JEFFERSON CITY — A Cole County Circuit Court judge decided Travelers insurance must pay Ryan Ferguson, who was wrongly convicted of murder, over $43.8 million.

Ferguson was convicted of second-degree murder and robbery in 2005 for the killing of Columbia Daily Tribune sports editor Kent Heitholt in 2001. An appeals court vacated his conviction in 2013 after it found the prosecution withheld evidence during the initial trial. The case garnered national attention.

The city of Columbia used Travelers Indemnity Company for insurance. After a judge ruled the city must pay Ferguson $11 million in 2017 for the actions of Columbia police detectives, which led to Ferguson's wrongful conviction, Travelers argued it was not legally liable to pay this out.

A judge then ruled against Travelers in 2018, finding that the company was liable for having to pay the damages to Ferguson under the policy it had with the city.

In 2024, a jury found Travelers financially liable under counts of bad faith and vexatious refusal/delay, which is when an insurance company refuses to pay a claim without a valid reason.

On Monday, a Cole County judge awarded Ferguson the $43.8 million in compensation after initial financial amounts compounded over time.