Ronnie Long has been officially added to the National Registry of Exonerations. He is #3 for longest time served as an innocent person. This is a list no one wants to be on. 

https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=5801

Ronnie Long still needs Governor Cooper to pardon him in order for him to receive any type of compensation from the State of NC.