Justice has taken another step forward for the family of Mark and Jacob Iskander, nearly six years after the tragic night in Westlake Village, California, that claimed the lives of the two young brothers. On March 17, 2026, a California state appeals court panel upheld the conviction of Rebecca Grossman, the prominent socialite and co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, for the boys’ deaths. This decision, which cements Grossman’s 15-years-to-life prison sentence, marks the latest chapter in a legal battle that has captivated and divided the Los Angeles community and beyond.
The fatal crash occurred on September 29, 2020, forever altering two families and the broader neighborhood. According to KABC and Los Angeles Times, Grossman was behind the wheel of her white Mercedes-Benz SUV, speeding through a residential area at 73 mph—well above the posted 45 mph limit—when she struck 11-year-old Mark and 8-year-old Jacob as they crossed Triunfo Canyon Road in a marked crosswalk with their mother and siblings. The older boy died at the scene; his younger brother succumbed to injuries at the hospital. Their mother, Nancy Iskander, managed to push her youngest son out of the way but could not save her two older children.
Investigators and prosecutors painted a harrowing picture. Grossman and her then-boyfriend, former Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson, had been drinking earlier that evening and were driving home in separate SUVs. Multiple sources, including City News Service and Courthouse News, reported that the pair were “playfully racing” down the winding, four-lane street, weaving between lanes and traveling at speeds up to 81 mph. Despite her airbags deploying upon impact, Grossman continued driving for about a quarter-mile, only stopping when her vehicle’s engine cut out automatically. According to court records cited by Courthouse News, she later told an emergency room technician that if her car hadn’t disabled itself, she would have simply driven home.
The legal proceedings that followed were as dramatic and emotionally charged as the events themselves. Grossman was convicted on February 23, 2024, of two counts each of second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, as well as one count of hit-and-run driving. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Grossman’s conduct demonstrated “implied malice”—the legal threshold for second-degree murder—because she knowingly engaged in behavior that was highly dangerous to human life. Evidence of her history of speeding, including a 2013 ticket for driving 93 mph, was presented to underscore the point. As Los Angeles Times reported, prosecutors told the jury that the force with which Grossman’s SUV hit the boys was equivalent to dropping the vehicle from a 12-story building.
Grossman’s defense, led by attorney Tony Buzbee, countered that the blame lay with Scott Erickson, arguing that his SUV struck the boys first, tossing them into Grossman’s path. However, as Courthouse News and KABC noted, no physical evidence supported this theory, and Erickson was never called to testify at the criminal trial. Instead, he faced a separate reckless driving charge and ultimately participated in a public service announcement about safe driving in lieu of jail time. Text messages later made public revealed the complex and sometimes fractious relationship between Grossman and Erickson in the aftermath of the tragedy, with both parties shifting blame and expressing regret over legal strategies.
When the case reached the appeals court, Grossman’s new attorney, Lara Gressley, argued that the trial judge had failed to properly instruct the jury on the definition of “implied malice,” and that her client should have been convicted of manslaughter, not murder. The three-judge panel, however, was unconvinced. Associate Justice Carl Moor challenged the defense’s position, stating, “Driving through a residential neighborhood, through a pedestrian crosswalk at 73 miles per hour, having consumed at least one and a half drinks while engaged in racing behavior ... Are you saying that that’s a ‘close call’ whether or not that’s dangerous to human life?” In his 143-page opinion, Moor wrote, “The evidence that Grossman drove in a highly dangerous manner while impaired was more than sufficient to sustain the jury’s finding that it was highly probable Grossman’s conduct would result in death. Whether Grossman was subjectively aware of the risk is best answered by the question: how could she not be?”
The ruling, reported by outlets such as AP and markandjacobfoundation.org, ensures that Grossman will remain incarcerated for the foreseeable future. Her attorney has indicated plans to seek review by the California Supreme Court, arguing that unresolved legal questions remain, particularly regarding the jury instructions. But for the Iskander family, the appeals court’s decision brings a measure of closure. “Justice has taken another important step forward. While nothing can ever bring our boys back, knowing this chapter is now behind us allows our family to keep moving ahead with a little more peace in our hearts,” Nancy Iskander said in a social media post, as quoted by Courthouse News.
The Iskander family’s pursuit of justice is not over. A civil wrongful death trial against Grossman and Erickson is set to begin next month, with the family seeking accountability in a different court. In the meantime, Nancy Iskander has emerged as a voice for healing and resilience, encouraging others who face tragedy to “turn their pain, their struggles in life, into something good. Try to support somebody who is going through the same thing, maybe, or share their experience, how they overcome it every day. Some things you just have to overcome every day,” she told Eyewitness News.
The case has also highlighted the sharp contrasts between privilege and loss, with media outlets frequently noting Grossman’s former life of charity galas, magazine features, and elite social circles—a life now replaced by a prison cell. Even behind bars, Grossman has faced scrutiny for alleged attempts to access restricted materials, according to markandjacobfoundation.org. Her fall from grace has been dramatic, serving as a cautionary tale about the consequences of reckless behavior, regardless of status or wealth.
As for the Iskander family, the pain of losing Mark and Jacob will never fully fade. Yet, with each step in the legal process, they have moved closer to some semblance of justice and, perhaps, a path toward healing. The upcoming civil trial will bring new challenges, but for now, the family can look back on this latest court decision as an affirmation of their long, difficult journey.