Man indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in parents' Brentwood stabbing

A Los Angeles grand jury unsealed an indictment Wednesday charging Nick Reiner with two counts of first-degree murder for the stabbing deaths of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, inside their Brentwood home last December. The indictment adds special-circumstance allegations of lying in wait and use of a deadly weapon, which could increase any future sentence. Reiner appeared in a 13th-floor courtroom at the Criminal Courts Building and was ordered to return for a pre-trial hearing on Sept. 15. The new charges replace the original murder case filed in 2025 and move the case directly toward a jury trial, eliminating the previously scheduled public preliminary hearing.

"We will continue to represent Mr. Reiner vigorously," said his appointed public defender, Kimberly Greene, who declined to comment further. Reiner was arrested on Dec. 15, a day after his parents' bodies were found in their bedroom. The initial filing alleged he used a knife in the attack. Rob Reiner was a noted film director, and Michele Reiner worked as a talent photographer and producer. Their deaths prompted tributes from the entertainment community and public officials.