Nick Reiner Fights 1st‑Degree Murder, $325k From Carl Reiner Exempt

Nick Reiner has filed a motion arguing that a significant portion of the money held in his trust should not be subject to California’s slayer statute. The claim, revealed through court documents obtained by, centers on a $325,000 transfer into his JPMorgan Chase trust account in December 2024.

Reiner says the funds were inherited from his late grandfather, actor Carl Reiner, and therefore cannot be seized while he awaits trial on two counts of first‑degree murder.

The filing states that the trust currently holds a substantial amount of money that originated from Carl Reiner’s estate plan, which also provided similar distributions to other grandchildren.

Reiner’s attorneys contend that these inheritances were deposited into the trust by an independent executor and did not come through or , Rob and Michele Reiner. They argue that because the money was not derived from the alleged crime, it should be removed from the portion of the trust under court control.

Reiner’s legal team maintains that even if the funds were properly placed in the trust, the slayer statute cannot be applied to them. The statute bars anyone who profited from their own wrongdoing from receiving benefit, but Reiner is not accused of causing his grandfather’s death.

He is, however, charged with murdering his parents and has been fighting for access to the remaining trust assets while awaiting trial.

## Background & Context

The dispute began when the Reiner family’s estate plan was finalized after Carl Reiner’s passing. , the plan included equal distributions to several grandchildren, including Nick. The $325,000 transfer into his trust account occurred a year before the alleged murders of his parents.

Reiner is now facing two first‑degree murder charges for those deaths. The slayer statute typically prevents individuals who benefit from their own crime from receiving funds, but Reiner’s case hinges on whether the inherited money is considered part of the crime proceeds.

### Current Legal Status

Reiner’s motion seeks to carve out the inherited portion of his trust from the assets subject to seizure under the slayer statute. His attorneys emphasize that the money came directly from Carl Reiner’s estate and not from any proceeds tied to his parents’ alleged crimes.

The court has not yet ruled on whether the slayer statute applies to these inheritances. Meanwhile, Reiner remains in custody and awaits trial, while his family continues to negotiate the distribution of the trust’s remaining funds.

The case highlights how estate planning can become entangled with criminal proceedings, especially when significant sums are involved. The outcome will likely influence how inherited assets are treated in future slayer statute cases across California.