Los Angeles Grand Jury Indicts Nick Reiner for Parents' Murder, Alleging Premeditation

A Los Angeles County grand jury returned an indictment on July 20 charging Nick Reiner, 32, with the murders of his parents, director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, who were stabbed to death in their Brentwood home on Dec. 14. The indictment, unsealed Wednesday, includes a special allegation that Reiner was "lying in wait" for the victims, a term prosecutors use to suggest premeditation and which could make him eligible for the death penalty, though authorities have not indicated whether they will pursue it.

Nick Reiner entered a not-guilty plea at his arraignment. The grand jury’s action bypasses California’s preliminary hearing, allowing the case to move directly toward trial. Prosecutors have not disclosed a motive, and the indictment provides few new details beyond the allegation of a pre-meditated ambush and the use of a knife as a deadly weapon.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the indictment "will bring us one step closer to a trial and achieving justice." The county chief medical examiner has requested that autopsy reports be made public, but a court order currently blocks release.

Separately, Reiner has filed a petition to access a trust established by his parents, asserting that trustees have withheld at least $1.5 million without legal justification. He seeks to retain high-profile defense attorney Alan Jackson, after a public defender was appointed when his siblings stopped funding his defense. A hearing on the petition is scheduled for next week.

The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, which represents Reiner, declined to comment on the indictment.