ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson will allow a panel of five former judges to review the death penalty case of Marcellus Williams, whose guilt in the stabbing death of a former newspaper reporter has been called into question by DNA evidence.

The inquiry was initially ordered last year by then-Gov. Eric Greitens. Parson replaced his fellow Republican as governor in June after Greitens resigned amid investigations into an extramarital affair and his alleged use of a charity donor list for political purposes.

A spokeswoman for Parson on Monday confirmed the panel has been given the go-ahead to proceed.

Williams was convicted of killing former St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Lisha Gayle during a 1998 burglary. He was hours away from execution last August when Greitens stepped in and ordered the investigation.