EXCLUSIVE: Nick Reiner's Devastated Siblings Have Severed Ties With Double-Murder Accused 'Parent Slayer'
Nick Reiner's siblings sever ties with the double-murder accused 'parent slayer.'
March 23 2026, Published 6:30 a.m. ET
Nick Reiner's siblings have abandoned him – and are refusing to pay for his defense on charges he allegedly murdered their parents, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to sources, Romy and Jake Reiner have no plans to foot the bill for a private criminal defense attorney for their brother.
Nick Reiner Pleads Not Guilty
Romy Reiner and Jake Reiner are refusing to pay for brother Nick Reiner's legal defense in the murder case involving Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner.
"Nick's defense is Nick's defense. They're not involved," reveals an insider close to them.
Nick, 32, pleaded not guilty on Feb. 23 in Los Angeles Superior Court to two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents, beloved director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, on Dec. 14.
A deputy public defender entered the plea on behalf of Nick, who appeared in court with his head shaved and wearing a prison uniform.
He's been held without bail since being arrested shortly after the killings.
Prominent defense attorney Alan Jackson had initially been retained to represent Nick; he withdrew from the case due to an undisclosed disagreement but added Nick is "not guilty of murder" under California law.
Nick's next court date is April 29. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
Nick battled addictions to heroin and cocaine and was in drug treatment about 18 times as a teenager.
Over the years, he'd battled addictions to heroin and cocaine and was in drug treatment about 18 times as a teenager. At times, he was homeless.
He's also struggled for years with mental health issues, including schizophrenia, and was placed in a mental health conservatorship in 2020 that lasted one year.
About a month before his sister, Romy, found their parents dead, Nick switched his schizophrenia medication after complaining of weight gain, which is a common side effect.
Nick Reiner Deemed Unfit for Trial
Romy discovered the bodies of her parents about a month after Nick changed his schizophrenia medication.
While behind bars, Nick has reportedly been acting "almost childlike" and is "not competent to stand trial right now."
According to TMZ producer Harvey Levin, the killings of Rob – famed for directing The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally – and his wife were "incredibly brutal."
"We know people in the medical examiner's office who were traumatized by the pictures," Levin said.
The slayings had "all the markings of a meth murder," and Nick had been using the drug at the time, he claimed.
Family Murder Case Poses Challenge
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Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said cases like the killings of Rob and Michele are among the most difficult to prosecute.
After announcing last year that Nick faced murder charges, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the case could be particularly difficult to prosecute because of the intimate relationship between the victims and the accused.
"These cases, involving family members, are some of the most challenging and most heart-wrenching cases that our office faces."
