New indictment alleges Nick Reiner was lying in wait before killing parents Rob and Michele Reiner
The allegation makes Reiner eligible for the death penalty - which has been paused in the state. Prosecutors have not said if they will pursue it.
A new indictment alleges that Nick Reiner was "lying in wait" before he killed his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner.
Nick Reiner, 32, the son of acclaimed Hollywood director Rob Reiner, is accused of fatally stabbing his parents in their Los Angeles home last December. He pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to two counts of murder with a special circumstance, following the unsealing of a new grand-jury indictment.
The indictment, which enables prosecutors to bypass California's preliminary hearing process, did not provide specific details regarding Reiner's alleged actions on the night his parents died.
Prosecutors stated, "This was a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing."
The grand jury indictment, returned on July 20, escalates the charge by adding a special circumstance allegation that Reiner allegedly committed the murders by means of lying in wait. This allegation makes Reiner eligible for the death penalty, which is currently under a temporary halt in the state, though prosecutors have not indicated if they will pursue it.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman commented, "We hope that by having a grand jury return an indictment in this case it will bring us one step closer to a trial and achieving justice."
Reiner also faces a special allegation that he personally used a knife in the killings, which is considered another aggravating factor under California law due to it being a dangerous and deadly weapon.
He is scheduled to return to court on September 15 for a hearing. Reiner had previously pleaded not guilty in February to the initial charges brought in the case.
Rob Reiner, 78, known for films such as *This is Spinal Tap*, *Misery*, and *A Few Good Men*, and his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were discovered dead on December 14 in their home in the affluent Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Their bodies were reportedly found by their daughter. The LA County medical examiner stated at the time that the couple died from "multiple sharp force injuries." Their son, Nick, was arrested in Los Angeles on the same day.
In April, Jake Reiner, the couple's eldest son, shared how his world "collapsed" after his parents died and his own brother was charged with their murders. He wrote on Substack that "nothing compares to losing both of them at the same time and, on top of that, having your brother be at the centre of it."