Nick Reiner, accused of murdering his parents Rob and Michele Reiner in December 2025, has been denied access to a $1.6 million trust fund he claims he is legally entitled to, with trustees citing California’s “slayer statute” to block payments. He has not received even $5 for jail commissary items, according to court filings.
Nick Reiner, 33, has been locked in a legal battle over a $1.6 million trust fund established by his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, with trustees refusing to release funds despite his claim that he is entitled to his own money.
The dispute centers on California’s slayer statute,
which bars individuals who feloniously and intentionally
kill a family member from inheriting their assets. Reiner, who faces two counts of murder with special circumstances, has not received even $5 for jail commissary items, according to court filings.
Trust Structure and Legal Arguments
Reiner’s attorneys allege that at least $558,000 became due and payable to him on that date, long before his parents’ deaths. The Slayer Statute, the sole remaining basis for withholding this money, takes away what a person receives as a result of someone’s death.
It does not implicate money that became Nick’s years earlier,
a filing states. Trustees, including Jodi Pais Montgomery and former trustee Paul R. Kanin, argue that the statute prevents Reiner from accessing funds while his criminal case remains unresolved.
Reiner’s legal team has also highlighted that $325,000 of the trust is allegedly derived from his grandfather’s estate, which they claim is not money received by Nick from or through his parents.
This distinction, they argue, makes those funds exempt from the slayer statute. Even if they were properly held by the trust, the ‘Slayer Statute’ does not supply a basis for withholding them,
the filing notes. However, trustees have spent at least $250,000 of the trust to defend their position in court, according to Reiner’s attorneys. The trust’s structure also includes a $558,000 age-30 distribution, which Reiner’s lawyers argue was due before his parents’ deaths, as noted in filings from Nine News.
Family Conflict and Financial Strain
Reiner’s siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, have refused to fund his defense, leaving him represented by a public defender. His attorneys claim that his siblings initially agreed to cover legal costs but later reversed course. The clock is really running on his preparation of his defense. This is not something that can continue to wait,
said Reiner’s attorney Anita Wu, citing delays in the court process. Reiner has also struggled to access basic needs in jail, with filings stating he has not been able to access even $5 from his trust to buy basic subsistence items from the jail commissary.
Daily Mail and Nine News both report that Reiner has been denied even $5 for commissary items since his arrest.
If convicted, Reiner would be barred from inheriting any of that fortune under the slayer statute. However, his legal team argues that the statute does not apply to funds he was entitled to before the murders. Nick’s sense of urgency is real, but it did not arise in a vacuum.
It arises from the deaths of his parents, the very settlors of the trust at issue,
a filing reads. Reiner was also placed under a mental health conservatorship by his parents in 2020, as reported by The AV Club.
Court Proceedings and Next Steps
A judge postponed a key hearing on the trust dispute to October 23, 2026, amid pressure from Reiner’s attorneys to release at least some funds. Reiner’s current legal team, including former attorney Alan Jackson, has indicated they could rejoin the case if financial obstacles are removed. Jackson, who previously withdrew in January 2026, stated, He has made a determination that he wants to be able to use his funds that are in his trust account to decide on his criminal counsel.
NBC News reported that Reiner’s attorneys revealed $200,000 of the trust has been spent, including an undisclosed amount for his previous defense attorney, Alan Jackson.
The case remains unresolved, with the outcome hinging on whether the court will prioritize Reiner’s right to his own money or uphold the trustees’ application of the slayer statute. If the court rules in his favor, Reiner could regain access to funds to hire private counsel. If not, his defense may rely solely on public resources. The decision could also set a precedent for similar trust disputes involving criminal defendants.
What This Means for the Case
The trust dispute underscores the complex interplay between legal rights, family dynamics, and the criminal justice system. For Reiner, the ability to access his own funds is critical to mounting a defense, but the slayer statute creates a legal Catch-22: he cannot benefit from his parents’ estate while facing murder charges. The court’s decision could determine whether he has the resources to challenge the case or is forced to rely on limited public legal support. As the October hearing approaches, the outcome will carry significant implications for both Reiner’s defense and the broader application of the slayer statute in trust law.
