CA - Murder victims Identified as Rob Reiner and wife Michele - LA Dec 14 2025

[NuttMegg]

Answering my own question. When I said I was trying to understand it, I meant REALLY understand it.

Apparently it's California's Penal Code 190.2(a)(3). (sections color coded to make sense out of the (a) and (3) sections)

190.2. ​

(a) The penalty for a defendant who is found guilty of murder in the first degree is death or imprisonment in the state prison for life without the possibility of parole if one or more of the following special circumstances has been found under Section 190.4 to be true:

(1) The murder was intentional and carried out for financial gain.

(2) The defendant was convicted previously of murder in the first or second degree. For the purpose of this paragraph, an offense committed in another jurisdiction, which if committed in California would be punishable as first or second degree murder, shall be deemed murder in the first or second degree.

(3) The defendant, in this proceeding, has been convicted of more than one offense of murder in the first or second degree.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCThiode=PEN&sectionNum=190.2.

===================================================================================
SinceI 190.4 was mentioned above, here the part I think applies:

From page 12 at the link below:
(a) Whenever special circumstances as enumerated in Section 190.2 are alleged and the trier of fact finds the defendant guilty of first degree murder, the trier of fact shall also make a special finding on the truth of each alleged special circumstance. The determination of the truth of any or all of the special circumstances shall be made by the trier of fact on the evidence presented at the trial or at the hearing held pursuant to Subdivision (b) of Section 190.1.

In case of a reasonable doubt as to whether a special circumstance is true, the defendant is entitled to a finding that is not true. 1 The trier of fact shall make a special finding that each special circumstance charged is either true or not true. Whenever a special circumstance requires proof of the commission or attempted commission of a crime, such crime shall be charged and proved pursuant to the general law applying to the trial and conviction of the crime.

If the defendant was convicted by the court sitting without a jury, the trier of fact shall be a jury unless a jury is waived by the defendant and by the people, in which case the trier of fact shall be the court. If the defendant was convicted by a plea of guilty, the trier of fact shall be a jury unless a jury is waived by the defendant and by the people.

If the trier of fact finds that any one or more of the special circumstances enumerated in Section 190.2 as charged is true, there shall be a separate penalty hearing, and neither the finding that any of the remaining special circumstances charged is not true, nor if the trier of fact is a jury, the inability of the jury to agree on the issue of the truth or untruth of any of the remaining special circumstances charged, shall prevent the holding of a separate penalty hearing.

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/18/18-7101/74839/20181211154001480_App.%20D.%20California%20Penal%20Code%20Sections%20187%20%20190%20%20190.1%20%20190.2%20%20190.3%20%20190.4%20%20and%20190.5.pdf

Doesn't each state have various extra charges? For instance in Colorado Chris Watts was charged an extra 1st deg murder for each of the 2 murdered kids, the extra 1st deg murder was because the kids were under 12. So four 1st degree murder charges for 2 bodies. Then one more for Shanann, one more 1st deg charge for terminating her pregnancy, and 3 more felonies for moving the bodies. 9 charges total. Maybe another state wouldn't have the extra murder charge for a child less than 12. Thats how I am seeing CA's extra charge for murdering more than one person.

Presumably it would work as a deterrent?

Then, in Arizona, Scholtes was charged with 1st degree murder but the plea dropped it to 2nd. But it was worse than mere 2nd degree because there was also child abuse involved.

 

[Bigditch]

Addiction is a god awful disease. My son just died a week ago of a drug overdose. I’m still trying to find my way here. Like the old saying Can’t lead a horse to water. It’s been a very tough week. So I understand the pain they had when it came to their son. It’s just a very tough situation.

Hugs

 

[Chimera]

The article said that he left a trail of blood. It also stated the the hotel bed and shower were bloody, so I'm thinking maybe he was wearing dark clothes that hid the blood stains from the naked eye?

Agreed re. his clothing, so it sounds like he knew enough to not arouses suspicion ?
So, imo, NR had the wherewithal to check into a hotel and possibly attempted a clean-up of his person ?
Methinks his case is truly cooked, a slam dunk.
But I've been surprised before.
Omo.

He took the lives of two people who probably cared for him the most !

Justice for Rob and Michele !!!!!!

 

[SMK777]

Addiction is a god awful disease. My son just died a week ago of a drug overdose. I’m still trying to find my way here. Like the old saying Can’t lead a horse to water. It’s been a very tough week. So I understand the pain they had when it came to their son. It’s just a very tough situation.

I'm so very sorry to hear this. Words don't suffice. Sending you a hug.

 

[Arkay]

FINALLY caught up. So much terrible news, all in a row, between Brown, Bondi and the Reiners, amidst the main threads and the DMs.

I’m grateful, though, that we have such a caring community here.

IMO if Nick wasn’t working, unless his siblings are fronting money for the defense, (which personally I hope not), then maybe those of you who believe the lawyer is doing it pro bono are correct.

He may already be a famous lawyer, but more publicity is always good for lawyers.

I also agree with many posters who feel that Nick was very resentful of his parents. Not that we know for sure, but episodes of resentment have been documented above, and his out-of-control behavior in front of his parents’ friends at Conan’s house would seem to indicate as much.

IMO it’s such a misplaced anger. Rob himself grew up with a very famous father and emulated him by also becoming a comedian, and an actor and director as well.

Nick’s father and grandfather were already very famous when he was born. It appears he held grudges against his family for reasons that we don’t completely know, but he’s known multiple famous people all his life and it’s striking to me that he spent that last evening at the party asking people if they were famous. It seems like famous people irked him somehow, maybe because he was a failure and they were successful.

I like Bill Hader and I pray he doesn’t spend the rest of his life thinking he set Nick off to the degree that he went on to murder his parents.

When drug addiction is involved, sense goes out the window. For all we know, he may already be regretting that he killed the two people who’ve tried all his life to accommodate him.

Too late, obviously.

Personally I hope it is NOT TRUE that the mother was still alive and saying “he left us here to die.” That seems like a lot to say with a slit throat, although I don’t know enough to know if that’s possible, but especially I wouldn’t want her to have known this anguish.

Plenty of great parents end up with a bad seed, for many different reasons. Their other children seem to have adored them, so IMO it would be difficult to conjecture that they were terrible parents in any way.

Just my thoughts while trying to catch up.

 

[Serononin]

I can understand it too. These are funny people getting together to have a good time.

If their son was withdrawn and struggling at home, they would want to show him that he’s included, important, and maybe even hoped that he’d enjoy himself being in around people who have the capacity to bring light to darkness with humour.

However, I can imagine it might have sadly exposed Nick’s issues and flared up the tensions at home. Especially if he resented his parents, or had feelings of shame or inferiority.

The statements about him glaring, making inappropriate comments, dressing casually and an explosive argument all paint a picture that he was already in a crisis that night. It honestly sounds like he’s a troubled teenager in an adults body, the way it’s been described.

That, and the change in his appearance since 2016, reminds me of few men I knew in my 20s who suffered from schizophrenia, struggled with drug issues and were treated with anti-psychotics.

BBM

I've heard that people who are in the throes of addiction for a long time can often seem to be emotionally 'stuck' at the age they were when they first became addicted, which IIRC for Nick would be about 14

 

[iamthewalrus]

My heart goes out to the other children who are rarely mentioned. The daughter stated Nick was ‘dangerous’ so that suggests family dynamics were unhealthy whenever he was around. Did his offside behaviour typically deem him to be the centre of attention?

Not only did Nick erase the remaining years from his parents lives, but he stole the right to a happy and fulfilling relationship between his siblings and their parents in their senior years. Their entire family has suddenly been violently destructed. I feel a great deal of empathy for them.

I do too and so close to Christmas.

 

[Chimera]

Am hoping that the outcome of the trial -- if there is one, maybe he'll take a plea deal ? -- will be life without parole.
Nick had access to resources to live away from his parents if he wanted to, they might have even paid for a condo for him ?
No excuses.

His parents had (presumably) paid for him to go to multiple rehabs, he could have tried to pull himself out of his hole and looked for a way to eventually support himself.
It wouldn't have to be in the entertainment career either.

I can imagine the 'reasons' his atty. will come up with ?
Imo, no excuse for what Nick did.
Omo.

 

[Cedars]

BBM

I've heard that people who are in the throes of addiction for a long time can often seem to be emotionally 'stuck' at the age they were when they first became addicted, which IIRC for Nick would be about 14

I've heard that too, and it makes sense to me.

Every time the person faces the inevitable and innumerable growing pains to become mature, they instantly turn to drugs to escape. Imagine if, every time a teen felt nervous, challenged, disappointed, they take a drug and never learn how to cope ie grow up.

JMO

 

[ttjo]

I also agree with many posters who feel that Nick was very resentful of his parents. Not that we know for sure, but episodes of resentment have been documented above, and his out-of-control behavior in front of his parents’ friends at Conan’s house would seem to indicate as much.

IMO it’s such a misplaced anger. Rob himself grew up with a very famous father and emulated him by also becoming a comedian, and an actor and director as well.


I like Bill Hader and I pray he doesn’t spend the rest of his life thinking he set Nick off to the degree that he went on to murder his parents.

I sure hope not, there is years of history of bad behavior. What Ive watched it felt like this kid was on red aletrt for things to use as an excuse to set himself off, anything, to use to emotionally extort his parents then try make them look/ feel bad.
He had no discretion, as seen in that being Charlie interview when he said to his dad “ you didnt say my screenplay was good, you basically said it was trash” he wanted to portray his dad as the bad guy. Like his own behavior was justified because he was so hard done by.
This whole thing makes me sick, how 2 people who brought bright light to this world , who truly had huge impact with his happy movies, could be taken out so easily.
This was a cumulation of things, drug induced state of some sort, (high tweaking whatever) ego, entitlement, low impulse control and an insatiable appetite for attention while pushing people away.. I honestly think if his parents told him to bring a sweater and it turned out to be a warm night, that would have set him off too.

 

[Same Old Stella]

Just heard the Los Angeles DA give a press conference. So it seems California brought back the death penalty, though it hasn't been used since 2006.

 

[iamshadow21]

Nick Reiner is calling in the heavies after being arrested for allegedly murdering his famous parents ... because Alan Jackson tells us Nick hired him as his defense attorney.

Alan is one of the best criminal defense attorneys out there, and he's no stranger to high-profile cases like this one ... he recently got Karen Read acquitted of murder in Massachusetts.

Nick Reiner Hires Defense Attorney Alan Jackson in Parents' Murder Case

Nick Reiner is calling in the heavies after being arrested for allegedly murdering his famous parents ... because Alan Jackson tells us Nick hired him as his defense attorney.

www.tmz.com

Well, he won't be able to claim ineffective counsel. Alan Jackson is a truly brilliant attorney who will do his absolute best for Nick. I sincerely doubt even he will get Nick acquitted, but he'll make the prosecution toe the line and show all their work. He understands both sides because he's worked both sides, and excelled at it.

MOO

 

[Recidivist]

Just heard the Los Angeles DA give a press conference. So it seems California brought back the death penalty, though it hasn't been used since 2006.

Not exactly. California's death chamber no longer exists. It was torn down. While the death penalty is still on the books, even if so sentenced, would not be permitted. imo

 

[SMK777]

It's ironic that he murdered his parents most likely over losing freedom and drugs, and yet prison will be the ultimate loss of these things.

 

[LinasK]

Am hoping that the outcome of the trial -- if there is one, maybe he'll take a plea deal ? -- will be life without parole.
Nick had access to resources to live away from his parents if he wanted to, they might have even paid for a condo for him ?
No excuses.

His parents had (presumably) paid for him to go to multiple rehabs, he could have tried to pull himself out of his hole and looked for a way to eventually support himself.
It wouldn't have to be in the entertainment career either.

I can imagine the 'reasons' his atty. will come up with ?
Imo, no excuse for what Nick did.
Omo.

I don't see a reason to offer a plea deal. Seems like a slam dunk case, they don't need the location of the bodies, and CA has a moratorium on the Death Penalty, so what's the point?

 

[LinasK]

Not exactly. California's death chamber no longer exists. It was torn down. While the death penalty is still on the books, even if so sentenced, would not be permitted. imo

Didn't know that, but Scott Peterson was moved off Death Row and out of San Quentin.

 

[Cindizzi]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2001041438235140397

 

[Recidivist]

From the article:

Rob, they say, was dead. But Michele, they say, was alive enough to tell Romy that it was her brother, Nick, who’d tried to kill them.

“He left us here for dead,” the source says Michelle told Romy.

That would explain why almost instantly it was reported that the stabbings were the work of a family member.

I think it would be difficult to speak after having your throat slit. imo

 

[iamshadow21]

Respectfully disagree on one point. It was Nick who wrote the screenplay and brought it to his dad. RR helped get a suitable co-writer and used his directorial skills to bring the film to fruition.

I wasn't talking about the screenplay. I was talking about the book.

MOO

 

[Cedars]

I don't see a reason to offer a plea deal. Seems like a slam dunk case, they don't need the location of the bodies, and CA has a moratorium on the Death Penalty, so what's the point?

There was no advantage to Idaho to acccept a plea deal with Kohberger, either.

But the family might prefer not to have their private life dragged through a trial - and trials are very expensive in money and court time.

And there's something emotionally satisfying about a confession.

JMO