Nick Reiner accused of lying in wait to kill parents Rob and Michele Reiner in new indictment: ‘A profound betrayal’

Nearly eight months after the killings that shocked Hollywood, the criminal case against Nick Reiner has entered a new phase. A grand jury has formally indicted the 32-year-old on two counts of murder, prosecutors confirmed August 12, tying him to the deaths of his parents, director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele.

The indictment goes further than the original charges filed in December. It now includes special circumstance allegations, multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait, along with a separate allegation that Reiner personally used a knife, described in the release as "a dangerous and deadly weapon." Reiner has pleaded not guilty to both murder counts.

As quoted by USA Today, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman framed the case in personal terms, calling it "a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing." He added that the grand jury's action represents meaningful progress toward accountability: "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."

How the case has unfolded since December

The tragedy began December 14, when Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Reiner, 70, were found dead inside their Brentwood, California, home. Nick Reiner was arrested that same day. Investigators determined the couple died from "multiple sharp force injuries," according to preliminary findings from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. Official death certificates recorded Rob Reiner's time of death as 3:45 p.m. and Michele Reiner's as one minute later, at 3:46 p.m.

Two days after the killings, on Dec.ember 16, prosecutors filed formal criminal charges. Reiner entered a not guilty plea in February. The newly returned indictment, which the DA's office says was issued by the grand jury on July 20, builds on those original charges by adding the lying-in-wait circumstance.

A fight over family money

While the criminal case has moved forward, Reiner has also been pursuing access to his family trust. In a June petition, he claimed he'd been shut out of funds he says he was entitled to upon turning 30. According to documents previously obtained by USA TODAY, Reiner said the lack of access has left him unable to cover legal costs or "basic necessities while incarcerated."

That financial dispute followed a shake-up in his legal team: high-profile defense attorney Alan Jackson withdrew as counsel earlier this year, citing "circumstances beyond his control." Still, Jackson indicated the door remains open to returning to the case. In a declaration tied to the trust petition, he said his "firm stands ready, willing, and able to resume representation of Mr. Reiner" should the funds come through.

Reiner's trust fund dispute is next scheduled for a hearing later this month, while the murder case is set to return to court in September.