Famed filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, forged a unique friendship with Nanon Williams, who was incarcerated at the age of 17 for a murder he claims he did not commit. The couple dedicated years to advocating for his release, a cause they pursued until their untimely deaths.

Williams, now 51, shared his story with NBC News in an interview published on January 5. He recounted how his relationship with the Reiner family began after they attended Byronn Bain’s one-man show, Lyrics From Lockdown, in Los Angeles in 2016. The production, which drew inspiration from Williams’ own writings, deeply resonated with the Reiners.

Compelled by his narrative, the director of When Harry Met Sally… and his wife reached out to Williams, initiating a friendship that transcended prison walls. “I didn’t really know who Rob was,” Williams admitted to NBC News, but their bond grew as the couple took a keen interest in his legal battle, maintaining regular communication through daily emails and weekly phone calls.

The tragic news of the Reiners’ deaths surfaced on December 14, 2025. According to TMZ, emergency services from the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call for medical assistance at their residence. It was later confirmed that a 78-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman had passed away, marking the end of the Reiners’ compassionate advocacy and friendship with Williams.

Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their home on December 14, 2025. TMZ reported at the time that the Los Angeles Fire Department had been called to the scene in the afternoon to administer “medical aid.” It was later reported that a 78-year-old man and 70-year-old woman had been […]

“The more they learned, the more pissed off Rob became, and the more loving Michele became,” said Williams, who was convicted of the murder of 19-year-old Adonius Collier in Houston, Texas, in 1992. He was sentenced to death following a 1995 trial.

Just 17 at the time of his initial arrest, Williams spent years on death row until a 2005 law banned executions for crimes committed by juveniles. His sentence was reduced to life without parole, per NBC News.

Williams has maintained his innocence and his lawyers continue to appeal his conviction. In April 2024, the Texas Forensic Science Commission concluded that ballistics analysis used to convict Williams was inaccurate.

“He is the most intuitive person I’ve ever known,” Michele wrote in a letter supporting Williams’ request for a new trial, per NBC. “And although he says we have given him so much, he has given me so much more.”

Rob and Michele Singer Reiner made numerous public appearances — and plans with several celebrity friends — in the days leading up to their murders. Us Weekly confirmed on Monday, December 15 that Rob, 78, and Michele, 68, died from “apparent stab wounds,” according to the Los Angeles police. Their shocking deaths came as a […]

In his own letter, Rob wrote, “I’ve led a high profile life for over fifty years. And in that time I’ve met some very impressive and influential people. But if I’m being honest, apart from my father [Carl Reiner], no one has impressed me more and been more influential to me than Nanon Williams.”

Rob and Michele weren’t the only ones to bond with Williams. He was also introduced virtually to their three children, Jake, 34, Nick, 32, and Romy, 28.

Romy told NBC News, “He became like family.”

“My parents spoke about him with such love,” she added in a statement. “He has taught me more about life and human compassion than anyone I’ve ever met.”

Michele Singer Reiner may have been best known by the public due to her marriage to filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner, though she made a name for herself as an accomplished photographer. Us Weekly breaks down everything to know about Michele in light of her and Reiner’s tragic deaths this weekend. Who Was Michele Singer […]

According to NBC News, Michele wrote an email to Williams on December 13, 2025, just hours before she and Rob were slain inside their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Rob and Michele had taken their close friend, Billy Crystal, to a performance of Lyrics From Lockdown in Los Angeles on December 12. Michele wrote that Crystal “loved it and was so moved by it.”

Michele wrote, “We all said we can’t wait to watch it with you.”

Rob and Michele were found dead inside their home on December 14, just two days after the performance. He was 78 and she was 70.

Before falling in love with Michele Singer Reiner, Rob Reiner experienced a special love story with Penny Marshall. Although the duo grew up across the street from each other in the Bronx, they didn’t meet until a 1970 audition in Los Angeles for the roles of Mike and Gloria Stivik on All in the Family. […]

According to NBC, Williams did not receive Michele’s email to his state-issued electronic tablet until after the deaths. He also received two more emails from the couple, which they had sent before they died but were received days later due to prison screening policies.

“Please, this can’t be true. Please tell me the news is lying,” Williams reportedly wrote to Michele after learning that two people were found dead inside the Reiners’ home.

Rob and Michele’s son, Nick, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with his parents’ deaths on December 16. He has not yet entered a plea. He is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday, January 7.

Williams told NBC News, “I was judged to be a killer, a monster beyond redemption. The question I ask myself is, ‘What would they want for their son?’”

“What love and compassion and understanding would they want for him? If they would have it for me, why not him?” he added.