Nick Reiner Blocked From $1.5M Trust Fund Amid Murder Charges
Nick Reiner's attempt to access his $1.5 million family trust fund while awaiting trial for the murders of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, has been blocked by the fund's fiduciary, who is citing California's so-called "slayer statute."
Reiner, 32, has been indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the December 2025 killings of his parents at their Brentwood home. He pleaded not guilty to the initial charges in February and entered the same plea to additional charges added last week. He remains in custody in Los Angeles.
Why the Trust Fund Was Blocked
Rob and Michele Singer Reiner established the trust in Nick's name in 1993, the year he was born. According to court filings, the trust was structured so that a portion would be distributed to Nick on his 30th birthday, with the remainder set to follow at age 35. In June, Reiner filed a probate petition seeking access to a portion of the trust, hoping to use the funds to rehire attorney Alan Jackson, who withdrew from his defense in January before Reiner was assigned a public defender.
Jodi Pais Montgomery, the fiduciary now overseeing the fund, opposed that request in court papers obtained by The New York Times, pointing to California's slayer statute. The law prevents a person who "feloniously and intentionally kills the decedent" from inheriting property, interest or benefits under a will or trust connected to that person. Attorney Lauriann Wright, representing Montgomery, wrote that California has carved out no exception allowing a killer's inheritance to cover criminal defense costs.
Wright's filing also states that if the statute is found to apply, Nick's share of the trust would instead pass to his siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner. Wright acknowledged that Nick is presumed innocent while his criminal case is pending, but argued that releasing the funds now, before that question is resolved, would create a situation that couldn't be undone if he's ultimately convicted.
Reiner's Legal Team Pushes Back
Anita P. Wu, an attorney representing Nick Reiner, disputed that the slayer statute applies at this stage of the case. In a statement to The Times, Wu said the law "requires a determination, not a mere accusation," adding that her client remains presumed innocent and has not been convicted of anything.
Estate attorneys not connected to the case have said the stakes could extend well beyond the $1.5 million trust. Sean Weissbart, an estate and trusts attorney at Blank Rome LLP, told PEOPLE that if Reiner is ultimately convicted, he would become ineligible not just to inherit from the trust, but from his parents' broader estate, reportedly valued at around $200 million, and would also lose any right to serve as a fiduciary over it.
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