Nick Reiner to Enter Not Guilty Plea in Parents' Stabbing Deaths — Trial Looms

Nick Reiner entered a not guilty plea to murder charges on Monday, 23 February. He was arrested late last year for stabbing his parents to death. He is facing two counts of first-degree murder with the special circumstance alleging multiple murders.

Hollywood director Rob Reiner and wife Michele Singer Reiner, Nick Reiner's parents, were found dead in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home on 14 December 2025 by their daughter. The LA County medical examiner said their deaths were from 'multiple sharp force injuries,' per BBC.​

On the same day their bodies were discovered, their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, was arrested in Los Angeles. According to reports, Nick and his father had gone to a party earlier in the day, and were witnessed arguing. Nick, who had been living on his parents' property, was reported to have shown odd behaviour.

A 'Horrific and Devastating Loss'

Meanwhile, Jake and Romy Reiner, Nick's siblings, released a statement on the death of Rob and Michele: 'Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren't just our parents; they were our best friends.'

Nick Reiner's arraignment was originally scheduled for January but was postponed when his defence attorney, Alan Jackson, withdrew from the case. Jackson told reporters, 'Pursuant to the law in California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder. We wish him the very best moving forward,' per ABC News.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the family said at the time, 'They have the utmost trust in the legal process and will not comment further on matters related to the legal proceedings.'

Judge Theresa McGonigle assigned the case to Kimberly Greene, who entered Reiner's not guilty plea on his behalf during his court appearance on Monday. His next court appearance is scheduled for 29 April, and he will remain in jail with no bail until then.

Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles County District Attorney, told the press that the case is receiving an in-depth review from his office. He also said that a decision on whether the death penalty will be sought would be made at a later date.

Exploring Psychiatric History & Substance Abuse

Since his brief December 17 court appearance, sources for ABC News said that Reiner's defence attorneys were looking into tying his psychiatric history and substance abuse.

Nick Reiner is receiving court-appointed publicly funded counsel for defendants without the means to pay. The proceeding on Monday lasted only minutes. Reiner's not guilty plea was a legal formality that allowed his lawyers to defer further discussion of his defense to a later date, per The New York Times.

When asked by the judge if he waived his right to a speedy trial, Nick Reiner said in a clear voice, 'Yes.'

According to the New York Times, Nick Reiner had been suffering from serious mental illnesses, with multiple diagnoses of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

As a result, he was placed in a mental health conservatorship for a year in 2020. Before his arrest, a source told the news media how he had struggled with a change in his medication.

LA County district attorney Nathan J. Hochman said to reporters that prosecution in Reiner's case will be a challenge given his relationship to the victims. He said, 'These cases, involving family members, are some of the most challenging and most heart-wrenching cases that our office faces.'