Estate Planning Lessons from the Rob Reiner Tragedy
By Kevin C. Martin, Esq.
What is the slayer rule, and why does it matter for your estate plan? The tragic deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner on December 14, 2025, brought this obscure legal doctrine into the national spotlight. The legendary director behind The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally was found alongside his wife of thirty-five years in their Brentwood home. Their son Nick, thirty-two, was arrested hours later and now faces two counts of first-degree murder.
Beyond the human tragedy, the case raises a question estate planning attorneys in Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, and Florida encounter more often than the public realizes: Can you inherit from someone you killed? The answer is no—and the reason is something called the slayer rule. Rob Reiner’s estate is estimated at two hundred million dollars. Nick Reiner, if convicted, will not see a penny of it. Here’s what you need to know about the slayer rule and how it affects estate planning.
The Poisoning That Changed American Inheritance Law
In 1882, a sixteen-year-old boy named Elmer Palmer poisoned his grandfather in rural upstate New York. Elmer knew he was the primary beneficiary under his grandfather’s will, and he feared the old man might remarry and change it. So he killed him. Elmer was convicted of murder, but here’s the twist: the will was perfectly valid. Nothing in New York’s probate statutes said a murderer couldn’t inherit. Elmer’s aunts sued to block his inheritance, and the case went all the way to the New York Court of Appeals.
In 1889, the court ruled against Elmer in Riggs v. Palmer. The judges acknowledged that the statutes, read literally, would give Elmer his inheritance. But they refused to let that happen. The court invoked an ancient legal maxim: no one shall be permitted to profit by his own fraud, to take advantage of his own wrong, or to acquire property by his own crime. That decision became the foundation for what we now call the slayer rule. Every state has adopted some version of it, either through statute or common law. The principle is straightforward: kill someone, and you cannot inherit from them.
How the Slayer Rule Actually Works
The mechanics vary by state, but the core concept is consistent. When someone feloniously and intentionally kills another person, the law treats the killer as if they died before the victim. This legal fiction has sweeping consequences. The killer cannot inherit under the victim’s will. They cannot inherit through intestacy if there is no will. They cannot receive life insurance proceeds, retirement account benefits, or property held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship. They cannot serve as executor or trustee. The rule closes every door.
Critically, this is a civil matter handled in probate court, not criminal court. The standard of proof is different. While a criminal conviction requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, probate courts apply the preponderance of the evidence standard—more likely than not. This means someone acquitted of murder in criminal court can still be barred from inheriting if the probate court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that they committed the killing. Conversely, a criminal conviction is generally conclusive. If Nick Reiner is found guilty, that verdict will establish his ineligibility to inherit from his parents’ estate. There will be no separate civil proceeding to determine whether the slayer rule applies.
Slayer Rule by State: DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida
If you’re doing estate planning in the Washington DC metro area or Florida, understanding how the slayer rule works in your specific jurisdiction is essential. The details vary in important ways. Virginia has a comprehensive statutory framework covering both murder and voluntary manslaughter (Virginia Code § 64.2-2500 through § 64.2-2515). A criminal conviction triggers the rule, but Virginia also allows probate courts to make independent determinations when there is no conviction and no acquittal—for instance, when the killer commits suicide or flees the jurisdiction. Maryland codified its slayer rule in 2013, after decades of relying on common law. Maryland’s version is notably severe. Not only is the killer barred from inheriting, but the killer’s descendants are also blocked from inheriting through the killer. If a son kills his mother, the son’s children cannot inherit their grandmother’s estate through their father. This echoes the old English doctrine of corruption of blood.
The District of Columbia applies the slayer rule through a combination of statute and common law, treating the killer as having predeceased the victim for purposes of all inheritance rights. Florida has expanded its slayer rule beyond murder—an important consideration for families relocating from DC to Florida or splitting time between both states. Florida law also bars inheritance in cases involving abuse, neglect, exploitation, or aggravated manslaughter of elderly or disabled adults. For murder, a conviction is conclusive, but Florida courts retain discretion to apply the rule based on the greater weight of the evidence even without a conviction. If you own property in multiple states or are planning a move along the DC-to-Florida corridor, your estate plan should account for these jurisdictional differences.
The Hard Cases: Mental Illness and Addiction
The slayer rule seems like common sense when we imagine a cold-blooded killer accelerating an inheritance. But family homicides rarely fit that profile. Research consistently shows that adults who kill their parents—a crime called parricide—are disproportionately affected by severe mental illness. Studies have found that roughly two-thirds of adult parricide offenders suffer from psychotic disorders, most commonly schizophrenia. Many were actively symptomatic at the time of the killing. Some experienced delusions so severe they did not recognize their parents as their parents. Nick Reiner, according to press reports, struggled with addiction from his teens onward. His father directed a 2016 film, Being Charlie, inspired by Nick’s experience cycling through rehab programs. More recent reports indicate he was also being treated for schizophrenia.
This raises a question that courts have grappled with for decades: What happens when a killer is found not guilty by reason of insanity? The slayer rule requires that the killing be “felonious and intentional.” An insanity acquittal means the defendant lacked the mental capacity to form criminal intent. Does that mean they can still inherit? States have reached different conclusions. New York and Pennsylvania have allowed insanity acquittees to inherit, reasoning that the slayer rule exists to prevent profiting from wrongdoing, and a person who cannot distinguish right from wrong has not truly done “wrong” in the moral sense. Washington State, by contrast, ruled in 2009 that an insanity acquittee was still a “slayer” because the killing was objectively unlawful, regardless of the defendant’s mental state. California has not definitively resolved this question. If Nick Reiner’s defense pursues an insanity defense and succeeds, his eligibility to inherit could become the subject of separate probate litigation.
What This Means for Your Estate Plan
The slayer rule is a backstop, not a planning tool. It exists to prevent the worst outcomes, but it does not eliminate the need for thoughtful estate planning. Here are the practical takeaways. First, include a slayer provision in your documents. Yes, every state has a slayer rule built into the law. But explicit language in your will or trust removes any ambiguity. A well-drafted slayer provision states that any beneficiary who causes your death—or contributes to it—shall be treated as having predeceased you, forfeiting all interests under the document. This belt-and-suspenders approach ensures the outcome you intend, regardless of how courts interpret the statutory rule or whether your estate spans multiple jurisdictions with different standards. Second, always name contingent beneficiaries. If your primary beneficiary is disqualified for any reason—death, disclaimer, or the slayer rule—your estate plan should specify where assets go next. Without contingent beneficiaries, your estate may pass through intestacy, meaning state law determines distribution rather than your wishes.
Third, consider trust structures for troubled beneficiaries. If you have a child or other family member with addiction, mental illness, or a history of instability, leaving assets outright may not serve their interests or yours. A trust with an independent trustee can provide financial support while protecting assets from poor decisions—or worse. Fourth, understand that trusts do not avoid the slayer rule. Some clients assume that because trusts avoid probate, they might avoid other probate-related rules. They do not. The slayer rule applies equally to wills, trusts, intestate succession, life insurance, retirement accounts, and jointly held property. Finally, review your estate plan regularly. Family dynamics change. The son who seemed stable at twenty may struggle at thirty. The estate plan you drafted a decade ago may no longer reflect current realities. Regular reviews ensure your plan still accomplishes what you intend.
Key Takeaways: The Slayer Rule and Your Estate Plan
The slayer rule exists because society has long recognized that allowing someone to profit from murder would corrupt the entire system of inheritance. At the same time, cases like the Reiners’ remind us that family violence is rarely simple. Behind many of these tragedies lie years of struggle with mental illness, addiction, and the limitations of our systems for addressing both. For estate planners, the lesson is not that we can prevent every tragedy. We cannot. But we can help families plan for contingencies, protect assets from foreseeable risks, and ensure that their wishes are honored even in circumstances no one wants to imagine. Estate planning is ultimately about taking care of the people you love. Sometimes that means planning for the possibility that those relationships may not unfold the way you hope.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Slayer Rule
What is the slayer rule in estate planning?
The slayer rule is a legal doctrine that prevents someone who intentionally kills another person from inheriting from the victim’s estate. It applies to wills, trusts, life insurance, retirement accounts, and jointly held property. When triggered, the killer is treated as having predeceased the victim, and their share passes to other beneficiaries.
Can you inherit from someone you killed?
No. Under the slayer rule, which exists in all fifty states, a person who feloniously and intentionally kills another cannot inherit any property or benefits from the victim—including inheritance under a will, life insurance proceeds, retirement benefits, and jointly held property.
Does the slayer rule require a criminal conviction?
Not always. A criminal conviction is conclusive, but probate courts can apply the rule using the civil “preponderance of the evidence” standard. This means someone acquitted in criminal court can still be barred from inheriting if the probate court finds they likely committed the killing.
What happens to inheritance if someone is found not guilty by reason of insanity?
States differ. New York and Pennsylvania allow insanity acquittees to inherit, reasoning they lacked capacity to form intent. Washington bars inheritance even after an insanity acquittal because the killing was objectively unlawful. California has not definitively resolved this question.
Does the slayer rule apply to trusts?
Yes. The slayer rule applies to trusts, wills, intestate succession, life insurance, retirement accounts, and jointly held property. Placing assets in a trust does not avoid the rule.
Should I include a slayer provision in my will or trust?
Yes. While every state has a slayer rule by default, explicit language in your documents removes ambiguity and ensures your intent is clear—especially important if your estate spans multiple states with different standards.
Who inherits if a beneficiary is disqualified under the slayer rule?
The disqualified beneficiary is treated as having predeceased the decedent. Their share passes to contingent beneficiaries named in the will or trust, or if none, to heirs under state intestacy law. This is why naming contingent beneficiaries is essential.
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Kevin C. Martin is an estate planning attorney licensed in multiple jurisdictions. He helps families in the Washington DC metro area and throughout Florida protect their legacies through comprehensive estate planning, including wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.
Schedule a free consultation at kevincmartinlaw.com or call (771) 888-5187.