As the devastating details continue to emerge following the brutal murders of Rob and Michele Reiner, people who crossed paths with their son Nick Reiner in the days before the tragedy are now speaking out.
According to longtime employees at a Sinclair gas station in Brentwood — a place the Reiner family apparently visited often, as it was very close to their home — Nick seemed off in a way that was impossible to ignore.
Related: Corey Feldman Claims He Knew Nick Was The Killer As Soon As He Heard The News
Per a TMZ report published on Wednesday, unnamed employees there say that when they saw Nick roughly two weeks before his parents were killed, he looked exhausted and emotionally distant. Not angry. Not erratic. Just… not himself. One employee recalled that he was unusually standoffish, which had been a stark contrast to the friendly, social presence they had grown accustomed to seeing. One employee told the outlet that the accused killer appeared “drained” and “abnormal” in his behaviors.
Whoa…
What makes this even more haunting is how ordinary that final interaction appeared on the surface. Nick reportedly bought a pack of Marlboro Lights, which is something employees say was typical for him. There were no signs of intoxication, no obvious red flags that screamed danger. And yet, the shift in demeanor lingered. Just a couple months earlier, those same employees remember him exchanging pleasantries, smiling, and engaging in small talk. The difference was noticeable enough that it stuck with them after the fact.
Surveillance camera footage later obtained by the New York Post also showed Nick walking past that same gas station in the early hours of Sunday morning, just hours before Rob and Michele were found stabbed to death. Knowing what came next, it’s impossible not to view those images through a painful and chilling lens.
And the employees have been affected by the whole thing, too. As we noted up top, the Reiners were known as loyal customers there, and shock has rippled through the workers who saw them as part of their everyday routine.
As we’ve been reporting, 32-year-old Nick was arrested hours after his parents were discovered and has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
And as this tragedy continues to unfold, we continue to brace ourselves for whatever other reports may be on the way. Our hearts continue to go out to all of the Reiner family’s friends and loved ones.
[Image via Michele Singer Reiner/Instagram/MEGA/WENN]
