Could Nick Reiner Inherit After Killing His Parents?

Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Hollywood producer Rob Reiner and actress Michele Reiner, is facing serious legal consequences after being charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of his parents. The tragic incident occurred on Sunday, December 14, when Rob, 78, and Michele, 68, were found dead in their Brentwood home in Los Angeles. Hours later, Nick was arrested in the Exposition Park neighborhood, and he has since been charged with two counts of murder, along with special circumstances allegations of multiple murders and the use of a deadly weapon—a knife.

Legal experts are now examining what this means for Nick’s potential inheritance, as he is no longer likely to receive any portion of his parents’ estate if convicted. Sean Weissbart, an estate and trusts attorney at Blank Rome LLP, explained that California law includes a "slayer statute" that bars individuals who kill someone from inheriting anything from that person’s estate. This applies even if the killer is not formally convicted, as long as it is determined that they intentionally committed the act.

“California has what's called a slayer statute, which says if you kill someone that you're going to inherit from, you lose your inheritance and any right to serve as a fiduciary of their estate,” Weissbart said in an exclusive interview. “So assuming he's convicted of this murder, he's out as beneficiary, along with any fiduciary appointments he may have.”

The Reiner family is survived by Nick and their two children, Jake, 34, and Romy, 28. Rob was also the father of Tracy, 61, from his first marriage to the late Penny Marshall. If Nick is convicted, he would be excluded from the inheritance, which would then be divided among the other three heirs.

“Weissbart explained that should Nick be convicted of the alleged double homicide, he will be ineligible to inherit. 'Let's assume that the four children got everything in equal shares,' he said. 'Nick would be disqualified, and everything would just go — probably — in three equal shares [instead].'”

However, there is one potential exception. If Nick is found not guilty due to insanity, the slayer statute might not apply. “The statute requires that the killer acted intentionally,” Weissbart wrote in an email. “If someone was found not guilty by reason of insanity, the slayer statute might not apply.”

Weissbart also noted that even if Nick is not yet convicted, he may still have access to the estate documents. “I don't think that just because someone is suspected of a crime that that would necessarily preclude them from seeing a will or finding out what they might have otherwise received,” he said. “It's not his obligation to bring the slayer statute. That's the obligation of other people or the court.”

Nick has not entered a plea and made his first court appearance on Wednesday, accompanied by three lawyers. He waived his right to a speedy arraignment and was wearing a suicide prevention smock, indicating he is under suicide watch. He is currently held without bail, with an arraignment scheduled for January 7.

If convicted, Nick could face life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. His attorney, Alan Jackson, emphasized the complexity of the case, urging the public not to rush to judgment. “There are very complex and serious issues associated with this case that need time to be examined,” Jackson said in brief remarks outside the courthouse.

For those struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, or substance use problems, support is available through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.