Nick Reiner will not face the death penalty if convicted of murdering his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the decision Tuesday morning outside Los Angeles Superior Court, where a preliminary hearing in the double murder case was scheduled.
"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," Hochman stated. "That means that the maximum sentence that Mr. [Nick] Reiner will be looking at is life without the possibility of parole."
The decision followed a rigorous review process that considered aggravating and mitigating factors, discussions with the victims' family, prosecutors, and law enforcement.
Hochman also addressed the request from the victims' next of kin, Jake and Romy Reiner, to keep grand jury transcripts sealed. The siblings expressed that the public disclosure of details surrounding their parents' deaths would cause them additional trauma and harm. Hochman indicated he would defer to the court regarding the sealing of the transcripts.
During the preliminary hearing, Judge Sam Ohta will determine if the prosecution has presented sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
Nick Reiner, 33, faces charges related to the deaths of his parents, director-actor Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner, who were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home on December 14, 2025. Nick Reiner was arrested shortly after.
He was initially charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances. A subsequent indictment added accusations of planning the murders and lying in wait, which carries a sentence of life in prison without parole, now that the death penalty option has been removed.
Reiner has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His defense attorney is Kimberly Greene, who took over the case in January after the previous high-profile attorney withdrew. Rob and Michele Reiner were 78 and 70 years old, respectively. Their death certificates indicated they died within minutes of receiving multiple sharp force injuries from a knife.
Reports indicate Nick Reiner had an argument with his parents at a Christmas party on December 13, 2025. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia prior to the killings and has a documented history of drug addiction.