Eric Idle Has No Sympathy for Rob Reiner's Accused Killer

Monty Python star Eric Idle has stated he has "no sympathy" for Nick Reiner, the man accused of murdering his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. Reiner is currently seeking access to his trust fund to pay for his legal defense.

Idle, a close friend of the late filmmaker Rob Reiner, told TMZ that he was likely the last person to speak with him. "I was the last man probably to talk to his father, so I have no sympathy," Idle said, expressing his feelings about Nick Reiner's situation.

Nick Reiner stands accused of killing his parents on December 14, 2025, at their home in Brentwood, California. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder with special circumstances, including lying in wait. Prosecutors allege the couple were fatally stabbed, and Reiner was indicted in July, with prosecutors also alleging the use of a knife. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office recently announced that the death penalty would not be sought, though Reiner faces a potential life sentence without parole if convicted.

For nearly a year, Reiner has been held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility. His legal team is attempting to access a trust fund valued at approximately $1.6 million, which they argue legally belongs to him for his defense. Attorneys for Reiner contend that a significant portion of these funds was left to him by his grandfather, Hollywood legend Carl Reiner, and therefore should not be subject to California's Slayer Statute.

The Slayer Statute generally prevents individuals from financially benefiting from the death of another person. However, Reiner's lawyers argue that the statute does not apply to money inherited from his grandfather, who died in 2020, years before the alleged murders. Court documents state that at least $325,017.49 was transferred into the trust account on December 24, 2024, from his grandfather's estate.

"What the Successor Trustee asks this Court to do is enter an order freezing a presumed-innocent man's own untainted money until after the trial at which his liberty will be decided," Reiner's attorneys wrote in filings.

Sources have indicated that Reiner's siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, are in agreement with not allowing him access to the inheritance to fund his defense. Their older half-sister, Tracy Reiner, Rob Reiner's adopted daughter from his marriage to Penny Marshall, is also reportedly in support of withholding the funds. Family friends have suggested that the siblings are establishing boundaries for their own healing process.

Despite the family's stance, Reiner's attorneys claim his siblings have made no objection to the trust disbursement and previously consented to the release of funds for legal fees. The legal battle over the trust fund continues as Reiner awaits trial.