Nick Reiner, accused of the murder of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, in the previous year, has been declined access to the $1.5 million US trust fund he had requested for his legal defense. As per a filing in June, Reiner had been attempting to claim allegedly unpaid funds from a trust set up by his parents in 1993.
Trustees, as per court documents obtained by CBC News, turned down Reiner’s plea for the funds, citing a provision of California law known as the “slayer statute,” which bars individuals from inheriting money, property, or trusts from someone they have intentionally and feloniously killed.
Rob Reiner, a renowned director and actor, and his wife, Michele, a photographer and producer, were fatally stabbed in their California residence on December 14, 2025. Shortly after, their son Nick Reiner was taken into custody. The 32-year-old was officially charged with murder on July 20 and has entered a plea of not guilty.
The indictment, revealed by a Los Angeles County grand jury last week, alleges that Reiner premeditated the attack on his parents. Due to this and other circumstances, he could potentially face the death penalty, although the District Attorney has not yet decided on pursuing it.
Reiner is set to appear in court for a pretrial hearing in September, being represented by public defender Kimberly Greene. The filing from June mentioned that in addition to the main family trust fund, smaller individual trust funds were set up for the Reiner children, with Nick Reiner due to receive half of his fund at the age of 30 and the remaining at 35.
Despite the substantial funds in the trust, private attorney Alan Jackson, who initially represented Reiner, departed without explanation after a brief period. The filing also disclosed that Reiner’s siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, initially agreed to cover their brother’s legal expenses before reversing their decision.
The trust fund’s overseer, Paul R. Kanin, and incoming trustee Jodi Pais Montgomery, concluded in court documents that the uncertainty surrounding Reiner’s criminal case meant the funds could not be disbursed at present. The trust fund’s access is contingent on the resolution of the criminal proceedings and the potential impact of the “slayer statute” principles.
As the public awaits more details, including possible motives, eight months after the tragic incident, Jake Reiner shared his anguish in an April statement regarding the loss of his parents and the surrounding attention on his brother in the case. Rob Reiner, revered for his extensive contributions to the film industry, had a successful career as a director and actor, with notable works including “The Princess Bride,” “A Few Good Men,” and “Stand By Me.” He and Michele were married for 36 years, their enduring love story beginning during the filming of “When Harry Met Sally.”