Archive · 16 Sep 2026
Prosecutors Reject Death Penalty in Nick Reiner Case
Prosecutors will not ask for the death penalty if Nick Reiner is found guilty.
They will instead ask for life in prison without parole.
Reiner is accused of killing his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
He has pleaded not guilty, which means he denies the charges.
The couple were found stabbed in their Los Angeles home in December 2025.
A grand jury later indicted Reiner on two first-degree murder charges.
The indictment also includes allegations that he waited for the victims and used a knife.
Reiner’s lawyers have said he has serious mental health and substance-abuse problems.
The punishment decision does not determine whether he is guilty.
Los Angeles County prosecutors will seek life without parole instead of the death penalty if Nick Reiner is convicted.
Reiner, 33, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.
Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found fatally stabbed at their Brentwood home on December 14, 2025.
A grand jury indictment alleges lying in wait, knife use and the deaths of multiple victims.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman said prosecutors reviewed aggravating and mitigating factors and considered surviving family members’ views.
- Who
- Nick Reiner is accused of killing his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner; Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the sentencing decision.
- What
- Prosecutors will not seek the death penalty and will instead seek life imprisonment without parole if Reiner is convicted.
- When
- The announcement was made Tuesday, September 15, ahead of a pretrial hearing; the killings occurred on December 14, 2025.
- Where
- The alleged killings occurred at the Reiners’ home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
- Why
- Hochman said prosecutors reviewed the case, weighed aggravating and mitigating factors, and considered the views of surviving family members.
Death Penalty Not Pursued
Capital Punishment Had Been Possible
Prosecutorial sentencing decision
Death Penalty Not Pursued
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office decided not to seek the death penalty after reviewing the case and considering aggravating factors, mitigating factors and family views.
Capital Punishment Had Been Possible
The alleged lying-in-wait circumstance, two deaths and use of a knife had made the case eligible for a possible death sentence.
Interpretation of the allegations
Death Penalty Not Pursued
Reiner’s defense has emphasized his reported serious mental illness and long history of substance abuse and self-medication.
Capital Punishment Had Been Possible
Prosecutors allege that Reiner committed two first-degree murders and lay in wait before the killings; he remains presumed accused and has pleaded not guilty.
- Defendant
- Nick Reiner, 33
- Victims
- Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70
- Charges
- Two counts of first-degree murder
- Plea
- Not guilty
- Maximum punishment sought
- Life in prison without the possibility of parole
- Indictment allegations
- Lying in wait, knife use and multiple victims
- Custody status
- Reiner remains in custody without bail
