Grand Jury Indicts Nick Reiner, Alleges He Lied in Wait Before Parents' Killings
A grand jury indicted Nick Reiner for the murders of his parents, adding a lying-in-wait allegation that could make him eligible for the death penalty.
A Los Angeles County grand jury has formally indicted Nick Reiner on murder charges for the deaths of his parents, actor-director Rob Reiner and photographer-producer Michele Singer Reiner. The indictment, returned in secret on July 20 and unsealed Wednesday, adds a critical new allegation: that Reiner was lying in wait before the attack.
Reiner entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday, the same day the indictment was made public. The charge upgrades the case's severity, making Reiner eligible for the death penalty, though prosecutors have not yet indicated whether they will seek it.
The killings occurred on December 14 at the couple's home in Brentwood, an upscale Los Angeles neighborhood. Both were stabbed to death. Nick Reiner was arrested within hours and formally charged two days later.
The grand jury indictment moves the case directly toward trial, bypassing California's preliminary hearing process, which would have aired evidence publicly. The unsealed document reveals few new details in a case that has remained largely under wraps, but the lying-in-wait allegation is a significant legal development.
Attorneys for Nick Reiner did not immediately respond to requests for comment.