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Kent Heitholt, a sports editor with Columbia Daily Tribune in Columbia, Missouri, was brutally murdered in the parking lot as he left work just after 2 a.m. on the morning of November 1, 2001. The police had no significant leads until 2 ½ years later when 19 year old Chuck Erickson began telling friends he'd had a dream that he may have been involved. Chuck was picked up by the police on March 10, 2004 and taken in for questioning.
Below is the link to Charles Erickson’s first police video taped interrogation.
You can see Detective Short spoon-feeding details to Chuck he did not know prior to the interrogation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCyKnc1BVV8
During his interrogation it became evident that Chuck didn’t know any details of the crime. This is when police began feeding him information about what had happened that night including details not previously released to the public. Chuck ended up implicating Ryan Ferguson who adamantly denies any involvement in this horrific crime.
Chuck later plea bargained and testified against Ryan. He was given a 25 year sentence for second degree murder. Ryan was convicted and sentenced to 40 years.
There was not one piece of evidence found at the crime scene that supports Chuck's fabricated story. Below is an outline of the important facts in this case. For a more detailed account you can access the narrative. The link can be found on the homepage of this website. |
2:08 - 2:10 a.m. - The victim, Kent Heitholt, logged off his computer, said his good-byes and walked to his car which was parked in the Tribune's North parking lot in the space closest to the building.
Police Report #1
Aerial Photograph of the crime scene
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Michael Boyd, an assistant to the victim and the last person to see him alive, had already walked to his car in the same lot and sat adjusting his car radio.
(Police Report # 25)
Michael Boyd changed his story several times -
Twice the day of the crime 2001
Twice in 2005
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| The police and the prosecutor failed to investigate the last person to admit talking to the victim just before his death and just minutes before the 911 call at 2:26 a.m. Michael Boyd worked for the victim and told detectives he departed the parking lot at 2:20 a.m. just 6 minutes before the 911 call was made. view the facts |
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| 2:10 - 2:20 a.m. - While sitting in his own car Boyd says he watched the victim walk to his car. Boyd said he drove the few feet over to where the victim was standing and talked to him 3 - 5 minutes through the driver's side window without getting out of his car. (PR #25) view the facts |
| 2:20 a.m. - Boyd told Detective Short he departed the parking lot in his car. |
2:15 – 2:25 a.m.
The victim poured cat food onto the wall next to the brick enclosure.
Crime Scene Photo A
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2:15 – 2:25 a.m.
The victim was murdered. |
