Nick Reiner Claims No Access to $1.6M Trust Amid Murder Trial Preparations
Lawyers for Reiner, awaiting trial for his parents' murders, argue he has been denied funds from a trust established by them.
Nick Reiner, currently held without bail in Los Angeles while awaiting trial for the murders of his parents, director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, claims he has been unable to access any funds from a $1.6 million family trust. The trust, established by his parents, names Reiner as its sole beneficiary.
In legal filings submitted on Thursday, Reiner's attorneys, Anita P. Wu and Geoffrey A. Neri, stated that their client has not received "even $5" from the trust to purchase necessities from the jail commissary. They further argued that delays in accessing these funds have impeded Reiner's ability to hire new criminal defense counsel.
The defense team highlighted the trust's "Age-30 Distribution" clause, asserting that Reiner, who turned 30 on September 14, 2023, was entitled to a substantial payout at that time. According to the successor trustee's own calculations, over $558,000 was due to Reiner on his birthday, when his parents were still alive and no accusations had been made against him.
Wu and Neri also contested the application of California's "slayer statute," which trustees previously cited to block Reiner's access to the trust. They argue that the statute, designed to prevent individuals from profiting from a victim's death, does not apply to funds that legally became Reiner's prior to his parents' deaths. An attorney for the successor trustee, Lauriann Wright, had previously argued that Reiner's portion of the trust should instead be transferred to his siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, asserting that releasing the funds to Nick now would be "irreversible."
Reiner had previously filed a petition in June, claiming entitlement to half of the trust upon turning 30, with the remainder to be distributed at age 35. His request was denied in August due to the slayer statute.
Rob and Michele Reiner were found stabbed to death in their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025. Nick Reiner was arrested in connection with their deaths in December 2025. He will not face the death penalty if convicted.
During a court appearance on Tuesday, Reiner was notably without family members. Neither his siblings nor his aunt, Annie Reiner, who had previously attended court to support him, were present. His aunt had previously stated her support for her nephew, though he has been presumed innocent pending trial.