Nick Reiner appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday looking “numb” as he faces charges for the December 2025 murders of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner.
The freshly turned 33-year-old sat partially handcuffed to a chair at the defense table beside his public defender, Kimberly Greene, who took over representing him in January after high-profile attorney Alan Jackson withdrew from the case.
Nick — who remained “emotionless” and “eerily calm” throughout the hearing — wore a brown prison uniform and sported a bit of facial stubble with his previously short hair grown out and combed to the side.
He kept his focus on Judge Sam Ohta and replied “yes” when asked whether he understood that he was waiving his right to a speedy trial.
At one point, Nick also thanked the judge.
Just before the hearing, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced in a press conference right outside the courthouse that his office would not be seeking the death penalty.
“That means that the maximum sentence that Mr. [Nick] Reiner will be looking at is life without the possibility of parole,” Hochman said.
He also added that Nick’s siblings — brother Jake Reiner, 35, and sister Romy Reiner, 28 — had “expressed a strong desire for [the grand jury’s] transcripts to remain sealed,” noting that the court would ultimately make that decision.
Hochman estimated that the trial itself would not occur before 2027. “However, when the defense is ready to proceed, the government will be ready to proceed,” he made sure to add.
Nick’s most recent court appearance comes two months after sources raised concerns that he has been “rapidly deteriorating” while incarcerated at Los Angeles’ Twin Towers Correctional Facility.
He was arrested by Los Angeles Police Department officers on Dec. 14, 2025, shortly after his dad and mom — who were 78 and 70, respectively — were found stabbed to death inside their Brentwood home.
Nick was initially charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances of multiple murders and personal use of a knife.
Last month, however, he was hit with a new indictment that accused him of planning the murders. The indictment included the allegation of “lying in wait,” a special circumstance that could result in a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole now that the option of the death penalty has been taken off the table.
He has also been accused of using a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife.
Nick — who was diagnosed with schizophrenia before the killings and has a long history of drug addiction — has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
According to Rob and Michele’s death certificates, they died on Dec. 14 within “minutes” of receiving “multiple sharp force injuries” with a “knife, by another.”
The night before, they had gotten into an argument with Nick at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party.
Rob and Michele, who had been married since 1989, were also parents to Jake and Romy. Before marrying Michele, the actor-director was married to Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981. During that time, Rob adopted her daughter, Tracy Reiner, 61.
In April, Jake broke his silence on his parents’ deaths in a heartbreaking Substack essay that detailed the exact moment he found out they had died.
“I was in Union Station at a celebration of life for one of my best friends, Christian Anderson, who died in October,” he wrote at the time. “It was at that moment I received a call from my sister Romy telling me our father was dead. Minutes later, she called back telling me our mother was also dead.”
Jake continued, “The 45-minute Lyft ride from downtown to the west side was unendurable. My world, as I knew it, had collapsed. I was in a trance. The only thing I could focus on was that I needed to get to my childhood home. I needed to get to my sister. I needed to figure out what the hell just happened.”
Jake lamented that he felt “robbed of so many things” after losing his dad and mom, noting that the tragedy “simultaneously breaks [his] heart and enrages [him].”
“Nothing can prepare you for what it feels like to lose both parents instantly at the same time,” he added. “It’s too devastating to comprehend. I still wake up every morning having to convince myself that, no, it’s not a dream. This truly is my living nightmare.”
Rob’s sister, Annie Reiner, has remained by her embattled nephew’s side since he was charged.
“Annie has been supportive of Nick throughout the legal proceedings,” a source previously told Page Six. “Despite the circumstances surrounding the case, she has remained in his corner, and her presence has meant a great deal to him.”
The post ‘Numb’ Nick Reiner appears in court with new look as accused murderer speaks to judge appeared first on Page Six.
