Texas Death Row Inmate Nanon Williams Reveals How He Maintained a Friendship With Rob and Michele Reiner Behind Bars

Nanon Williams, a Texas death row inmate, says he formed an unlikely and profound friendship with the late Hollywood couple Rob and Michele Reiner.

Williams, 51, has been locked up at the W.F. Ramsey Unit in Brazoria County since he was 17, maintaining his innocence for the crime that put him on death row.

Despite his decades behind bars, he says the Reiners became a meaningful part of his life.

Emails That Crossed Life and Death

Williams told NBC News that he received a total of three emails from the Reiners after their deaths.

Remarkably, one of those emails, sent by Michele, was dispatched just hours before her passing—but due to prison security protocols, he didn’t see it until days later.

Inmates’ email systems can be delayed for hours or even days, making this heartbreaking timing even more poignant.

A Bond Through Art

The connection began back in 2016, when the Reiners saw Williams’ presentation, Lyrics From Lockdown, which explores race, incarceration, and the U.S. penal system.

The couple reportedly emailed Williams almost daily and even invited him to live with them if he ever got out of prison.

Williams recalls that he first learned of the Reiners’ deaths while checking a prison-issued tablet.

Shocked, he sent an email to Michele pleading, “Please, this can’t be true. Please tell me the news is lying.”

Family Confirms the Friendship

Romy Reiner, the couple’s daughter, confirmed that Williams “became like family” over the years.

According to Williams, Michele sent one last email after the couple, Romy, and family friends Billy and Janice Crystal attended a performance of Lyrics From Lockdown in Los Angeles just two days before the tragic killings.

Michele told him how moved she and Billy Crystal were by the performance.

Williams remembers her words vividly: “We all said that we can’t wait to watch it with you.”

Support Beyond Publicity

Williams emphasized that the Reiners’ efforts to help him were heartfelt, not for show.

“Rob and Michele didn’t want credit for trying to help me,” he said.

“It was just because they loved me.”

Over the years, despite his limited access to media, Williams came to know Rob and Michele in deeply personal ways.

He recalls their reactions to his story: the more they learned, the more angry Rob became about the injustice, and the more tender and supportive Michele grew.

A Lasting Impact

For Williams, the Reiners were more than celebrities—they were an integral part of his life.

“Michele was my heart,” he said, reflecting on their bond. “They became a part of me.”

The couple’s son, Nick Reiner, 32, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with their deaths and is currently held without bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles.

Even amid tragedy, Williams’ story underscores how unexpected friendships can bridge the gap between two very different worlds, leaving a lasting mark that goes far beyond the headlines.

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