Marcellus Williams Doesn't Have To Die.
This is not the beginning or the end of stories like these.
There are less than 42 hours until the scheduled execution of Marcellus Williams, a Missouri native imprisoned for the alleged 1998 murder of Felicia Gayle Picus.
After more than two decades of fighting his conviction, Williams urgently needs the support of the community to revisit his case and help him fight for his freedom.
An updated 2007 report on Williams’ case provides critical details, including testimony from his then-girlfriend, Laura Asaro. Asaro testified that Williams was wearing a jacket despite the summer heat, and when he removed it, she saw blood on his shirt and scratches on his neck. She claimed that Williams admitted to killing Gayle, disposed of his clothes in a storm sewer, and confessed the crime to her (Williams v. Roper, No. 4:05CV1474 RWS, at 2–3 (E.D. Mo. Mar. 30, 2007)).
Additionally, the report mentions that the police recovered the stolen laptop of Gayle’s husband, from Glenn Roberts, a friend of Williams, who testified that he had purchased it from Williams shortly after the murder. While these details might initially paint Williams as the culprit, closer examination reveals deep flaws in how his defense was handled—and in the crucial DNA evidence that was disregarded.
The Defense
The report underscores the prosecution’s use of tactics that Williams’ defense team struggled to counter. For example, the court ruled that Glenn Roberts couldn’t testify that Williams told him he was selling the laptop on behalf of Laura Asaro. Since Roberts had already testified that Williams sold him the laptop after the murder, the court decided that the "Rule of Completeness"—which would allow for more context to be provided—was unnecessary.
This ruling was a major blow to the defense. Deeper into the report, it’s revealed that two witnesses had independently testified that they had seen Asaro with the laptop, yet the court’s decision to exclude Williams' explanation of selling it for Asaro meant that the defense couldn’t fully explore the possibility of her involvement (Williams v. Roper, No. 4:05CV1474 RWS, at 4).
By successfully blocking Williams’ statement about Asaro as hearsay, the prosecution made it difficult for the defense to shift suspicion toward her, thereby limiting Williams’ ability to present his side of the story.
DNA Evidence
Following his conviction, Williams was sentenced to death on charges of first-degree murder, burglary, robbery, and armed criminal action. Despite testimony from Asaro and other witnesses, Williams’ defense raised significant questions regarding the DNA evidence—or lack thereof.
After the trial, DNA tests revealed no physical evidence linking Williams to the crime scene. As noted on page 9 of the report, "none of [Williams'] hairs were found at the crime scene and none of his DNA was found under the victim’s fingernails" (Williams v. Roper, No. 4:05CV1474 RWS, at 9). This directly contradicts Asaro’s claims that Williams had scratches on his neck concerning the murder, casting further doubt on her reliability as a witness.
Despite this exonerating DNA evidence and the inconsistencies in testimony, Williams now faces execution in less than two days. The defense’s failure to properly counter the prosecution’s tactics, combined with the court’s refusal to consider DNA results that could have absolved Williams, creates serious concerns about the fairness of his trial.
Call to Action
This case is both complex and alarming, and time is running out. With the inconsistencies in witness testimony and the dismissal of key DNA evidence, everyone needs to take a closer look at the case of Marcellus Williams. As the clock ticks down, the question remains: has justice truly been served? Now is the time for the community to act and demand a thorough review before it’s too late.
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