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Nick Reiner lay in wait before killing parents Rob and Michele Reiner, alleges new indictment: ‘Profound betrayal’
Nick Reiner, the son of Hollywood legend Rob Reiner, has been indicted by a grand jury for the murder of his parents.
Nick Reiner, the son of filmmaker Rob Reiner, has been indicted in his and his wife Michele's murder. A Los Angeles County grand jury indicted Nick and added the allegation that he was lying in wait before attacking them. The indictment was returned to the court on July 20 and unsealed on Wednesday.
Rob and Michelle Rainer's murder
Rob Reiner, a director, actor and Hollywood legend, and his wife, a photographer and producer, were stabbed to death in their home in the upscale Brentwood section of Los Angeles on 14 December. Nick Reiner was arrested within hours and charged two days later. The grand jury had been meeting in secret for the high-profile case. The grand jury indictment is a major step toward trial and allows prosecutors to skip California’s preliminary hearing process.
‘Profound betrayal’
The unsealed indictment gives few new details in this secrecy-shrouded case, but the allegation that Nick hid and waited for his parents before allegedly stabbing them is important. It implies that the accused hid from the victims in order to ambush them. For the prosecutors, it shows premeditation, which makes Nick eligible for the death penalty
“This was a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing. We hope that by having a grand jury return an indictment in this case, it will bring us one step closer to a trial and achieving justice,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement.
Prosecutors have said nothing about possible motives, and leaks in the case have been virtually nonexistent on both sides.
The indictment comes as Reiner is seeking unpaid money from a trust his parents established for him, saying he needs it to help in his defence. A hearing for the petition is scheduled for next week.
Rob Reiner's prolific Hollywood career
Rob Reiner, a beloved Hollywood figure, began as an actor, starring in the TV sitcom All in the Family. For his performance, he won two Emmy Awards. Later in his career, he became a successful and acclaimed film director whose works include some of the most iconic films of the 80s and 90s, such as This Is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, A Few Good Men, and When Harry Met Sally. He met his wife, Michele, on the set of When Harry Met Sally, and they were soon married.
Nick Reiner is the second of their three children. His older brother Jake Reiner wrote in April that the experience of losing his parents and having his brother at the centre of it was “a living nightmare” that is “too devastating to comprehend.”
