The new indictment adds a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait
Nick Reiner has been indicted by a Los Angeles County grand jury for the alleged murders of his parents, filmmaker/actor Rob Reiner and photographer/producer Michele Reiner, who were found stabbed to death in their home in Brentwood, CA, last December.
Back in February, 32-year-old Reiner pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. He appeared in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom today to answer to the new charges, once again entering a not guilty plea.
The indictment — returned by the grand jury on July 20 and unsealed today — replaces the original 2025 murder case, adding the special circumstance allegation of lying in wait, as well as an allegation that Reiner used a knife to commit the murders. All considered, Reiner could qualify for the death penalty or life in state prison without the possibility of parole.
"This was a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement. "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."
The new indictment allows prosecutors to skip the state's preliminary hearing process, meaning the case could now be brought to trial more quickly, and witnesses will not have to testify publicly. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for September 15.
