<p id=”par-1_102″>Nick Reiner, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/nick-reiner-charged-death-penalty-murder-parents-rob-michele-reiner.html/”>the son of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner</a>, has been blocked from accessing a $1.5 million trust fund his parents set up for him, and the reason cited by trustees is a powerful piece of California law: the “slayer statute.” Reiner, 32, is currently awaiting trial on charges that he murdered both of his parents in December 2025. He was arrested the same day the couple’s bodies were discovered inside their Brentwood home. The statute could ultimately determine whether he ever sees a dime from his trust or the multi-million-dollar fortune that is believed to be up for grabs.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-what-is-the-slayer-statute”>What is the slayer statute?</h2>
<p id=”par-2_90″>Under California law, the slayer statute bars a person who has killed a person from benefiting from that person’s death. The law applies broadly, covering trust funds, other assets, property, and life insurance payouts. In short, a guilty party has absolutely no legal claims to any money or property left by the deceased individual. While the statute has been on the books for decades, it was most famously used in the 1990s to prevent the Menendez brothers from inheriting their parents’ estate after they were found guilty of murder. </p>
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<p id=”par-3_49″>An estate and trusts attorney speaking to <a href=”https://people.com/nick-reiner-inheritance-potentially-impacted-by-california-slayer-statue-legal-experts-exclusive-11870584″>People</a> explained the statute further. He stated, “California has what’s called a slayer statute, which says if you kill someone that you’re going to inherit from, you lose your inheritance and any right to serve as a fiduciary of their estate.” </p>
<p id=”par-4_90″>There is one big issue with the statute, though. It is generally used after a legal determination of guilt is handed down, not merely an accusation or an arrest. That distinction is now at the center of the dispute over Reiner’s trust. Nick Reiner is simply accused, not convicted of the murders at this time. The younger Reiner’s legal team has also argued that a portion of his trust was supposed to be paid out long before the murders occurred, which could render the slayer statute inapplicable to those funds.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-the-fight-over-the-money”>The fight over the money</h2>
<p id=”par-5_151″>Nick Reiner’s trust was established by his parents in 1993, the year he was born. According to several sources, it was structured to provide distributions at specific ages. More than $500,000 was to be paid out at age 30, which Nick Reiner turned in 2023. The remainder of the trust is set to be paid out at age 35. The first payment was never distributed. While he didn’t seek to have those funds released before his parents’ deaths,<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/nick-reiner-might-get-access-to-his-trust-sooner-rather-than-later.html/”> he filed a petition in June</a> seeking access to the funds. Reiner argued that he needed the money to cover legal fees, court costs, and daily expenses while in custody. He was reportedly hoping to rehire attorney Alan Jackson, who represented him before withdrawing from the case in January. After Jackson stepped down, Reiner was appointed a public defender. Jackson previously said he’d take the case on again if the funds materialized.</p>
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<p id=”par-6_66″>While the statute is based on verifiable guilt, not assumed guilt, the legal team connected with the trust has argued that Nick’s case is more complicated than most. Because he is seeking the funds to defend himself against murder accusations, they argued that it would be impossible to take back the funds, should he be found guilty, because they would have been spent on his defense.</p>
<p id=”par-7_26″>The trust dispute comes as the criminal case against Reiner moves forward. He has <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/nick-reiner-pleads-not-guilty-murdering-parents-rob-michele-reiner-chilling-new-detail-crime.html/”>pleaded not guilty</a>. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 15.</p>
<p id=”par-8_62″>The $1.5 million trust isn’t the only asset hanging in the balance. Rob Reiner’s estate is estimated at roughly $200 million. While it is unclear how a will, if there is one, distributes the fortune, if Nick is ultimately convicted, the slayer statute would bar him from that inheritance entirely. For now, both the trust dispute and the murder case remain unresolved.</p>