Marcellus Williams was put to death in Missouri on Tuesday following his conviction for the 1998 killing of Lisha Gayle, a former reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, during a burglary in the suburban home she shared with her husband, who is a doctor.

At 55 years old, Williams, who consistently claimed he was innocent, was the third individual executed in Missouri this year and the 15th in the United States.

No DNA evidence linked Williams to the murder weapon. Recently, St. Louis County prosecutor Attorney Wesley Bell attempted to overturn the death sentence based on a new DNA analysis indicating that the murder weapon had been improperly handled during the trial. This request was rejected, and both Republican Governor Mike Parson and the Missouri Supreme Court refused to grant clemency.

The execution of Williams on Tuesday night led to strong reactions from both Missouri and across the country. Here are the key points to note.

Execution Draws Widespread Criticism

Responses from around the internet were largely critical of the death penalty imposed on Williams.

“Tonight, we are all witnesses to Missouri’s horrifying display of state power,” stated Williams’ lawyer, Tricia Rojo Bushnell, prior to the execution, highlighting how prosecutors had “strenuously worked to reverse the conviction and save Mr. Williams’ life.”

Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush commented that “The criminal justice system in Missouri and the nation has failed Marcellus Williams, and by maintaining the death penalty, we continue to endorse this moral failing.”

Derrick Johnson of the NAACP compared the execution to a lynching.

“What kind of message does this send to the citizens of Missouri and to people in the whole country?” Johnson asked on X. “#MarcellusWilliams had the right to live.”

Richard Branson, the billionaire and co-founder of the Virgin Group, publicly condemned the execution in a discussion on X.

Conservative radio host Dana Loesch brought up Williams’ execution in reference to the recent death of St. Louis Police Officer David Lee, who was killed by a suspected drunk driver on Sunday.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.