Nick Reiner, facing allegations of murdering his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, has been refused access to the $1.5 million US trust fund he was attempting to utilize for his legal defense. In a filing from June, Reiner had been trying to claim purportedly unpaid funds from a trust established by his parents for him back in 1993.
Documents obtained by CBC News show that trustees turned down Reiner’s plea for the funds, citing a section of California law known as the “slayer statute,” which bars individuals from inheriting assets from someone they have unlawfully caused harm to. Rob Reiner, a renowned filmmaker and actor, and his wife, Michele, a photographer and producer, were fatally stabbed in their California residence on December 14, 2025, with their son Nick Reiner taken into custody hours later.
The 32-year-old was formally charged with murder on July 20 and has entered a plea of not guilty. The indictment by a Los Angeles County grand jury, unveiled recently, alleges that Reiner planned the attack on his parents. These circumstances, coupled with other factors, could lead to him facing the death penalty, although the District Attorney, Nathan Hochman, has not yet decided on pursuing it.
Reiner is set to appear in court for a pretrial hearing in September, with his legal representation currently being handled by public defender Kimberly Greene. The filing from June mentioned that besides the main family trust fund, smaller individual trust funds were set up for the Reiner children in their names. Reiner was supposed to receive half of his trust fund at age 30 and the remainder at 35, as per the documents.
Despite his entitlement, Reiner claimed in his petition that he never received the funds due to him at age 30, alleging that the trustees were unjustly withholding money that belonged to him. The assets in the fund were valued at a minimum of $1.5 million US, the petition disclosed. Notably, private attorney Alan Jackson was initially handling Reiner’s legal affairs before departing without explanation after a brief period. It was revealed in the June filing that Reiner’s siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, had initially agreed to cover their brother’s legal expenses before changing their stance.
The lawyer overseeing the trust fund, Paul R. Kanin, along with incoming trustee Jodi Pais Montgomery, concluded in court documents that the uncertain outcome of Reiner’s criminal case prevented the distribution of funds at the time. They emphasized that the trust fund could not be accessed until it was clarified whether certain legal principles could impact Reiner’s right to the funds.
As the case continues, details surrounding the motives for the crime remain undisclosed, with authorities refraining from speculating. Jake Reiner, the eldest son of the deceased couple, shared his struggles in coping with the aftermath of his parents’ tragic deaths and the focus on allegations against his brother. Rob Reiner, known for his extensive contributions to the film industry, met his wife Michele during the filming of “When Harry Met Sally” and enjoyed a 36-year marriage before the tragic incident occurred.