In a significant development, Republican Governor Mike Parson has disbanded a panel of former judges responsible for reviewing the case of Marcellus Williams, a man convicted of the 1998 stabbing death of former newspaper reporter Lisha Gayle. Governor Parson has also lifted the stay on Williams’ execution, although an exact date for the execution has not yet been set.
Marcellus Williams was found guilty of burglarizing Gayle’s home in University City and fatally stabbing her during the course of the burglary. However, the case took an unexpected turn when new DNA testing, conducted after Williams’ initial conviction, revealed that the DNA found on the murder weapon did not match Williams’ DNA. Instead, it belonged to an unidentified individual, casting doubt on Williams’ guilt.
Former Governor Eric Greitens intervened in 2017, ordering an investigation based on the new DNA evidence. The decision to dissolve the review panel and proceed with the execution comes despite these findings. However, the former St. Louis County prosecutor, who handled Williams’ case, maintains that there is overwhelming evidence pointing to Williams’ guilt.
Prosecutors argued that Williams broke into Lisha Gayle’s home on August 11, 1998, by breaking a window pane. They alleged that he heard the sound of water running in the shower and armed himself with a large butcher knife. When Gayle descended the stairs, Williams viciously stabbed her 43 times. As part of the burglary, Williams stole Gayle’s purse and her husband’s laptop.
Authorities claimed that Williams took a jacket to conceal the bloodstains on his shirt. His girlfriend at the time questioned why he would wear a jacket on a hot day. Later, she discovered the stolen laptop in their car, and Williams sold it a day or two after the crime.
To further bolster their case, prosecutors presented testimony from Henry Cole, a fellow inmate who shared a cell with Williams in 1999 while Williams was in jail on unrelated charges. Cole asserted that Williams confessed to the murder and provided detailed information about the crime.
In response to these allegations, Williams’ defense team argued that both Williams’ girlfriend and Henry Cole were convicted felons with a vested interest in implicating Williams. They suggested that the testimony might have been motivated by a $10,000 reward.
The decision by Governor Parson to dissolve the review panel and lift the execution stay has drawn criticism from those who believe Williams’ innocence claim merits further investigation. Advocates for Williams argue that the presence of DNA from an unidentified person on the murder weapon raises significant doubts about his guilt.
As the case proceeds, it remains to be seen whether new evidence will emerge or whether Marcellus Williams will face execution for a crime he continues to maintain he did not commit.
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