Michelle left the party early, which that detail really does matter in this case because it illustrates possible conflict and then motive and then escalation into the double murder. So the night ends. Nobody knows what had happened inside that house. But the following day, Rob and Michelle were discovered around 3:30pm this was on Sunday, and they were discovered by their daughter Romy. This was after a massage therapist couldn't get into the house and then called Romy to tell her they couldn't get in the house. And they arrived there, police were called and Robin Michelle were discovered. They had both suffered multiple sharp force injuries that are in line with stab wounds and their deaths were ruled homicides. Now what's interesting is when the officers arrived, Nick's sister Romy reportedly warned them, saying that Nick, her brother, was very, quote, dangerous. Which that detail alone is pretty heavy because for you to have to describe your sibling as dangerous, that's not something small or something light. That is like a very loaded, powerful statement. So Nick had been living in the guest house on his parents Brentwood property apparently. And according to multiple sources, Rob and Michelle had been increasingly worried about him, especially given his long history of addiction and mental health struggles, which this really is no secret. Rob and Nick had gone out and they had talked on panels, they had done talks, they've done interviews where they talk about their dynamic as father and son. They talk very candidly and transparently about Nick's struggles with addiction throughout his life. And, and Nick himself has also even spoken out publicly about cycling, in and out of rehab since he was a teenager, also spending periods of his life homeless because he was battling addiction and all of these struggles. So the point being, and I'm going to backtrack a little bit here, but on Sunday at around 3:30, they discover Rob and Michelle's bodies. So then detectives start building the timeline, right. And they go over to the one of the gas stations and they ask the staff to pull that surveillance footage for a very specific time frame. And sure enough, that's when they see Nick on the screen. And investigators reportedly said, you know, there he is. So it didn't take very long after that. And less than six hours after his parents bodies were discovered, Nick was arrested. Now according to reports, Nick had checked into the pierside Santa Monica Hotel around 4am on Sunday morning. So think of like whatever went down probably went down between midnight and 4am is my guess of late Saturday into early morning Sunday. So he checked into this hotel at around 4am this again, allegedly just hours after the murders. And sources told TMZ that he left behind a trail of blood in that hotel room. Later, when hotel staff entered the room, they reportedly found a shower full of blood, blood on the bed. And they also noted that the windows had been covered with bed sheets, which to me this kind of strikes as I don't know if I would say odd maybe, but it looks like there was no real intention to try to clean this up or cover it up and hide it. I think you could argue that paranoia was creeping in a little bit and that that's why he tried to cover the windows with the bed sheets. Obviously there was blood in the shower. He did try to clean himself off, but once he left the hotel, it's not like he tried to like carefully like use bleach or anything like that to clean up the trail behind him. Which two points could be argued for that, I suppose. One, due to any sort of mental health incident, maybe he didn't realize or have the, you know, the capacity to think through what that should look like. Or maybe he left the hotel expecting to return back and then was arrested unfortunately before he can even have the chance to return. Who really knows? We don't know at this point. Everything is still breaking. But here's where the former friends comments are starting to come into play, and this is what has a lot of people talking. A family friend who says that they've known Nick his entire life told the Daily Mail that Nick's troubling behavior did not start in adulthood. They claim that it went all the way back to childhood. According to this friend, Nick had had severe tantrums as young as 11 years old, including very violent outbursts that would require physical restraint. The friend even described seeing his dad, Rob, physically restraining Nick one time in like a bear hug type hold during one of these episodes, not punching, but really trying to control him during what they described was a very intense rage. And according to this same friend, Nick never really outgrew that behavior. They claimed that Nick continued to have similar outbursts well into his 20s and also had this ongoing substance abuse issue, which they described as escalating instability. The friend also said that once Nick started frequently being at the family's Brentwood home, he described him as, quote, having instantaneous, an unpleasant presence, alleging that he often smelled very strongly of weed, sweat, appeared visibly high, and that he would grunt or ignore people whenever he was spoken to. They even recalled an incident from a few years ago where Nick allegedly came into the kitchen clearly intoxicated, grabbed food, and then left without acknowledging any of the guests and anybody inside the house, even after his mom said like, hey, Nick, be polite, say hello. And according to this friend, this wasn't just a one off. They claimed that Rob and Michelle had very little control over Nick, even as an adult, but they spent years trying to help him I mean, relapses, rehabs, moving out, moving back in just this constant cycle. The friend also said that Rob and Michelle were incredibly protective over Nick, sometimes even to the frustration of his siblings, because they viewed him as someone who was just deeply unwell and needed constant support, which I have to say, that is really complicated when you start breaking it down. Because they loved him. He was their son. They didn't want to turn their back on him. They wanted to help him. And that makes all of this even more incredibly sad because arguably, they were the only ones in Nick's corner. They loved him unconditionally, they wanted to support him, they wanted to help him through this. Bringing him to a party, letting him live there, like doing these talks and working together. It's just so sad because if they were the only ones who really, you know, did love him unconditionally and supported him, he then turned his back on them and allegedly murdered both of them in cold blood, leaving his own sister to be the one to find them. Now, in regards to the father, son dynamic and relationship, Nick also had worked with rob on the 2015 film Being Charlie, which this film was inspired by Nick's struggles with addiction and homelessness. This. So they tackled this project together again, maybe as some sort of therapeutic thing, thinking it would bring them closer together and they would just be honest and transparent with their family's struggles. I don't know. But some people who worked on that film later did claim that the father son dynamic on set was tense at times, with frequent arguments and visible hostility, which, again, these are all allegations. They're all recollections that are being shared now after the fact. But I mean, taken together, they do paint a pretty clear picture, in my opinion, of a long, very difficult family dynamic that didn't just appear overnight.

[Nick Reiner (voice clip)]

Nick, if you think. If dad said from the very beginning, God, I love you, I'm so. I think it seems to be in terrible pain and I hope you work it out. Know I always love you and. Do you think you would have. Instead of any. It would have been a shorter journey, maybe not 18 rehabs. You might have gotten there quicker or. No, I think it needed to happen the way it happened. I was a real, like, nutcase. I was crazy. And I just. It was more than drugs. It's really always about more than that. And I needed a lot of that sort of discipline.

[Annie Elise]

I.

[Nick Reiner (voice clip)]

It's, you know, it's life. Life goes on. Life happens, things flicker. Life. Yeah, I don't know.

[Grainger Advertiser]

I mean, it's not. It's you know, the movie doesn't. It's not Happily Ever after, the movie, but it is hopeful that, you know, that Charlie's moving in a good direction, that the father is starting to, to understand Charlie a little bit better. And I think it's, you know, it's like, it's like Nick says, it's a process. It goes on and you, you know, you live your life.

[Annie Elise]

But legally. This case has also taken a pretty serious turn because Nick has hired none other than Alan Jackson as his defense attorney. He is one of the most high profile criminal defense lawyers that's out there. You probably know him from the Karen Reed case. He also. Who did he most recently defend? It was somebody, I think in either Malibu or Santa Monica who ran over a child, I believe it was. I can't remember the exact details, but this is definitely not somebody who is new to nationally watched cases. Alan Jackson knows his. He knows how to be in front of a jury, in front of a courtroom, in front of the public. And he already at the first arraignment was out there speaking to the public. In that speech, he urged the public and the media not to rush to judgment, saying that this case involves, quote, very complex and serious issues. He also declined to answer questions and he hasn't commented on Nick's guilt or innocence.

[Alan Jackson (Defense Attorney)]

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I just have a couple of quick words. First of all, and most importantly, this is a devastating tragedy that has befallen the Reiner family. We all recognize that our hearts go out to the end entire Reiner family. There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case. Those need to be thoroughly but very carefully dealt with and examined and looked at and analyzed. We ask that during this process you allow the system to move forward in the way that it was designed to move forward. Not with a rush to judgment, not with jumping to conclusions, but with restraint and with dignity and with the respect that this system and this process deserves and that the family deserves.

[Annie Elise]

My thought with that, with him saying don't rush to judgment. Complex issues, serious issues. I wonder if they are going to argue an insanity defense, something regarding the mental health. I would imagine that they would, 100%. But what do I know? I'm not a defense attorney. Now, really quickly, while we're talking about the possible insanity plea and all of that, I know we already talked about the Christmas party, Right. And that they were at Conan o' Brien's Christmas party earlier that evening that allegedly an altercation happened, that there was some weird behavior. Well, now, actually, several news outlets are publishing claims from different unnamed sources about that argument between Nick and his dad, Rob, saying that it became loud enough that guests had considered calling 91 1, but that Conan O' Brien reportedly discouraged anybody from calling 91 1, because, you know, it's his house. He didn't want police at the event. This was just his friend and his son. They were having a disagreement, but they were leaving, you know, trying to just diffuse the situation, which I want to be clear, major outlets have not independently confirmed that police were actually prevented from being called. It's more of these independent news agencies. In fact, one party attendee even told one of these news outlets that there was no blowout fight that was seen by them at all and that Conan himself also said he didn't witness a shouting match between Rob and Nick. But I wanted to bring it up in any event, because there are different news outlets reporting this, which, if that's true, I would imagine that that is something that Conan would be struggling with quite a bit. Not that he should at all feel any responsibility or guilt or that this could have been prevented because he could have intercepted this. Obviously, this was just a horrific, horrific tragedy. But if it is true that people were going to call 91 1-1-NICK because of his behavior and that he discouraged them, being like, it's my friend. They're leaving. Don't worry about it. I can certainly understand that he would be, you know, riddled with guilt over that, especially, you know, every single Christmas or Christmas party to come. Just this constant reminder right now about Nick's state of mind during the time of the murders. Multiple sources at this moment in time, literally right now, are now reporting that he had, in fact, been diagnosed with schizophrenia and that this was prior to the murders. They also say that a recent change in his psychiatric medication may have actually made his behavior significantly more erratic in the weeks leading up to this horrific tragedy. Specifically, I believe it was his medication got changed three weeks before this double murder that he allegedly committed, which this is all breaking right now as we're recording. So I'll keep you posted as we learn more. But I think that goes back to what I said a few minutes ago. I definitely think that Alan Jackson's plan is to go for the insanity plea, although they haven't announced it. But I imagine at arraignment, we will hear something to that effect on the 7th. Now, Nick has not said much. His arraignment is now scheduled for January 7, 2026. And initially he was set at like, a $4 million bond amount. But he's now being held without bail. And here's where I personally land with this case. Okay? And I want to be very clear. I think you can acknowledge addiction, you can acknowledge mental illness, you can acknowledge that Rob and Michelle clearly loved their son. They were trying to help him for years, but two people are still dead and brutally killed at that. Multiple sharp force injuries. Rob and Michelle weren't just this famous couple, famous names, these Hollywood bigwigs. They were parents, they were spouses, they were deeply loved human beings. So many people in Hollywood have spoken out since then, since this Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal, all of these people whose lives were touched by Rob and or Michelle in one way or another. And now their children, Romy and Jake, they're left to live with this the rest of their lives. Which what I think is interesting is that in their statement, Romy and Jake had asked for speculation to be replaced with compassion and humanity. And they also asked for their parents to be remembered for the incredible lives that they lived and the love that they gave. So by saying that, by saying, please remove speculation, replace it with compassion and humanity. Part of me is wondering if they will support their brother in all of this, if they truly do believe that he is unwell and that that is the root cause of this. This. I don't know, it's just something that kind of, I don't know, piqued my curiosity a little bit. There's also this element of the family trust. Allegedly it's a 200 million dollar trust, which is a lot of money. It begs the question, who's going to be footing the bill for Alan Jackson? We know he isn't cheap. We are the siblings going to divide that money out ahead of trial? How does it work? What really goes on? There's also a lot of conspiracies I've seen floating around out there that Nick actually had nothing to do with this and that because he lived on the property, he stumbled. Somebody else did this. He just stumbled across his parents deceased bodies. And then because he's mentally unwell, panicked and took off. I don't know. Anything is possible. We know that there's blood in the hotel room, but that doesn't mean that he didn't bend down to check on them or anything. We don't know. Everything is still alleged at this point. Charges are not convictions, so we will see. But in any event, this case is shocking. It is downright disturbing. And at the center of it is this family that was clearly struggling for a very long time. And A horrific double murder tragedy that no amount of fame, money, or resources could have prevented from happening again. If the root is mental health, drug addiction and things like that, it doesn't matter how rich you are, how famous you are, if you have the best, best, you know, mental health team on deck for you. Sometimes none of it is enough to prevent situations like this from happening. So as more people come forward and more details continue to emerge, it's a case that still raises a lot of unanswered questions and uncomfortable questions. Things about warning signs, boundaries, and what happens when love and protection just isn't enough. Which we're still very much at the beginning of this story. So stay tuned for more updates and we will see what happens.

[Amy Collette]

I feel so badly for the siblings. I mean, obviously they lost their parents, in a sense, have now lost their brother. But when you were saying, like, how things are going to be handled and, like, kind of some of their sentiments around that, it. It's hard because obviously they may have their own feelings. I would imagine it's an array of feelings when something like this happens towards their brother. But they also are probably, like, what's most important now is, like, their parents, their legacy, and, like, what their wishes were and how they handled Nick. And, like, if this scenario happened and they were the ones, like, how would they want Nick to be treated?

[Annie Elise]

Right?

[Amy Collette]

Which is, I would imagine, a very big internal struggle. And that. That's just a lot to process.

[Annie Elise]

Well, especially because, as the former friend said, Michelle and Rob were constantly trying to help Nick. So much so that oftentimes it caused friction with the siblings, which I get that a sibling being like, you gotta stop babying him. He needs help. You gotta quit doing this. Like, don't let him live with you until he beats the addiction or whatever it may be. Right. But then to your point, it's like, yeah, but then when something happens like this, it's like you want to honor your parents. And if they loved him so unconditionally and didn't want to see him, and I'm just making this up, but if they didn't want to see him committed or taken off the streets or anything like that, you want. You don't want to be the one to go against your parents and be like, yeah, lock him up and throw away the key. Which I know that there has been mention of the death penalty involved, but because California Newsom passed, I forget what it's called, a memo or whatever it's called, where basically it's like a stay we have, I think 850 people on death row in California right now. So I don't know that this would be a death penalty case, but it qualifies as one. I don't know. That would be. Yeah, it would be a very difficult internal struggle.

[Amy Collette]

I know. I. I mean, the whole thing is sad all the way around and just. Yeah. For all the warning signs and. But again, they're trying to respect the parents who are the ones ultimately making the biggest sacrifice for their son. And so you support your friend.

[Annie Elise]

Right?

[Amy Collette]

I know.

[Annie Elise]

Well. And it's like all of these cases are, of course, awful because it happened right at the holidays and it's like they went to this Christmas party. Now it's today, it's Christmas. The siblings are not having their parents there and they're dealing with this. And it's like that will forever be etched in your mind as a memory. Every time Christmas comes, every year, you're going to remember this horrific situation. And that's a scar that will never heal. It'll never go away.

[Amy Collette]

I know.

[Annie Elise]

You know, it's so sad. Well, I'm sorry to end on that note, everybody, but that is what we've got this week for headline highlights. I hope you have a very, very Merry Christmas. I sounded like Santa there. I was.

[Amy Collette]

Sorry for our singing earlier. I know.

[Annie Elise]

I was gonna say Merry Christmas. Ho ho, ho. Merry Christmas. I am still going to be with you guys on Monday, on Tuesday, next Thursday. We are not taking holiday breaks. Well, I'm not. The team's taking a two week holiday break. I am not taking a holiday break. So I will still be here with you on the mic. So I will talk with you guys again very, very soon. I hope you all had an amazing holiday. Have a great weekend. I'll talk to you before New Year's. And yeah, thank you. Merry Christmas. Thank you for tuning in. Until the next one. Be nice. Don't kill people. I don't even know where it begins. I don't. I don't even know. Let's just leave it at that, okay? All right, bye.

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