Accused Killer Nick Reiner Gave Prosecutors 'Chilling Glare' During Parents' Murder Hearing — As Case Is Delayed Over Rob and Michele's Incomplete Autopsy Reports
Nick Reiner's trial for the murders of parents Rob and Michele has been pushed to September.
April 29 2026, Published 2:29 p.m. ET
Nick Reiner's murder trial has been pushed back to September, RadarOnline.com has learned, after his defense team begged for more time, claiming they were still waiting for the autopsy reports on his slain parents.
The 32-year-old is charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, who were found butchered in their Brentwood home in December.
Nick's Icy Glare
Reiner had a court hearing on Wednesday, April 29.
Nick appeared in court on Wednesday in a yellow jail jumpsuit and only mumbled "Yes" to the judge's questions. While he was mostly expressionless, he reportedly shot a "chilling" glare at prosecutors during their introductions.
During the brief hearing, Los Angeles Deputy Dist. Atty. Jonathan Chung said prosecutors still have nearly two terabytes of discovery to provide to the defense, and added that the autopsy reports had still not yet been completed.
Nick remains in custody without bail as he awaits trial. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during a court appearance in February, and could face the death penalty, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
"We take the process in which we determine whether or not the death penalty should be sought extremely seriously, and it goes through a very rigorous process," he said outside of the courthouse after Nick's hearing on Monday, February 23.
"When we get all this information, it will be subject to not only a rigorous analysis, but many of the most experienced individuals in the DA office with death penalty experience will be helping me evaluate that information."
Nick's History of Drug and Mental Illness
His parents were found slain last December.
The lifeless bodies of Nick's parents, Rob, 78, and 70-year-old Michele, were discovered with their throats slashed inside their Brentwood home in the early hours of Sunday, December 14.
A motive for the killing has not been revealed, but Nick has a history of drug addiction and mental illness, and reportedly suffers from schizoaffective disorder.
He is said to have changed his medication due to unwanted weight gain a month before the couple were fatally stabbed to death in bed. It's unclear whether Nick – who has been to rehab at least 18 times – was using drugs at the time of the murders.
'Nick is Detached from Reality'
Nick has a history of mental illness issues.
Some insiders believed Nick snapped because he had relapsed and wasn't on the correct medication, and allegedly killed his parents in a drug-fueled rage.
"Nick is totally detached from reality," said an insider. "He can't seem to process or comprehend what he's done."
The Cause of the Fight
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
He reportedly got into a big fight with his parents hours before their deaths.
The night of their murders, Rob and Michele attended Conan O'Brien's Christmas party. They brought Nick along with them. However, the All in the Family star reportedly got into a heated argument with Nick at the party in front of other A-list guests.
According to reports, the argument centered around Nick's behavior.
Before leaving the party, a source claimed the director told O'Brien and other close pals, "I’m petrified of [Nick]. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I’m afraid of my son. I think my own son can hurt me."
But for all their fear, Nick's parents never gave up on him, and moved him into their home just a few days before their violent end, as he’d allegedly been struggling in recent weeks.
"There's a lot of talk about him dealing with serious substance abuse issues," one insider said.
"His parents loved him deeply and did everything they could to help, but it was an ongoing, horrific issue that ultimately appears to have destroyed the whole family in the most tragic, gruesome, and unimaginable way."
