Nick Reiner, 32, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner. The plea was entered by his new attorney, public defender Kimberly Greene, during an arraignment at a Los Angeles court on Monday.
Reiner, who appeared behind glass in the courtroom wearing brown jail clothes, is charged with the murders of his 78-year-old father and 70-year-old mother, who were found stabbed to death in their Los Angeles home on 14 December. He was arrested that evening and has been held without bail. The Los Angeles County medical examiner determined the couple died from multiple sharp force injuries.
The case is eligible for the death penalty, but District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his office has not yet made a decision. “We will be looking at all aggravating and mitigating circumstances,” he told reporters after the arraignment. The prosecution is still awaiting a full autopsy report.
Reiner’s former attorney, Alan Jackson, withdrew from the case last month, citing circumstances that made it “impossible to continue our representation.” He maintained that Reiner is not guilty, stating, “Pursuant to the law of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.”
The killings have shocked the entertainment industry, with friends and colleagues expressing grief. Comedian Conan O’Brien, who hosted a Christmas party the night before the bodies were found, described the Reiners as “lovely people” and said their sudden loss was “so awful.” Reports indicate Reiner had a history of addiction and mental health struggles, including a conservatorship in 2020 and medication for schizophrenia.
