On Tuesday, Missouri executed Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams for the 1998 murder of a former newspaper reporter, despite both a prosecutor involved in the case and the victim’s family urging that his life be spared.

Williams, who consistently claimed innocence—supported not only by his defense team but also by later prosecutors—became the third inmate to be executed in Missouri this year and the 15th nationwide. The Missouri Department of Corrections reported he was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. following a lethal injection.

“What we witnessed tonight is Missouri’s disturbing display of state authority,” stated Williams’ attorney, Tricia Rojo Bushnell, highlighting the prosecutors’ efforts to overturn the conviction and save his life.

Williams’ son, Marcellus Williams Jr., expressed to KSDK-TV, “This is murder.”

At age 55, Williams was found guilty of murdering Lisha Gayle, a former police reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, during a burglary at her St. Louis suburban residence where she lived with her husband, a physician. She was stabbed 43 times with a knife from their kitchen.

No DNA evidence ever linked Williams to the crime. Recently, a prosecutor had argued that the execution should be halted, and in a clemency petition, Gayle’s family expressed that they consider closure to mean Williams being allowed to live. They stated, “Marcellus’ execution is not necessary.”

Nonetheless, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, along with the Missouri Supreme Court, rejected Williams’ request for clemency on Monday.

On Tuesday, just under an hour before the execution, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to intervene, although the court’s three liberal justices—Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson—indicated they would have supported a stay for Williams. The Supreme Court did not provide a rationale for its decision.

Final Moments of Marcellus Williams

Williams’ last meal consisted of chicken wings and tater tots, as confirmed by corrections spokesperson Karen Pojmann to YSL News.

His final visitor was Imam Jalahii Kacem, who spent around 90 minutes with him.

When asked for any last words, Williams had planned to say, “All praise be to Allah in every situation,” as shared with YSL News by the corrections department.

Marcellus Williams Remembered

Williams’ lead defense attorney reported that over a million citizens and faith leaders urged Gov. Parson to commute her client’s death sentence.

“What happened is not justice,” Bushnell stated. “We must all reflect on a system that permits such acts.”

She described Williams as “a kind and thoughtful man” who dedicated his final years to supporting those around him while serving in his role as an imam.

“We will remember him for his impactful poetry and his deep love and service to both his family and community,” she added. “Although he wished to return home, he transformed his anger and fear of wrongful execution into dedication through his faith, striving to find meaning and connection in Islam. The world will be less vibrant without him.”

She also expressed gratitude to the prosecuting attorney who attempted to save Williams, acknowledging his dedication to truth and justice.

A Call for Justice

Williams’ execution faced backlash from not only religious leaders

Government officials and national advocacy organizations such as the NAACP and Black Lives Matter have expressed deep concern, alongside many citizens.

Democratic Congresswoman Cori Bush from Missouri stated that Governor Parson not only disregarded urgent appeals but also “illustrated how the death penalty is used without any consideration for innocence, compassion, equity, or humanity.”

In her statement to YSL News, Bush said, “He has shown us that the standard of ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ can be selectively applied, depending on who is accused and who holds power.”

NAACP President Derrick Johnson remarked to YSL News, “This evening, Missouri executed an innocent Black man. Governor Parson had the moral obligation to prevent this tragic loss of an innocent life, yet he failed to act. The NAACP was established in 1909 in response to the brutal lynchings of Black individuals across America—exactly due to the actions of individuals like Governor Parson, who continue to inflict harm on innocent Black communities. We will seek accountability from Governor Parson. When DNA evidence confirms innocence, the death penalty cannot be seen as justice—it is murder.”

Black Lives Matter expressed their outrage on X, condemning the actions of the governor towards an innocent Black man.

YSL News has reached out to Parson’s office for a response to the backlash.

How was Marcellus Williams executed?

Williams was executed through lethal injection, which is the most common execution method in the United States.

In Missouri, condemned prisoners can choose between lethal injection and lethal gas as their execution method.

The state carried out Williams’ execution using a 5-gram dose of pentobarbital as per Missouri’s guidelines for lethal injections.

What were Marcellus Williams’ charges?

In 2001, Williams was convicted of first-degree murder, burglary, and robbery connected to the death of Gayle.

Gayle, who was 42 years old, was in the shower when an intruder broke into her house on a gated street. After leaving the bathroom, she encountered her attacker on the stairs. Tragically, she was stabbed 43 times with a kitchen knife taken from her home.

That evening, her husband found her in the foyer and promptly contacted emergency services.

Among the evidence collected by police were bloody shoe prints, fingerprints, a knife sheath, and hair from the suspect found on Gayle’s shirt, hands, and the floor. Gayle’s purse, jacket, and her husband’s laptop were reported missing.

Initially, no suspect was identified, prompting Gayle’s family to offer a $10,000 reward in May 1999 for any information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Williams’ arrest came shortly after, based on the testimony of a fellow inmate who claimed Williams confessed to killing Gayle while they were both incarcerated.

Additionally, Williams’ girlfriend, Lara Asaro, accused him of the murder. At the time of his conviction, he was serving a 20-year sentence for robbing a donut shop in downtown St. Louis.

Williams’ defense team maintained that both informants had reasons to cooperate with prosecutors and highlighted inconsistencies in their accounts of the crime. Both witnesses have since passed away.

Williams had two previous execution dates, both were postponed

Williams was scheduled for execution in January 2015 and again in August 2017.

Both instances were stopped to allow for further DNA testing and investigation. The last postponement was ordered by former Governor Eric Greitens, who established a board of inquiry to review the case.

However, in the summer of 2023, newly inaugurated Governor Parson disbanded the board and removed the stay of execution. Parson stated that the court would determine Williams’ fate, leading the Missouri Supreme Court to issue a new execution warrant for him.

What were Williams’ claims during his appeals?

On August 21, the office of county prosecutor Wesley Bell and Williams’ legal team reached an agreement allowing Williams to enter a new, no-contest plea to first-degree murder in return for a life sentence without the possibility of parole. The victim’s husband, Daniel Picus, supported the plea.

Despite Bell’s push to overturn Williams’ murder conviction, state Attorney General Andrew Bailey maintained that the conviction should remain intact and instructed St. Louis County Circuit Judge Bruce Hilton—who accepted the plea—to conduct an evidentiary hearing regarding the case.

During an evidentiary hearing on August 28, a retired prosecutor who handled the original case admitted that evidence was improperly managed in the 1998 trial, evidence that could have potentially cleared Williams.

On September 12, Judge Hilton decided not to overturn Williams’ conviction and death sentence, even after defense lawyers raised concerns about the DNA evidence found on the knife used in the murder. Their investigation revealed that the DNA from the knife indicated an unidentified male and did not match Williams.

“There is no reason for the court to conclude that Williams is innocent, and no court has affirmed such a position,” St. Louis County Circuit Judge Bruce Hilton commented. “Williams has been legally determined guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.”

Following Governor Parson’s rejection of a recent plea to stop the execution on Monday, he issued a statement noting that “no jury or court—including trial, appellate, and Supreme Court—has found any validity in Mr. Williams’ claims of innocence.”

“Dealing with capital punishment cases is one of the more challenging responsibilities in the Governor’s Office, but I ultimately adhere to the law and have faith in our judicial processes,” he added.

Williams’ execution coincided closely with another in Texas

Williams was executed shortly before Texas proceeded with its fourth execution of the year. Travis James Mullis was executed by lethal injection on Tuesday night for murdering his infant son in 2008, marking the 16th execution in the U.S. this year.

Additionally, two executions are scheduled back-to-back in Alabama and Oklahoma on Thursday.

This report has been updated to include new details.

Natalie Neysa Alund serves as a senior reporter for YSL News. Follow her on X @nataliealund.