Man Charged With Parents' Murder Blocked From $1.5M Trust Fund

The professional fiduciary overseeing Nick Reiner's trust fund has moved to block his access to the money, citing California's slayer statute. Reiner is charged with murdering his parents and has pleaded not guilty.

• $1.5 million in the trust was established by Rob and Michele Reiner for their son.
• Fiduciary lawyer Lauriann Wright argues California law bars using a killer's inheritance for defense costs.
• Under the statute, Reiner's share would transfer to siblings Romy and Jake Reiner.
• Reiner also claims $558,000 in unpaid distributions owed since his 30th birthday in 2023.

Why it matters: The dispute tests whether a law designed to prevent killers from profiting can apply before any conviction. If courts side with the fiduciary, Reiner cannot rehire attorney Alan Jackson and must proceed with a public defender on a capital-eligible case.

• Wright warned that releasing funds now would be 'irreversible' given the statute's requirements.

How 13 sources split on this story

Where they split: The core dispute is whether the slayer statute can block trust access based on charges alone, before any court has made a finding of guilt.

What’s next: Reiner's next court appearance on the criminal case is Sept. 15.

• A separate hearing on the trust issue was scheduled for Monday.
• Will a California court apply the slayer statute before a murder conviction has been entered?
• Could Reiner separately recover the $558,000 he claims was owed at age 30, independent of the slayer statute question?