Michele Singer Reiner, the wife of filmmaker Rob Reiner, sent one of her final emails just hours before both were found lifeless inside their Brentwood, California home on December 14.
The message, obtained by NBC News, was sent on December 13 to Nanon Williams, an inmate serving a life sentence without parole for a 1992 homicide conviction he continues to appeal.
The correspondence has since become a haunting marker of the couple’s final hours, written less than a day before authorities say they were fatally stabbed.
The murders of Michele and Rob Reiner, whose son Nick Reiner now stands charged with, have shaken Hollywood and caused many to take interest in the family’s final days and the events that culminated in one of the greatest tragedies of 2025.
Michelle Reiner’s final message has been revealed, bringing attention to one of the family’s greatest friendships
Image credits: Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images
Hours before she was fatally wounded, Michele wrote to Williams about a night that had brought her joy.
“I’m sure you have heard from Tera [Williams’ wife], but the show last night was amazing,” she wrote in the email dated December 13.
Image credits: michelereiner/Instagram
The email referenced Lyrics From Lockdown, a stage production that became central to one of the most meaningful relationships Rob and Michele Reiner formed outside their family over the past decade.
The production is a critically acclaimed one-man theater production that blends hip-hop, spoken word, music, and storytelling to examine themes of racial injustice and personal transformation.
The show was created by writer Bryonn Bain, and premiered in 2013.
The Reiners were moved by Williams’ life story, and developed a friendship so strong he became “like family”
Image credits: nanonwilliams.org
At the core of the play is the story of Nanon Williams, a Texas inmate sentenced to capital punishment at age 17 in 1992 for a homicide he has long maintained he did not commit.
Williams’ prison letters, detailing his life behind bars and his experience with the justice system, became the backbone of the show’s critique of systemic inequities and the human cost of long-term incarceration.
Rob and Michele Reiner reportedly first saw Lyrics From Lockdown in Los Angeles in 2016 and were deeply affected by Williams’ story and the broader themes of justice and humanity.
Moved by hearing his words brought to life on stage, the couple reached out to Williams directly, developing a friendship over years of correspondence and public advocacy tied to his case.
Williams’ sentence was later converted to life without parole after the US Supreme Court barred executions for crimes committed by minors.
Michelle told Williams that she had hoped to one day be able to watch the play alongside him
Image credits: nanonwilliams.org
Just two days before their bodies were discovered, the Reiners attended a performance of the play with close friends Billy Crystal and Janice Crystal, along with members of Williams’ family.
Michele told Williams she hoped he would one day be able to watch the production himself.
“We all said that we can’t wait to watch it with you,” she wrote.
She ended the email with a personal sign-off. “Hope you’re doing well, Love you—Michele.”
Image credits: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
In an interview published yesterday (January 5) by NBC News, Williams said the Reiners had become “an integral part of [his] life” over the past decade. “They became a part of me,” he added.
The couple’s daughter, Romy Reiner, echoed that sentiment, describing Williams as someone who had grown close to the entire family.
“He became like family,” she said. “My parents spoke about him with such love. He has taught me more about life and human compassion than anyone I’ve ever met.”
The couple’s youngest son, Nick Reiner, was arrested in connection to the tragedy
On December 14, Los Angeles police responded to an investigation at the Reiners’ Brentwood home at approximately 3:40 pm.
“Once inside the residence, officers discovered two victims,” the LAPD said in a press release. “Who were subsequently identified as Robert and Michele Reiner.”
Investigators quickly determined the couple had not passed away from natural causes. A source close to the family told NBC News they appeared to have suffered stab wounds, a conclusion later confirmed by authorities.
“As a result of the initial investigation, it was determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide,” the LAPD said.
Image credits: michelereiner/Instagram
The medical examiner ruled on December 17 that both Rob and Michele passed away from “multiple sharp force injuries,” meaning they sustained several cuts or stabs from a sharp object.
Prosecutors believe the incident occurred in the early morning hours of December 14, roughly 12 hours before the bodies were found.
Attention soon turned to the couple’s youngest son, Nick Reiner.
Image credits: michelereiner/Instagram
That same evening, surveillance footage captured Nick at an ARCO gas station near USC around 9 pm. He was seen purchasing a Gatorade while wearing a green jacket, jeans, and a baseball cap, and carrying a red backpack.
Minutes later, he was arrested nearby.
“Nick Reiner was located and arrested at approximately 9:15 pm,” police said. “He was booked for m**der and remains in custody with no bail.”
Authorities stated their investigation determined that Rob and Michele’s son was responsible for the tragedy and used a knife.
Nick Reiner is currently facing the possibility of life without parole or capital punishment
Image credits: Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty Images
On December 16, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced that his office planned to charge Nick Reiner with two counts of first-degree homicide, along with a special circumstance of multiple crimes.
“These charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the d**th penalty,” Hochman said.
Nick made his first court appearance on December 17, arriving in shackles and a blue smock. He did not enter a plea and agreed to an arraignment date of January 7.
“Not forgotten.” The email reopened the wound left in fans’ hearts by the Reiners’ passing
