Marcellus Williams, 55, was executed in Missouri on Sept. 24 for the 1998 stabbing death of Lisha Gayle, despite efforts by the victim’s family and the prosecutor to commute his death sentence to life in prison. Williams, convicted of breaking into Gayle’s suburban St. Louis home and stabbing her 43 times, maintained his innocence throughout his legal battle.
Williams’ attorneys argued for clemency, highlighting racial bias in jury selection and mishandling of evidence. They pointed out that the victim’s family had long supported commuting his sentence to life without parole. “The family defines closure as Marcellus being allowed to live,” stated his clemency petition.
As Williams lay awaiting execution, he spoke with his spiritual advisor. Shortly after, he was pronounced dead. None of Gayle’s family attended the execution. Williams left a final statement: “All Praise Be to Allah In Every Situation!!!”
Missouri Governor Mike Parson supported the execution, stating, “No juror nor judge has ever found Williams’ innocence claim to be credible.” Parson expressed hope that the execution would bring finality to the case, which had lingered for decades.
The execution was the third time Williams faced the death penalty, following reprieves in 2015 and 2017. His final appeals were rejected by the Missouri Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court just hours before his death. Williams became the 100th inmate executed in Missouri since 1989.
Williams was convicted based on testimony from his girlfriend, who claimed she saw stolen items in his possession, and from a fellow inmate, Henry Cole, who alleged that Williams confessed to the crime. Both witnesses had criminal records, and Williams’ attorneys argued they were motivated by a $10,000 reward. Despite this, the jury convicted him.
Questions surrounding the evidence persisted. Fingerprints, a bloody shoeprint, and other forensic evidence from the crime scene did not match Williams. A crime scene investigator testified that the perpetrator likely wore gloves, and the DNA found on the knife did not belong to Williams. Instead, the DNA matched members of the prosecutor’s office, who had handled the knife without gloves after the original crime lab tests.
St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell sought to challenge Williams’ conviction, citing doubts about the DNA evidence. Gayle’s family supported a plea deal that would have commuted Williams’ sentence to life in prison without parole. However, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office appealed the agreement, and the state Supreme Court blocked the deal, ultimately upholding the execution.
Despite the victim’s family supporting a life sentence, the state of Missouri went forward with the execution. Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, condemned the decision, stating, “Tonight, Missouri lynched another innocent Black man.”
Racial bias concerns also emerged during the trial. Only one of the 12 jurors was Black, and prosecutors removed six of seven Black prospective jurors. Williams’ attorneys argued that these actions demonstrated racial discrimination in the jury selection process, but the claims were rejected.
Lisha Gayle, 42, was a former reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and had transitioned to social work before her murder. On August 11, 1998, Williams broke into her home, stabbed her repeatedly, and stole her purse and her husband’s laptop. Williams was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.
Social media users on the X platform opined on Williams’ execution, calling him “innocent.”
This case marks the third execution in Missouri in 2023 and reflects a broader national debate on the fairness and future of the death penalty.