> At a Glance
> – Rob and Michele Reiner died just 36 hours after attending a prison-justice play about their adopted “son” Nanon Williams
> – Nanon Williams has spent 34 years in Texas prison for a 1992 murder he says he didn’t commit
> – Their son Nick Reiner has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder
> – Why it matters: The story reveals an unlikely family bond between Hollywood royalty and an incarcerated man, ending in heartbreak
The Reiners’ final night out was a celebration of hope. They watched “Lyrics from Lockdown,” a show built around Nanon Williams, the 51-year-old they called family. Less than two days later, they were gone.
A Family Found Behind Bars
From death-row letters to daily emails, the Reiners folded Williams into their lives.
- Michele signed every note “Love you”
- Rob promised a prison screening of “Stand By Me”
- Daughter Romy called Williams her big brother
Williams told News Of Philadelphia:
> “They became a part of me.”
The Case That United Them
In 1992, Williams, then 17, was convicted of murder after ballistics testimony tied his gun to the fatal shot. Key facts:
- A 1998 test proved the bullet came from a co-defendant’s gun, not Williams’
- The prosecutor later admitted the star witness was “evasive and apparently not at all truthful”
- Two jurors said the new evidence would have changed their verdicts
Despite these revelations, Texas courts refused a new trial.
A Night of Hope, Then Heartbreak
Dec. 12, 2024: The Reiners cheered with Billy Crystal, Williams’ mother, and his wife Tera as the performer’s words filled the theater.
Dec. 13, 8:26 p.m.: Michele’s final email gushed about the show and meeting Williams’ mother.
Dec. 14: Williams read a news alert on his prison tablet: two bodies found at the Reiner home.
He typed frantically:
> “Please, this can’t be true.”
Grieving Alone
Prison delays meant three more emails from the Reiners reached his tablet after their deaths. He rereads them, searching for closure that never comes.
Williams wears a “Stand By Me” bracelet the couple ordered for inmates. The promised December screening of Rob’s film will never happen.
A Twist of Fate
Now Nick Reiner, charged with murder, could face the same death sentence Williams once received. Williams, who measures time by the 466 execution numbers tattooed on his body, wrestles with irony and empathy.
> “What love and compassion and understanding would they want for him? If they would have it for me, why not him?”
Key Takeaways
- The Reiners’ bond with Williams was forged through letters, poetry, and shared belief in redemption
- New ballistics evidence undermines Williams’ conviction, yet he remains imprisoned
- Their deaths leave Williams grieving and determined to help their accused son
- Williams’ appeal hearing and Nick’s arraignment are both expected this month
Rob’s oft-repeated lesson echoes:
> “The greatest stories should be about love.”
