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All eyes were on Nick Reiner Tuesday when he returned to court for the latest proceedings in his criminal case.
Reiner is accused of killing his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced Tuesday that prosecutors will not seek the death penalty in the case during a press conference ahead of Reiner’s court hearing.
"In deciding whether or not the DA's office was going to seek the death penalty, we have gone through a rigorous review where we look at the aggravating factors, as well as the mitigating factors – where we have spoken to the victims' family, we have spoken to prosecutors, law enforcement, and I've worked with the most senior people in the district attorney's office," Hochman told reporters Tuesday. "After a careful and thorough review of all these factors, the District Attorney's office will not be seeking the death penalty in this case. That means that the maximum sentence that Mr. Reiner will be looking at is life without the possibility of parole."
Nick Reiner is set to return to court as he faces accusations of killing his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, at their Brentwood home. (Chris Torres/Pool via Reuters)
Reiner was charged with two counts of murder and included special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and lying in wait after a grand jury indictment. Prosecutors also alleged he used a knife.
"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 Hochman said at the time.
During Tuesday's press conference, Hochman revealed Nick's siblings have petitioned for the grand jury transcripts to be sealed.
"…they have expressed a strong desire for these transcripts to remain sealed," he told reporters. "And they basically have said that the disclosure to the public and the media of the details and evidence of the killing of their parents will cause them additional trauma and harm, and they have respectfully asked for the court to keep the transcript sealed."
Hochman hinted Nick's defense plans to file a motion to dismiss, although it hasn't occurred yet.
"We estimate that the trial will not occur before 2027," he said. "However, when the defense is ready to proceed, the government … will be ready to proceed."
Nick's Tuesday court hearing lasted 15 minutes. He entered the courtroom at a brisk pace, clean-shaven with slightly unkempt hair and dressed in a brown jumpsuit. He remained attentive throughout the hearing, his hands cuffed to the chair. Reiner spoke only a few times, responding directly to Superior Court Judge Sam Ohta as the judge explained his speedy-trial rights. He answered the judge’s questions with brief replies, including "yes" and "yes, I do."
Prosecutors allege Reiner fatally stabbed his father, 78, and mother, 70, on Dec. 14, 2025, at their Brentwood home.
As his criminal case moves forward, Reiner has demanded access to funds from a trust worth as much as $1.5 million after he was allegedly denied access to money he says he is entitled to use, including to hire high-profile defense attorney Alan Jackson.
Prosecutors charged Nick Reiner with two counts of murder, alleging he used a knife and waited to carry out the killings. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Teen Vogue)
Months after Reiner was put behind bars in connection to the murder of his parents, he filed a petition arguing that the person appointed to oversee his $1.5 million trust has unlawfully withheld funds that are already legally his. Reiner insisted he needed the trust money to pay for criminal defense counsel and basic necessities while incarcerated.
Jackson, who previously represented Karen Read, began working on the case immediately after Reiner's arrest, but the representation endeed when anticipated family funding failed to materialize. In a declaration, Jackson said his firm remained willing to return if funding became available, including through alternative fee arrangements.
As the case moves forward, Nick Reiner is seeking access to his $1.5 million trust fund to help pay for his defense and basic necessities. (Stefanie Keenan)
Los Angeles Fire Department officials responded to a Brentwood-area home at around 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 14, where two bodies were discovered. Officials later confirmed the bodies to be of Rob and his wife, Michele.
"Both victims were found in the master bedroom of the area of the home," LAPD Assistant Police Chief Dominic Choi later confirmed during an LAPD Board of Police Commissioners meeting. Officers then conducted a "thorough search" of the residence and found no additional victims or suspects.
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