Did Michele Reiner Identify Her Killer?

Something has been circulating in the coverage of the Rob and Michele Reiner murders that I need to address. Because if true, it changes how we understand the timeline of what happened in that Brentwood bedroom.

And if true, it means Romy Reiner carries a burden no child should ever have to bear.

The Claims

TV host Billy Bush went on air with a disturbing account of what allegedly happened when Romy discovered her parents on December 14th. He says he got it from "a friend who lives in the community."

Showbiz411's Roger Friedman reported a similar account from an anonymous source close to the family. According to that source, when Romy found her parents, Rob was already dead. But Michele was alive. And she allegedly told her daughter: "He left us here for dead."

If accurate, Michele Reiner identified her attacker to her daughter before dying. That's a dying declaration. That's the kind of evidence that carries enormous weight in a courtroom.

The Conflicting Account

Here's where it gets complicated. A source who spoke to The New York Times tells a different story.

According to that account, a massage therapist showed up for a scheduled appointment but couldn't get anyone to answer the door. The massage therapist called Romy, who lives across the street. Romy came over with a roommate, entered the house, found her father's body in the master bedroom, and immediately ran back outside. Her roommate called 911.

The key difference? This source says it was only after paramedics arrived that Romy learned her mother was also dead. And critically: "Romy informed authorities that her brother, Nick, was living in a guest house on the property, but she did not suggest that he might be a suspect or involved in any way."

So which is it?

Did Michele survive long enough to identify her son as her attacker? Or was she already gone when help arrived?

Why This Matters

Look, I'm not here to convict Nick Reiner before trial. That's not what we do. But these conflicting accounts matter for the case that's about to unfold.

A dying declaration is an exception to hearsay rules. If Michele told Romy that Nick attacked them, and Michele believed she was dying when she said it, that statement can come into evidence at trial. It's powerful. Juries give tremendous weight to the words of a dying victim.

But if the NYT source is accurate, there was no such statement. Romy didn't point to her brother. She simply told police where he lived.

The LAPD has declined to comment on the specifics. We don't know what Romy actually told investigators. We don't know what she witnessed. And given the trauma she's experiencing, we may not know for a while.

What We're Watching

Nick Reiner's attorney Alan Jackson said there are "very, very complex and serious issues" associated with this case. He's asked for restraint and dignity. Mental health is almost certainly going to be central to whatever defense emerges.

But if prosecutors have a dying declaration from Michele Reiner identifying her son as the attacker? That complicates any defense strategy significantly.

We'll be watching the January 7th arraignment closely. We'll be watching what evidence the prosecution reveals. And we'll be tracking whether these reports about Michele's final words get confirmed or contradicted by official filings.

Two people are dead. A family is shattered. A 32-year-old man faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars. And somewhere in the middle of all of it, a daughter may have watched her mother die while learning who was responsible.

This case is tragedy upon tragedy.

We continue to cover it because that's what we do. We watch the system. We question what we're told. And we wait for the evidence to tell us what actually happened.

Watch the Full Coverage

I covered this story in depth on the channel. Watch the full breakdown here:

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