Nick Reiner, accused of murdering his parents in December 2025, has been denied access to a $1.5-million US trust fund established by his parents in 1993. According to court papers, trustees cited the "slayer statute" in California law, which prevents individuals from inheriting money or property if they have feloniously killed someone. Reiner's request for the funds was made in June, and he is currently being represented by a public defender ahead of his murder trial. The indictment against Reiner alleges that he was lying in wait before attacking his parents, making him eligible for the death penalty.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Rob Reiner, a director and actor, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, a photographer and producer, has been indicted on murder charges in their killings. The indictment, which was returned by a Los Angeles County grand jury on July 20, alleges that Nick Reiner was lying in wait before attacking his parents at their home in the upscale Brentwood section of Los Angeles on December 14, 2025. His parents were stabbed to death, and Nick Reiner was arrested hours later and charged two days after the killings.
As part of the case, Nick Reiner is seeking $1.63 million from a trust fund that his parents established for him, but he has been denied access to it by the trustees who oversee the funds, citing California's "slayer statute," which bars killers from financially benefiting from their crimes. So far, $200,000 of the trust has been spent on his defense, including an undisclosed amount for his previous defense attorney, Alan Jackson, who resigned in January due to "circumstances beyond our control."
Written for “Nick Reiner Murder Case” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Nick Reiner denied access to trust fund ahead of murder trial as trustees cite 'slayer statute'
Reiner accused of killing his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner in December 2025
Nick Reiner, who stands accused of killing his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, last year has been denied access to the $1.5-million US trust fund he was seeking to use to fund his legal defence.
asserted
he → deny → defence
According to a June filing, Reiner had been seeking allegedly unpaid money from a trust fund his parents established for him in 1993.
uncertain
parents → accord → 1993
In court papers obtained by CBC News, trustees rejected Reiner's request for the funds, citing a portion of California law known as the "slayer statute," which prevents individuals from inheriting money, property or trusts from someone they have "feloniously and intentionally" killed.
asserted
they → obtain → someone
Rob Reiner, a celebrated director and actor, and his wife, Michele, a photographer and producer, were stabbed to death in their California home on Dec. 14, 2025.
asserted
Reiner → stab → Dec.
Hours later, their son Nick Reiner was arrested.
asserted
son → arrest → ?
The 32-year-old was indicted on murder charges on July 20.
asserted
old → indict → July
He has pleaded not guilty.
asserted
He → plead → ?
The indictment by a Los Angeles County grand jury, unsealed last Wednesday, alleges that Reiner was lying in wait before attacking his parents.
asserted
Reiner → unseal → parents
This detail, along with other circumstances, means he could face the death penalty.
uncertain
he → mean → penalty
District Attorney Nathan Hochman has said his office has not yet decided whether to seek it.
asserted
office → say → it
Reiner is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing in September.
asserted
Reiner → schedule → September
He is currently being represented by public defender Kimberly Greene, to whom CBC News has reached out for comment.
asserted
News → represent → comment
Trust fund access denied
asserted
access → deny → ?
The June filing said that apart from the family trust fund, smaller individual trust funds had been established for the Reiner children, in their names.
asserted
funds → say → names
Nick Reiner was entitled to half of his trust fund when he turned 30, according to the document, and the rest at 35.
But he claimed in the petition that he had never received the funds he was meant to at 30, alleging that the trustees were denying him access to money to which he was legally entitled.
"Like anyone accused of a crime, Nick is presumed innocent, and he is entitled to mount his defence with the resources that are lawfully his own," the petition said.
uncertain
petition → entitle → resources
The assets in the fund added up to at least $1.5 million US, according to the petition.
uncertain
assets → add → petition
High-profile private lawyer Alan Jackson was originally retained to represent Reiner but left after less than a month without sharing the reason.
asserted
Jackson → retain → reason
The June filing revealed that Reiner's siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, had initially agreed to pay their brother's legal fees before reversing course.
asserted
siblings → reveal → course
Jackson said in a declaration accompanying the petition that he would be willing to rejoin the case if the funds were available to retain him.
asserted
funds → say → him
Nick Reiner pleads not guilty to murder in the killing of his parents
Nick Reiner seeks trust fund money for defence in parents' killings
The two siblings have not publicly commented on the legal proceedings.
asserted
siblings → plead → proceedings
The lawyer who was previously overseeing the trust fund, Paul R. Kanin, and incoming trustee Jodi Pais Montgomery both concluded in court documents that the unknown outcome of the criminal case against Reiner meant that funds could not be distributed at this time.
uncertain
funds → oversee → time
"Nick's sense of urgency is real, but it did not arise in a vacuum.
asserted
it → arise → vacuum
It arises from the deaths of his parents, the very settlors of the trust at issue, and Nick is presently accused of causing those deaths," the new filing reads.
asserted
filing → arise → deaths
"While Nick is presumed innocent of that accusation … no one, not this court, nor the parties, knows how the criminal proceedings against Nick will, ultimately, resolve."
asserted
proceedings → presume → Nick
The filing stated that the trust fund can't be accessed until it is clear whether Probate Code Section 250 and any related "slayer statute" principles could affect Reiner's entitlement to the funds.
uncertain
Section → state → funds
Authorities have not speculated on motives.
asserted
Authorities → speculate → motives
Jake Reiner, the eldest son of Rob and Michele Reiner, opened up in April about enduring the "living nightmare" of his parents' murder, as well as the attention around the case centring on allegations about his brother.
asserted
Reiner → open → brother
"Nothing can prepare you for what it feels like to lose both parents instantly at the same time," he wrote in a Substack essay.
asserted
he → prepare → essay
"They were the last people in the world to deserve what happened to them."
asserted
what → deserve → them
Rob Reiner was known for his decades of work in the film industry, acting in and helming some of the most well-known films of Hollywood at the time.
asserted
Reiner → know → time
His credits as a director include The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men and Stand By Me.
asserted
credits → include → Me
He met his wife, Michele, while filming the beloved rom-com When Harry Met Sally, later telling CNN in 2024 that this meeting inspired him to change the ending of the film so that the main characters got together.
asserted
characters → meet → film
