What we know about the case so far
Nick Reiner made his first court appearance after being charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
Nick Reiner was charged with killing Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, after the couple were found dead from apparent stab wounds in their home in L.A.’s upscale Brentwood neighbourhood on Dec. 14.
The district attorney’s office has said the couple were killed some time in the early morning.
Police said Nick Reiner didn’t resist when he was arrested in the city’s Exposition Park area that evening. He was later charged with two counts of first-degree murder, with added special circumstances of multiple murders and a special allegation that the defendant used a dangerous weapon — a knife. Those extra circumstances could lead to a longer sentence if Reiner is convicted.
In California, first-degree murder is punishable with life in prison without parole, or the death penalty.
As of last month, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his office had not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty in the case. Authorities have also not commented on a potential motive for the killings.
It’s also worth noting that nobody has been put to death in the state since 2006, and Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed an indefinite moratorium on executions in 2019.
