Nick Reiner Indicted With New "Lying in Wait" Allegation
A Los Angeles County grand jury has indicted Nick Reiner on murder charges in the deaths of his parents, director Rob Reiner and photographer-producer Michele Singer Reiner, adding a new special circumstance allegation that he was lying in wait before attacking them.
The grand jury, which met in secret, returned the indictment on July 20, and it was unsealed Wednesday, Aug. 12, when Reiner entered a not guilty plea. He is charged with two counts of murder carrying special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait, along with a separate allegation that he used a knife, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
In legal terms, lying in wait refers to a defendant concealing their intent and waiting for an opportunity to attack a victim by surprise, a factor that can elevate murder charges and, combined with other special circumstances, make a defendant eligible for the death penalty under California law.
A Case That's Moved Behind Closed Doors
Rob Reiner, 79, best known for directing films including When Harry Met Sally..., A Few Good Men and This Is Spinal Tap, and Michele Reiner, 73, were found stabbed to death inside their Brentwood home on Dec. 14. Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested hours later and formally charged two days after that.
The grand jury indictment marks a significant procedural shift in the case, allowing prosecutors to bypass California's preliminary hearing process, a public proceeding in which evidence would normally have been aired ahead of trial. That hearing had been expected to take place sometime this fall. According to the Associated Press, the unsealed indictment did not specify how or why prosecutors believe Reiner was lying in wait before the killings.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman addressed the new allegation in a statement. "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. 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." Hochman said prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty.
What Comes Next
Reiner remains held without bond and is next scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing on Sept. 15. His attorney, Los Angeles Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene, declined to comment following the arraignment.
The deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner stunned Hollywood and prompted an outpouring of tributes from entertainment and political figures. The family's struggles with Nick Reiner's addiction had been well documented over the years; just months before the killings, the family had appeared together at the Los Angeles premiere of Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues. As with any pending case, Reiner is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
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