Missouri executed death row inmate Marcellus Williams on Tuesday, September 24, at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre. His death by lethal injection came after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his final appeal. Williams, 55, used his last words to say, “All praise to Allah in every situation.”
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Williams had been sentenced to death for the 1998 murder of Felicia Gayle, a former reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Gayle was brutally stabbed over 40 times during a daytime burglary at her home in University City, Missouri. The murder weapon, a butcher’s knife from her own kitchen, was used in the attack.
Despite the conviction, Williams had supporters who argued for clemency. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, along with members of Gayle’s family, had asked that the execution be stopped.
Who Was Marcellus Williams?
Marcellus Williams was convicted in 2001 for Felicia Gayle’s murder. Evidence from the crime scene, such as fingerprints and bloodied shoe prints, could not be linked to him. His arrest was largely based on the testimony of a jailhouse informant, who claimed Williams had confessed. Additionally, his former girlfriend testified that he admitted to the killing.
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Throughout the appeals process, Bell argued that there were too many doubts about Williams’ guilt. “Marcellus Williams should be alive today,” Bell said. “If there is even a shadow of doubt of innocence, the death penalty should not be an option. This outcome did not serve justice.”
Bell made a last-minute attempt to stop the execution by filing under a 2021 Missouri law that allows new evidence to be brought to court. This was the first time the law had been used in a death penalty case.
However, Missouri Governor Mike Parson refused to halt the execution. Parson stated, “No court, including the trial, appellate, and Supreme Court, found merit in Mr. Williams’ innocence claims. His guilty verdict and sentence were upheld, and his punishment will be carried out.”
Williams’ execution marked the 100th in Missouri since the state resumed capital punishment in 1989.
Williams maintained his innocence until his final moments. His attorney, Larry Komp, said, “While Marcellus admitted to past wrongs, he never wavered in proclaiming his innocence for this crime. We are devastated by the state’s actions,but take comfort knowing he left in peace.”
Missouri’s use of the death penalty continues to stir debate, especially in cases involving contested evidence.
