Nick Reiner Arraigned in Los Angeles Pleads Not Guilty to Parents' Murders

Nicholas “Nick” Reiner, 32, entered a not guilty plea in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Feb. 23, 2026, facing two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents, Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70. Prosecutors have lodged a special circumstance alleging multiple murders and a separate allegation that the defendant “personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, that being a knife.”

The arraignment was brief and formal. Reiner appeared behind glass in an enclosed custody area of a packed courtroom while Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene entered the plea on his behalf. Court observers reported he wore brown jail clothing and had a shaved head; he spoke only very briefly, with reports saying he answered “yes” to a judge’s question and another outlet noting he “said one word” during the perfunctory hearing. The judge set a next appearance for April 29 to schedule a preliminary hearing.

Law enforcement arrested Reiner hours after Rob and Michele Reiner were found dead at their Brentwood home on Dec. 14, and he has been held without bail since that arrest. Prosecutors allege he fatally stabbed both parents inside a bedroom before fleeing the house. The Los Angeles County medical examiner cited “multiple sharp force injuries” as the cause of death, language mirrored in other coverage that described the couple’s deaths as fatal stabbings or multiple stab wounds. One outlet reported that Reiner was formally charged on Dec. 16.

The prosecution’s filing includes the special circumstance of multiple murders that can expose a defendant to the severest penalties under California law; the Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, speaking outside court, said his office “still has not decided whether it will seek the death penalty.” BBC coverage noted that Reiner “could face life in prison without parole or the death penalty if convicted.”

Court filings and public comments have shifted during pretrial proceedings. High-profile private attorney Alan Jackson withdrew from the case at a prior hearing, citing reasons “beyond his and his client's control” that ethics would not allow him to disclose, and stating publicly, “pursuant to the laws of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.” Following Jackson’s withdrawal, Reiner’s defense moved to the public defender’s office.

Public information remains limited. Family members Jake and Romy said in a statement they were experiencing “unimaginable pain” following the “horrific and devastating loss.” The Reiner family told reporters they “have the utmost trust in the legal process” and “will not comment further on matters related to the legal proceedings.” Authorities have released few details about motive or forensic evidence; as one account put it, “Authorities have said nothing about possible motives, and leaks in the case have been virtually nonexistent on both sides, leaving some of the most basic questions about the killing unanswered publicly.”

Background reporting has noted Nick Reiner’s past battles with addiction and his collaboration with his father on the 2015 film Being Charlie; he has said in earlier interviews he had been to rehab multiple times. The April 29 scheduling hearing will determine whether prosecutors present enough evidence to send the case toward trial.