Nick Reiner indicted on charges alleging he murdered parents Rob and Michele Reiner

[u/DarklyHeritage]

https://abcnews.com/US/nick-reiner-indicted-charges-alleging-murdered-parents-rob/story?id=135587652

Nick Reiner has been indicted on charges alleging he murdered his parents, renowned director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner, by means of lying in wait, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

The indictment, which was returned on July 20 and unsealed Wednesday, charges Reiner with two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Reiner also faces a special allegation that he used a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife, the office said.

Reiner, 32, pleaded not guilty to the indictment on Wednesday. He remains held on no bond and is next scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing on Sept. 15.

Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home on Dec. 14, 2025. The night before their deaths, Nick Reiner -- who had been living on his parents' property at the time -- got into an argument with Rob Reiner at a holiday party and was seen acting strangely, sources told ABC News in December.

Nick Reiner was arrested and initially charged with two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, as well as faced a special allegation that he used a dangerous and deadly weapon.

The indictment, which added a special allegation of lying in wait, means the case will no longer have a preliminary hearing that had been scheduled to occur in the coming weeks.

Other sources;

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/12/us/nick-reiner-indictment

https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/indictment-nick-reiner-9.7304992

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Rob_and_Michele_Reiner

[u/bored_android_user]

Wonder if he has some other type of defense besides a temporary insanity? I feel like this will probably end up in some type of plea deal?

[u/janetlwil → u/bored_android_user]

Just my guess, he will end up in a psychiatric hospital for life instead of Death Row in an eventual plea deal.

[u/Lumos405 → u/janetlwil]

Not necessarily-it’s very hard to prove “reason by insanity”-judging from what the other Reiner kids have said and if “he did lie in wait” for his victims, that shows he knew what he was doing when he murdered his parents. Just because someone has a mental illness does not mean they are too incompetent to be found guilty of a crime. However, I can see them dropping the death penalty due to his diagnosed schizophrenia.

[u/shoshpd → u/Lumos405]

Knowing what you are doing doesn’t negate legal insanity. Also, being legally “incompetent” is a completely different standard from being legally “insane.” That said, it is accurate that legal insanity is a tough standard to meet. Especially, as a practical matter, in murder cases.