The Reason Nick Reiner Could Still Inherit His Parents’ $196M Fortune Even if He’s Found Guilty of Their Murders
StyleCaster Editors
The tragic death of Rob and Michele Reiner has brought with it a lot of conversations about mental health and substance abuse, as well as an avalanche of tributes and support for the Reiner family. It’s a particularly difficult situation, considering one of Rob and Michele’s kids, Nick Reiner, has been charged with their murder.
What happens now? Reiner will have to face trial for the murder of his parents. He has entered a not guilty plea. And as for Reiner’s fortune, it’s hard to tell just yet.
Nick is facing life in prison if convicted, after being charged with two counts of first-degree murder. But his mental state will be examined in the trial, and whatever determination is made could determine a lot of things.
Related: See what we know about Rob Reiner’s autopsy
On paper, the answer is simple due to the California Slayer Rule, a law that prevents someone who “intentionally and feloniously” kills another person from inheriting any property or benefits from the victim’s estate. But that, however, doesn’t apply if a person has been found legally insane.
Inheritance expert John Hilbert, of LA-based Heir Hunters International, told The US Sun: “The slayer rule is narrower than most people assume. It applies only if a probate court finds that the killing was both intentional and felonious (criminal).”
He added, “A criminal conviction can be relevant, but conviction alone is not dispositive under California law when it comes to inheritance. That distinction is critical because probate courts operate independently from criminal courts and apply a different legal standard.”
That means that even if he’s convicted, that doesn’t automatically mean he won’t inherit. “The criminal case answers guilt beyond a reasonable doubt; the probate court separately decides whether the Slayer Rule is triggered for inheritance purposes under the much lower legal standard of clear and convincing.”
And there’s precedent for such a thing, Hilbert pointed out. In the ‘Estate of Ladd’ case, mom Gloria Ladd killed her two teenage sons, James and John, in 1979. She was found guilty of first-degree murder and also legally insane at the time of the acts. The California Court of Appeals then ruled that because she was found legally insane, she did not possess the “intent” required by the statute, so she could inherit.
“The court was explicit that the statute should not be expanded beyond its precise terms,” Hilbert explained. “This is a distinct possibility in the Reiner case.”
Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian said his office is still waiting for a full autopsy report. Nick Reiner is due back in court on April 29, where he will learn if there’s enough evidence for the case to go to trial. Reiner’s mental state will be an important part of this discussion, as NBC News reported he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia before his parents’ murder. He was also reportedly in the middle of adjusting his medication.
Nick Reiner has been held without bail since he was arrested just hours after Rob and Michele were murdered.
