Topics: Crime, Money, True crime, US News
A man wrongfully convicted of murder who spent nearly 10 years in prison has been freed and awarded a $38 million payout.
In December 2005, Ryan Ferguson was wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to prison at the age of 19.
He maintained his innocence but served nearly a decade in Missouri state prison before his case was overturned.
Columbia Daily Tribune sports editor Kent Heitholt was found beaten and strangled on November 1, 2001 in the parking lot of the outlet's building.
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His murder went unsolved for two years until a man named Charles Erickson came forward to say he'd been in the area that night - out partying with Ferguson - and had no memory of the night, and was worried that he may've been involved in the incident in some way.
Erickson later confessed to the murder despite holding no recollection of the night and implicated Ferguson too.
He took a plea deal of 25 years and agreed to testify against Ferguson, who was later convicted in the fall of 2025 based on Erickson's testimony alongside one of the building's employees, and Ferguson was convicted of robbery and second-degree murder before being sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Ferguson appealed his conviction 11 times but they were all dismissed until a new attorney agreed to take his case on pro bono in 2009.
Witnesses later came forward alleging police and a prosecuting attorney had coerced them to lie in their testimonies, according to a lawsuit filed by Ferguson's attorney, as per Columbia Missourian.
Erickson also later admitted: "I made up what I said about Ryan being on top of the victim. I lied about him strangling the victim. That was a lie. Ryan never touched the victim."
On November 5, 2013, it was ruled by a judge Ferguson did not receive a fair trial and his conviction was overturned.
Erickson was later released on parole in January 2023.
A month after being released from prison., Ferguson told CBS News: "It's an incredible feeling, I can go where I want, and do what I want, that's just something I haven't experienced in my whole adult life, pretty much. I get out and it's such a different world and there is so much more going on."
Ferguson later decided to sue the City of Columbia, police and prosecutors in 2017 and was awarded over $11 million in a settlement.
However, the insurance company - Traveler's Insurance - failed to pay him and so on Friday (November 1) the company was ordered by a jury to pay Ferguson $2.9 million alongside $35 million in punitive damages - totalling nearly $38 million.
Kathleen Zellner reflected on Ferguson's freedom and the $38 million payout to ABC17 News: "This verdict will have a widespread effect on wrongful conviction cases across the country when the insurer refuses to participate in the settlement negotiations and refuses to pay their share of the verdict immediately. Justice was finally served for Ryan Ferguson.
"The jury heard us loud and clear."
The officers included in the lawsuit, who were accused of manipulating evidence to gain a conviction, have denied any wrongdoing, ABC17 also reported.
UNILAD has contacted Traveler's Insurance for comment.
