The 32-year-old has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection to the killing of his parents.

Nick Reiner pleads not guilty to murder charges in stabbing deaths of his parents Rob and Michele Reiner

The 32-year-old has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection to the killing of his parents.

By Mekishana Pierre

Mekishana Pierre

Mekishana Pierre is a news writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on *Entertainment Tonight* and Popsugar.

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February 23, 2026 12:52 p.m. ET

Nick Reiner in 2025. Credit:

Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

Nick Reiner pleaded not guilty** **Monday to murder charges stemming from the fatal stabbings of his parents, acclaimed filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner. The arraignment occurred after two postponements and a change from one defense team to another.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Theresa McGonigle announced that a preliminary hearing is set for April 29, according to Deadline, where a judge will determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to proceed to trial. Once again, Nick was not granted bail during the hearing, which lasted less than 10 minutes.

The 32-year-old has been in custody since his arrest in December, and has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the killing of his parents, with the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders. Nick is also facing a special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife.**

Nick Reiner in 2024.

Denise Truscello/Getty

Rob and Michele were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Dec. 14. Their death certificates revealed that they died within "minutes" of sustaining "multiple sharp force injuries" inflicted "with [a] knife, by another" in their home, reports PEOPLE.

Rob, 78, was discovered their daughter, Romy Reiner, at 3:45 p.m. local time, while Michele, 70, was found later.**

Power attorney Alan Jackson withdrew as Nick's counsel during his initial arraignment last month, telling reporters at the time that while his team is still committed to Nick and his best interests, circumstances beyond his control "made it impossible" for his team to continue representing him. Jackson also said that after investigating the matter, they believe that "pursuant to the laws of this state, pursuant to the law in California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder."

Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene now represents the youngest son of the slain couple.

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Nick was arrested in the Exposition Park neighborhood, hours after his parents were found, at 9:15 p.m. and taken into custody the following day at 5:04 a.m. in connection to their deaths. He was formally charged on Dec. 16. If convicted, he faces life in state prison without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty, although prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty in the case.

A motive in the killing has not been disclosed. However, days after his parents' deaths, sources told PEOPLE that Nick and his father had been involved in a loud heated argument during Conan O'Brien's holiday party on Dec. 13, with one source recalling Nick "freaking everyone out, acting crazy, kept asking people if they were famous." NBC News further reported that during the family's time at the party, Nick's strange behavior had his parents and other guests worried and uncomfortable.**

Rob Reiner, Michele Singer Reiner, and Nick Reiner in 2013.

Michael Buckner/Getty

In the wake of his arrest, reports emerged that Nick was prescribed medication for schizophrenia before the deaths of his parents. Sources told NBC4 that the *Stand By Me* filmmaker's son was diagnosed with schizophrenia years ago and had been treating it with medication. His medication was reportedly changed or adjusted before the killings, though an exact timeframe for that alteration was not revealed.

A report from the *New York Times* published Jan. 15 claimed that Nick was ordered into a yearlong mental health conservatorship that began in 2020 and ended in 2021. Steven Baer, a licensed fiduciary who was appointed as Nick's conservator, told the outlet that mental illness "is an epidemic that is widely misunderstood and this is a horrible tragedy."

Conan O'Brien breaks silence on Rob and Michele Reiner's killings after argument with son at holiday party

Nikki Glaser honors Rob Reiner with 'Spinal Tap' tribute at end of Golden Globes

Nick has spoken out about his struggles with drugs, which began in his teens, and homelessness in the past. After his arrest, he was placed on suicide watch at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles after being diagnosed with having a "mental disability" by medical staff.

In 2015, he channeled his experiences into the film *Being Charlie, *which centers on a family struggling with a child’s addiction. Nick co-wrote screenplay and his father directed the film. Nick Robinson played the lead role.

Michelle Singer Reiner, Rob Reiner, Jake Reiner, Romy Reiner, and Nick Reiner in 2014.

Broadimage/Shutterstock

In addition to Nick and Romy, Rob and Michele — who married in 1989 after meeting while Rob was directing *When Harry Met Sally* — have another son, Jake. Rob is also the father of Tracy Reiner, whom he adopted during his marriage to actress and director Penny Marshall.

Romy and Jake shared a joint statement mourning their parents on Dec. 17, expressing their heartbreak over their deaths. "Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day," they said. "The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren't just our parents; they were our best friends."

The siblings continued, "We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life. We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave."**

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