In 2001 on November 1st in the early hours of the morning a man called Kent Heitholt was found beaten and strangled. His body was in the parking lot of the newspaper where he worked. The murder went unsolved for two years and then a man named Charles Erickson contacted the police. Erickson was increasingly concerned that he may have been responsible. This was despite having no recollection of the night or the murder. After telling some friends the police were notified and they questioned Erickson. Erickson had no memories of the murder. He was not able to give the police accurate details. After a number of failed guesses at the murder weapon the police finally told him that it was Mr Heitholt’s belt.

After some time Erickson confessed that he and a friend of his, Ryan Ferguson, had assaulted Heitholt. He said they did it for beer money for that night. The police offered Erickson a plea deal in exchange for testimony against Ryan Ferguson at trial. At trial Erickson gave a detailed description of how Ferguson strangled Heitholt. The defense made it clear that none of the physical evidence at the crime scene had any connection with Ferguson or Erickson.

Ferguson was subsequently convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Wrongful conviction advocacy groups gave Ferguson a lot of support. These groups attracted the interest of some powerful legal representation. Witnesses started to recant their testimony. Other witnesses cited pressure and intimidation by the prosecution when their evidence did not support their case. A litany of lies and fabrication was revealed in the prosecution’s case. The conviction was finally vacated in 2013 after Ryan had spent nearly 10 years languishing behind bars.

Ryan filed a civil suit in 2014 against 11 individuals as well as Boone County, Missouri and the city of Columbia.

He is also working to help clear his friend, Charles Erickson, who still in prison.

Ryan’s case is another example of the power of public support.