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Killers of 9 yr old Rowan Ford confess. (post-arrest news and update thread)
Joplin Globe ^ | November 11, 2007 | Debbie Robinson

Posted on 11/11/2007 11:10:08 PM PST by McCoMo

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Sheriff: Men confess to crime

By Debbie Robinson

news@joplinglobe.com

STELLA, Mo. — Both defendants in the brutal rape and murder of 9-year-old Rowan Ford have confessed to the crime, the Newton County sheriff said Sunday.

David Spears, 25, of Stella, and Chris Collings, 32, of Wheaton, are charged with one count each of first-degree murder, forcible rape and statutory rape in the girl’s death. Spears is Rowan’s stepfather.

Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland said investigators allege that Rowan was abducted early Nov. 3 from her home in Stella in Newton County, murdered in Barry County, and her body dumped in a sinkhole in McDonald County.

After a nearly weeklong search for the girl, Copeland said, Collings confessed Friday to Wheaton police Chief Clint Clark. Spears was arrested a short time later.

“Both confessed to raping and strangling her,” Copeland said.

Clark did not return a phone call Sunday. The Barry County sheriff’s office in Cassville said Sheriff Mick Epperly would have no updates on the case until Tuesday.

Investigators are continuing to work on determining what happened the night Rowan was abducted from her home, Copeland said.

David Spears has provided conflicting information to investigators since Spears and Rowan’s mother, Colleen Spears, reported the girl missing about 6:50 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, Copeland said.

During the search for Rowan, Copeland said, David Spears rode around with another man.

“He (Spears) was pointing out to this man where would be good places to put a body,” Copeland said.

One of those places was the sinkhole in McDonald County where the girl’s body ultimately was found, the sheriff said.

“It’s about 15 to 20 feet down, and it was getting dark,” Copeland said of the time David Spears reportedly pointed out the site during the search.

Rowan’s body was found the next morning, which was Friday, by McDonald County deputies Jake Boles and Mike Hall in the sinkhole near Powell.

According to reports, Colleen Spears last saw her daughter at about 8:30 p.m. Nov. 2 before she left for work at the Wal-Mart store in Jane.

David Spears, Collings and another man were playing pool at the Spears home in the town of Stella in southern Newton County while Rowan was asleep in her bedroom, Copeland said.

The three men decided to leave at 10:45 p.m. to take Collings home, Copeland said.

“They stopped so a man named Nathan and David could get more beer,” he said.

Copeland said Nathan reportedly dropped David Spears off at the Spears residence.

That’s where the story gets murky, Copeland said.

Authorities said David Spears has acknowledged that he went out a second time around 1:30 a.m. Nov. 3 after calling his mother, Myrna Spears, and asking to borrow her car. Myrna Spears has said she watched television and did not check on the girl. David Spears was gone for 5 1/2 hours.

Copeland said Sunday that David Spears has told investigators that he discovered Rowan missing before he called his mother.

“He said he knew Chris (Collings) would have her (Rowan),” Copeland said.

He said Spears has said that after borrowing his mother’s car, he drove to Collings’ travel trailer, where he alleged that he found Collings raping the girl.

Both men are suspected of raping and strangling the girl with a netting cord, Copeland said.

David Spears initially told investigators that he did not discover Rowan was missing until the next morning, after Colleen Spears arrived home from work.

“We had three different cadaver dogs hit on (Myrna Spears’) car,” Copeland said. “We know the body was in there at some point.”

The two defendants are expected to be arraigned Tuesday in Barry County Circuit Court. Both men were being held Sunday without bond in the Barry County Jail.

Myrna Spears said Sunday that she has not talked to her son since his arrest on Friday.

David Spears and Collings, who grew up in the Wheaton area, have been friends for about 10 years, Myrna Spears said.

She said Collings recently returned from Arkansas, where his estranged wife and two children, both younger than 10, live.

Myrna Spears said she thought she knew Collings, and never suspected that he or her son would be capable of murder and rape.

Copeland said Sunday that Spears and Collings recently had been working for a property owner on construction of a barn in McDonald County.

Neither man is listed as a registered sex offender, Copeland said.

Copeland said Collings, who lived in the travel trailer about a mile east of Wheaton, had been making a living by working odd jobs and selling scrap metal.

Services

Funeral services for Rowan Ford will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Gospel Lighthouse Church in Neosho. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Clark Funeral Home in Neosho, where the family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. A memorial fund has been established. Donations may be made at any Hometown Bank.

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TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: abduction; cops; crime; evil; killthemboth; missouri; murder; pedophile; stringemup
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To: McCoMo

One article said the Newton County sheriff (I believe it was him) said the trial would be held in Newton County. Now the Newton Cty prosecutor will be handling it, unless a special prosecutor is called in, which I think is unlikely since this is pretty much a slam dunk case.

However, If the defense pleas not guilty, I will be VERY suprised if they do not ask for and are granted a Change of Venue. If it goes to trial.. I am almost ready to bet it would go down in Sedalia Missouri.


241 posted on 11/15/2007 5:18:11 PM PST by McCoMo
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Bump for later reference.


242 posted on 11/16/2007 5:14:47 AM PST by bcsco ("The American Indians found out what happens when you don't control immigration.")
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To: pandoraou812

Thanks Pandoraou, i will


243 posted on 11/17/2007 8:32:18 AM PST by solange82200
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To: McCoMo
Thank you for the ping, McCoMo. Any new news?

I just noticed that David Spears's myspace page has been deleted. It must have been family, because that other pig's page is still there. I also wanted to say, that I recall David Spears saying that he had a blackout when little Rowan was murdered. I'm here to say that if that were true, he would have NEVER remembered what he confessed to. I have personally had a few blackouts when drinking, (that's why I don't drink) and memories of a blackout do not come back. Even if someone told you that you did this or you did that....you do not remember.

But, we all knew that he was lying to begin with.

244 posted on 11/18/2007 12:04:29 PM PST by IamHD
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To: IamHD

No new news at the moment. I plan to go to the trial, whenever that goes down, so will let everyone know whats happening when it does.

I agree with you completely about blackouts and memory. While I have not drank for 20 years, I’ve tied one on a few times in my past.. and the few times I was so drunk that I could not recall what happened, I NEVER remembered it later.

Sounds to me like a guilty conscience trying to make himself look the tiniest bit less guilty.


245 posted on 11/18/2007 12:12:51 PM PST by McCoMo
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To: McCoMo

Hmm, although I believe what you guys are saying, I have blacked out (drinking and drugs involved, in my irresponsible younger days), and someone mentioned something to me about that night that I didnt even think had happened. It was a place we went to, I had totally forgotten that we had left the bar we were at and went to another one. But when the person reminded me, it started coming back to me.

The reason that I don’t believe his “defense”, however, is that once it started coming back to me, I remember that I wasn’t any less in control than the average drunk person (I remember thinking that I shouldnt be taking drugs, and actually deciding to stop because I knew I didn’t want to go down that path). Being drunk doesnt make someone rape and kill a young girl, I’m sorry. You would have to actually WANT to do it, and be TEMPTED to do it. Alcohol does lower your inhibitions, but they have to be pretty damn low to begin with to do something like this.


246 posted on 11/19/2007 12:01:53 PM PST by solange82200
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To: McCoMo

I hope you are able to go to the trial McCoMo, it would be nice to hear first-hand from you what goes down. Please dont forget us!


247 posted on 11/19/2007 12:03:44 PM PST by solange82200
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To: solange82200
While I'm not disbelieving you, solange, in my experience having blackouts while drinking, it didn't matter whether or not I had 1 glass of wine, or 3 to 4 glasses of wine. While not happening every single time that I drank, I was unable to remember my husband driving us home. I would ask him in the morning because there would be bits of my life that I couldn't remember. I have never, ever wanted to hurt a soul while drinking and I agree that a person that does, wanted to do it or thought about it anyways...sober or drunk.

You're probably right in saying that this was the beginning of the David's "defense" which in my opinion, is NO defense. I am so sick and tired of hearing about such heinous things being done to children, I could scream!

248 posted on 11/19/2007 12:52:08 PM PST by IamHD
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To: solange82200

“Alcohol does lower your inhibitions, but they have to be pretty damn low to begin with to do something like this.”

I am in complete agreement.


249 posted on 11/19/2007 2:53:26 PM PST by McCoMo
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To: McCoMo; All

Check out this blog. It has locals there who went to the funeral. It seems Colleen was sleeping with both men. The mother needs to be locked up imo.

http://www.dreamindemon.com/2007/11/10/david-spears-chris-collings-arrested-in-death-of-rowan-ford/


250 posted on 11/19/2007 2:55:25 PM PST by meanie monster
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To: IamHD

Being drunk or on drugs has never, IMO, been a defense. Those who are unable to control their actions on drugs or alcohol should use neither. While their thinking may be incapacitated, it is a willful and voluntary incapacitance, thus the user is still responsible for their actions.


251 posted on 11/19/2007 2:56:53 PM PST by McCoMo
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To: meanie monster

Looks like some really pissed off people responded to that blog, huh? I can relate.

Interesting reading.


252 posted on 11/19/2007 2:59:54 PM PST by McCoMo
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To: solange82200

“Please dont forget us!”

Don’t sweat it, I will absolutely (barring my own death happening first) keep ya up to date on what goes down.


253 posted on 11/19/2007 3:01:17 PM PST by McCoMo
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To: meanie monster
Some disturbing things there. I also found this .. read in particular a local by the name of "Jen." This person appears to know a lot about Collings.

WARNING: This is one sick guy if this is true. (keep scrolling down to the posts)

http://pysih.com/2007/11/11/david-spears-and-chris-collings

254 posted on 11/19/2007 11:03:08 PM PST by IamHD
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To: McCoMo

omg the mother,,, Colleen just added me to her myspace friends list...let me dig a little deeper,,, lol...Yes I have a myspace page....


255 posted on 11/20/2007 2:02:57 AM PST by meanie monster
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To: IamHD

nice site, thanks.


256 posted on 11/20/2007 2:04:05 AM PST by meanie monster
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To: McCoMo

I also read somewhere that the BACA Bikers “Bikers Against Child Abuse” have a hit out on these 2 dirt bags...They attended the funeral also..


257 posted on 11/20/2007 2:17:29 AM PST by meanie monster
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To: meanie monster

LOL. Well, I do not know about a hit, per se, but I have little doubt how some of the BACA boys would handle it.


258 posted on 11/20/2007 7:41:40 AM PST by McCoMo
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To: McCoMo

I am having problems trying to engage this woman...I don’t know how to say anything short of “CHILD KILLER”!!!! So far ,,,all I dig up points to her....I am hugging and kissing my babies right now....I so luv my KIDS! I am so sick but thanks for this thread! REALLY!


259 posted on 11/20/2007 6:49:52 PM PST by meanie monster
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To: meanie monster

now i am talking to rowan’s sister who lives in florida....more to come....


260 posted on 11/20/2007 7:26:09 PM PST by meanie monster
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