BRENTWOOD—On September 15, Nathan J. Hochman, the District Attorney of Los Angeles County, announced that his office would not seek the death penalty for Nick Reiner, 33, of Brentwood, who is accused of murdering his parents, actor and producer Robert Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70.
The alleged murders occurred at the couple’s residence in the 200 block of South Chadbourne Avenue in Brentwood on the afternoon of December 14, 2025. Reiner fled and was arrested that evening in Exposition Park. In August, a grand jury indicted him on two counts of first-degree murder, with special allegations of lying in wait, committing multiple murders, and using a knife, a dangerous weapon.
At a press conference on the morning of September 15, District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said the decision followed discussions with the victims’ next of kin, Romy and Jake Reiner, whose views were considered. He said the D.A.’s office also considered aggravating and mitigating factors and consulted experts, including law enforcement, his senior staff, and prosecutors.
At the press conference, the office also released several updates on the case. This included a scheduled court hearing to determine whether the grand jury testimony and evidence would be unsealed and released to the public. The District Attorney’s Office filed a brief requesting that the court keep the records sealed at the defendant’s siblings’ request, as they believe that releasing the information would cause additional harm and trauma to their family. Mr. Hochman also said he believed unsealing the records would not prejudice the jury against either the defendant or the prosecutor, but he would defer to the court’s decision.
He then said his office intends to ask the court to set a date to consider a motion if the defense files one under Section 999 of the California Penal Code. The latest update said the trial against Reiner may not start until 2027, depending on when the defense announces it is ready to proceed. The defense is reviewing information the D.A.’s Office provided through discovery and will receive additional information in the next few weeks.
Reiner was arraigned on February 3 in the Los Angeles Superior Court, pleaded not guilty, and remains in custody without bail. He will appear on October 7 in Department 108 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center for a motion hearing. If convicted, he faces life without parole in a California state prison.
Los Angeles Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene represents him after his original attorney, Alan Jackson, stepped down in January 2026 for confidential reasons.
The LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division is conducting the ongoing investigation, and the Major Crimes Division is overseeing the prosecution.
Robert Reiner is best known for playing Michael Stivic in the Norman Lear sitcom “All in the Family” and its sequel, “Archie Bunker’s Place.” He won two Emmy Awards. He directed and appeared in the films “This Is Spinal Tap” and “Spinal Tap 2 The End Continues.” He and his wife, Michele, ran the production company Castle Rock Entertainment. They produced the documentary “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life” and the film “Shock and Awe.”
By Daniel Diquinzio