Investigators still have questions about how Rowan Ford was killed
by Sara Sheffield, KY3 News
CASSVILLE, Mo. — The investigation of the death of Rowan Ford is far from closed, even though two men are charged with raping and murdering her. Rowan’s stepfather, David Spears, and his friend, Chris Collings, appeared in court on the charges on Tuesday morning before a Barry County associate circuit judge. Afterwards, the Barry County sheriff confided that there are still questions about who did what.
The hearing, formally called an arraignment, only lasted 10 minutes. The two men face the possibility of spending the rest of their lives behind bars or death by execution if convicted of raping and murdering Rowan.
Dozens were there to witness Spears and Collings, who were escorted into the courtroom in shackles and chains. Spears stared straight down at the floor. Colleen Spears, his wife and the mother of Rowan, sat visibly shaken.
“It’s a case that has put everybody in this community here, which is a very nice community, in shock that something like this would happen,” said Sheriff Mick Epperly.
Detectives say both men admitted to raping and murdering the 9-year-old girl at a trailer in Barry County.
“We had one of them over here in Barry County admitting to what the allegations were and then we had one in Newton County that was doing the very same thing, and almost at the same time,” said Epperly, describing what happened on Friday after Rowan’s body was found in a sinkhole, a week after she disappeared from her home in Stella, in Newton County.
Epperly says a lot of questions are unanswered, like whether Spears knew this was going to happen.
“He let on like it was happening and he kind of joins in and participates in the crime going on. We’re still a little unclear on some of that,” the sheriff said.
What is clear, according to court documents, is both confessed to having a hand in the crime. However, both pleaded not guilty, which always happens at associate circuit court arraignments before defendants have defense attorneys. Still, it is a disturbing plea for Colleen Spears to see and for those involved.
Perhaps what’s worse, says Epperly, is the reason that the men killed the girl.
“As to why they actually killed her, it’s because the little girl looked up to him and seen him there supposedly in the moon light as they was taking her out of the camper. And I guess at that point he knew that she would tell and it would be over from that point. And that’s sad,” said Epperly.
The sheriff plans to have detectives question Colleen Spears. He wants to try to figure out if she had any prior knowledge of this murder or any kind of prior sexual abuse. If so, he would like to see her charged also.
Some DNA evidence will be back from an FBI laboratory in the next week or two. That could clarify a whole lot of questions surrounding this case.
The two suspects are being held at the Barry County jail in separate cells. Epperly has to keep them away from the rest of the jail population and also away from each other. He says people facing such serious charges often become depressed, so he put them on suicide watch. That means they are being watched every 15 minutes.
The next step in the process is for public defenders, assuming the men qualify for them, to notify the judge that they represent the men. Then the attorneys will appear in court with the prosecuting attorney to set a date for a preliminary hearing, at which prosecutors would try to show the judge that there’s enough evidence to send the case to trial court. Defendants also may waive their right to a preliminary hearing.
http://www.ky3.com/home/video/11252961.html
They have them on “Suicide watch”. Yeah, I will volunteer for that duty. I would love to watch them suicide. Can I make video too? - Mc
Thanks for the ping and the update.
Every 15 minutes isn’t a line of sight kind of watch.
You can leave a rope and be back in 15 to a dead person.
Thanks for the updates.
These two useless subhumans deserve a slow, torturous death.
Drawing and quartering would be good.
We don't have the death penalty in Michigan....the idiot liberal voters voted it down. Since these pedophile, child-molesting murderers are protected in jail, and some states have the death penalty but some don't, I say the Federal government build a centralized prison specifically made for the above mentioned. First time you rape and murder a child, you get DEATH.
I am being generous here, too, since a lot of sex offenders aren't like Collings and Spears. But raping and murdering a child is beyond comprehension and deserves nothing but DEATH.