It has been nearly a month since the double murders of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, stunned people across the globe. The couple’s deaths were ruled a homicide, and they were killed by their son, Nick. The 32-year-old has a history of drug abuse, which has been cited as a key factor behind the crime. Recently, family and friends of the Reiners were surprised to receive posthumous greeting cards from the late couple in their mailboxes.
A similar situation unfolded for a death row inmate in Texas, who also received emails from Rob and Michele Reiner after their deaths. The man was unaware of the couple’s killing at the time and was shocked when he later learned of it. The inmate, Nanon Williams, had befriended the Reiners years earlier and had exchanged frequent correspondence with them. Michele’s final email was written just hours before she was killed in her sleep, though Williams received it days later.
Speaking with NBC News, Williams said he learned about Rob and Michele’s deaths while scrolling through news stories on a tablet issued to him by the state. He said he was devastated and immediately messaged Michele, writing, “Please tell me the news is lying.” The message, however, arrived too late to be read.
Williams and the Reiners had bonded over the past decade, growing close despite his incarceration. The couple had even attended a live performance of Lyrics From Lockdown, a spoken-word multimedia production partially based on Williams’ writing. Although he has been behind bars since age 17 for a murder he claims he did not commit, the conviction did not affect his relationship with Rob and Michele.
The Reiners exchanged emails with Williams almost daily, though messages often arrived late due to security screenings for inmate correspondence. The same delay applied to Michele’s final email, which Williams received days after her death. In it, she once again praised his play after rewatching it with Billy Crystal. She wrote, “I’m sure you have heard from Tera, but the show last night was amazing. We all said that we can’t wait to watch it with you. Love you. Michele.”
Inmate Reveals Touching Longterm Relationship with the Reiners: Nanon Williams, an inmate in Texas who is in prison for a murder he says he didn’t commit, formed a close bond with Rob and Michele Reiner.
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With Rob and Michele Reiner no longer alive, their daughter, Romy Reiner, has confirmed her parents’ relationship with Nanon Williams. Speaking about the bond, she said, “They became like family,” and described him as being like their elder brother. Romy added, “My parents spoke about him with such love. He has taught me more about life and human compassion than anyone I’ve ever met.”
Williams echoed similar sentiments, telling NBC News, “They became a part of me. Rob and Michele didn’t want credit for trying to help me. It was just because they loved me. Michele was my heart.” Rob and Michele Reiner were among the few people who openly supported Williams’ legal battle, attending several court hearings and rallying behind him. The filmmaker had once said, “We’re going to make sure Nanon gets out.”
