LOS ANGELES — Nick Reiner pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder with special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait. Nick Reiner faces a special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife.

Nick Reiner appeared in a 13th-floor courtroom at the Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles to answer to the new charges. The new charges replace the original murder case filed in 2025.

The grand jury indictment allows prosecutors to bypass California's preliminary hearing process. "We hope that by having a grand jury return an indictment in this case it will bring us one step closer to a trial and achieving justice," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said. "This was a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing," Hochman said.

"The indictment unsealed today also adds a special circumstance allegation that the defendant committed the murders by means of lying in wait," he said. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office said Rob and Michele Reiner died of multiple sharp force injuries.

Nick Reiner is being held without bail. Kimberly Greene is Nick Reiner's appointed defense attorney.

Greene declined to comment following the arraignment. If convicted, Nick Reiner faces death or life in state prison without the possibility of parole.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office will decide at a later date whether to seek the death penalty. Nick Reiner's pretrial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15.

Rob and Michele Reiner had three children: sons Nick and Jake and daughter Romy. Michele Reiner was a photographer.

Why It Matters

The indictment allows the prosecution to proceed directly to trial, bypassing the standard preliminary hearing process in California. This procedural shift accelerates the timeline toward a potential trial for the high-profile case involving the filmmaker and his wife.

If convicted, the defendant faces the most severe penalties available under state law, including life in prison without parole or the death penalty. The decision on whether to pursue capital punishment remains with the district attorney's office, marking a critical upcoming determination in the case.

Timeline

On Dec. 13, 2024, Rob and Nick Reiner had a brief but loud argument at a party at Conan O'Brien's home the night before the killings. On Dec. 14, 2024, Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Reiner, 70, were found dead inside their Brentwood home, and Romy Reiner discovered the bodies of Rob and Michele Reiner.

Nick Reiner was arrested on Dec. 15, 2024. The grand jury returned the indictment on July 20, 2025, and Nick Reiner was indicted on murder charges in the killings of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner. Nick Reiner's pretrial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15, 2025.

What's New

Nick Reiner is 32 years old. Earlier coverage on 2026-06-09 reported: Nick Reiner seeks access to his parents’ trust to pay for his defense in their killings. Nick Reiner has spoken publicly about his struggles with drug addiction, which began in his teens.

Kimberly Greene declined to comment following the arraignment. Nick Reiner appeared in a 13th-floor courtroom at the Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles to answer to the new charges. The new charges replace the original murder case filed in 2025. Earlier coverage on 2026-07-04 reported: Wake County mother indicted on murder charge in death of 12-year-old son. Earlier coverage on 2026-06-11 reported: Relative of suspect in Anna Kepner's killing calls for her parents to face charges.