Trial Set For David Spears in 2009 MO Rape/Murder of 9 yr old Rowan Ford

[Jeff1857]

NEOSHO, Mo. - The stepfather of a 9-year-old girl whose body was found Friday in a hillside cave in southwest Missouri was arrested in her death, authorities said.

Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland said 24-year-old David Spears was arrested in the death of Rowan Ford.

"The stepfather was a possible suspect," Copeland told The Associated Press. "I will confirm that he has been arrested, as well as one of his friends."

Copeland said a 24-year-old man from Wheaton, in adjacent Barry County, was also arrested. Charges had not been filed as of Friday night.

Rowan's body was found on private land about 10 miles south of the girl's hometown of Stella, a village of about 200 people, Copeland said.

Authorities believe she was killed in adjacent Barry County and her body then taken to nearby McDonald County, he said.

Copeland referred questions to the Barry County sheriff, who did not immediately return a phone call.

Copeland had said earlier that authorities were still determining how the girl died.

"We know we have a homicide," Copeland said, declining to elaborate.

The McDonald County deputy who found the body had searched the area on his way to work after recalling that there was a cavern there, Copeland said. The FBI was gathering the evidence at the scene.

Stella Mayor Bill Alsop, who answered the phone at the family's home Friday, said the girl's mother was "pretty shook up" when Copeland came to the home that morning and told her the body was very likely Rowan's.

"He told her they found the body of the little girl, and they were 99 percent sure it was her daughter," Alsop said.

Rowan was reported missing after her mother, Colleen Spears, returned home early Nov. 3 from a night shift at a Wal-Mart.

David Spears told investigators that he and two male friends were with Rowan the night before until they went out around 10:45 p.m. He returned home around midnight but did not check on the girl, Copeland said.

David Spears also later told authorities that he called his mother sometime after 1 a.m. and asked to use her vehicle, Copeland has said. She took it to him about half an hour later, then stayed at his house while her son left in her vehicle for about 5 1/2 hours, Copeland has said.

Copeland also has said that David Spears has not been able to explain what he did during that time.

David Spears declined to comment. He has been staying at his mother's house outside Stella since Rowan's disappearance.

"He's pretty torn up. He's extremely distraught. He's been crying quite a bit," his mother, Myrna Spears, said.

His mother declined to answer any questions about what happened that night. David Spears previously has said that it was wrong for him to leave the girl alone.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe the step-dad's mom ought to be in jail too.

[tramoore]

CASSVILLE, Mo. -- A man charged with raping and murdering his 9-year-old stepdaughter, Rowan Ford, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Tuesday. Associate Circuit Judge Victor Head sent David Spears’ case to circuit court for a trial or a plea.

A preliminary hearing is when a prosecutor must prove to a judge that there’s enough evidence for a case to go to be tried. Spears declined to make Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Johnnie Cox present that evidence.

Spears is charged with first-degree murder, forcible rape and first-degree statutory rape. Ford disappeared in November from her home in Stella in Newton County. Searchers found her body a week later in a cave in McDonald County, about 10 miles south of her home. Investigators think Spears and a friend, Chris Collings, assaulted and killed Rowan at Collings’ home in Barry County.

Head scheduled Spears’ first appearance before Circuit Judge Robert Wiley for Jan. 22. That’s the same time that Collings is scheduled to appear before Wiley after he waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Dec. 21. It’ll be up to Wiley or another circuit judge to schedule a trial for both men.

Posted on: January 22, 2008, 09:22:36 AMCASSVILLE, Mo. — The two men charged with the rape and murder of a 9-year-old Stella girl last year have requested changes of venue, according to court records.

Michael King, a Carthage-based public defender representing David Spears, 25, said he requested a change of venue last week because of the “extreme publicity” generated by the case. Spears is charged in Barry County with first-degree murder, forcible rape and statutory rape in connection with the death of his stepdaughter, Rowan Ford.

The motion calls for the case to be tried in a different county or for jurors from outside Barry County to be imported to hear the case, King said.

Chris Collings, 32, of Wheaton, faces the same three charges. Collings’ attorney, Clate Baker, a public defender from Monett, also has requested a change of venue for his client.

Both men were bound over to Barry County Circuit Court for trial after waiving their preliminary hearings within the past two months. Bond amounts have not been set for either man, King said.

Investigators believe Rowan was abducted early Nov. 3 from her home in Stella in Newton County, murdered in Barry County, and her body disposed of in McDonald County. The body was found in a sinkhole after a nearly weeklong search by authorities and volunteers.

Authorities have said they still are trying to reconcile discrepancies between the two defendants’ accounts of the events leading to Rowan’s death. Both Spears and Collings allegedly have confessed to rape and murder.

Colleen Spears, David Spears’ wife and Rowan’s mother, filed for divorce on Nov. 27 in Newton County Circuit Court. The divorce petition was granted Jan. 14 by Judge Gregory Stremel, and Colleen Spears’ name was changed back to Colleen Grace Munson under the ruling.

Up next

David Spears and Chris Collings have hearings set for March 18. Spears’ hearing is to begin at 10 a.m., Collings’ hearing at 1 p.m.

[Jeff1857]

CASSVILLE, Mo. | Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for two men charged in the rape and murder of a 9-year-old southwest Missouri girl.

Barry County prosecutor Johnnie Cox filed notice with the court Monday that he plans to seek the death penalty for David Spears and Chris Collings. Spears was Rowan Ford’s stepfather, and Collings was his friend.

Both men have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, forcible rape and statutory rape.

Rowan disappeared from her home in the small town of Stella in November. Her body was found days later in a cave.

Prosecutors say both men have confessed to the crime, but authorities are trying to reconcile discrepancies between their accounts.

[heidi salazar]

Hearings continue in Spears’ murder case


WAYNESVILLE, Mo. —

Court hearings continue today and Friday for a Stella man accused of raping and killing his 9-year-old stepdaughter in November 2007.

The hearings for David Wesley Spears started Wednesday. Spears and Chris Collings are accused of raping and killing 9-year-old Rowan Ford in early November 2007 at Collings’ home in Wheaton, then throwing the body of the Triway Elementary student down a sink hole in eastern McDonald County.

The case was moved from Barry County to Pulaski County on a change of venue. Judge Tracy Storie is hearing arguments on motions in the case.

Spears’ defense team is trying to get his taped audio confession thrown out on the basis that it violated Spears’ constitutional rights against self-incrimination. According to Springfield television station KY3, at issue is when Spears was read the Miranda warning and when he requested an attorney be present. The confession was obtained by the Newton County Sheriff’s Department.

Prosecutor Johnnie Cox told the television station it was up to a judge to decide whether a defendant’s statement was admissible, adding that there was enough evidence to proceed with the trial. Cox has asked for the death penalty.

Once motion hearings end on Friday, Spears will be back in court on June 21 for a final pre-trial conference before trial begins on July 12. Ten days have been set aside for the trial, which is expected to conclude on July 23.

Collins is expected to go to trial in January in Rolla, with his next court appearance to be at a motion hearing on May 17.

Miss Ford had been missing since about 10:45 p.m. Nov. 2, and was the subject of a massive manhunt that involved local law enforcement agencies, volunteers, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. The search included areas of Newton, McDonald and Barry counties. About 50 federal agents and 25 members of the highway patrol were involved in the case.

On Nov. 8, Spears led Newton County Coroner Mark Bridges to the site. At one time, Spears worked as a mechanic and salesman for Bridges’ automotive business. Both men looked inside the sinkhole, which is located about 10 miles south of Stella near Mike’s Creek near Powell.
Bridges told the Neosho Daily News he saw some items inside the cavern-like area which raised suspicions, and contacted FBI agents. They, in turn, contacted the McDonald County Sheriff’s Department. Deputies Jake Boles and Mike Hall checked out the sink hole the following morning and discovered the girl’s body about 20 feet below ground.

“I definitely wanted to search the cave and I think, subconsciously, that David did, too. He took me to the cave for some reason,” Bridges said. “I guess his first thought was I used to be the sheriff, and could help. David kept telling me ‘Maybe she’s at a friend’s house.’ “

According to Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland, Spears and Collings both confessed to the rape and murder of the child.

“The story we got was that Chris came over and got the little girl and took her to his home in Wheaton,” Copeland said. “This was during the first time that David was gone.”

http://www.neoshodailynews.com/news/x1042536021/Hearings-continue-in-Spears-murder-case

Earlier Case Coverage

Spears to go to trial in 2010

Waynesville, Mo. —

A trial date has been set for a Stella man accused of raping and murdering his 9-year-old stepdaughter.

David Wesley Spears, 25, will go to trial in July 2010 on charges he raped and murdered 9-year-old Rowan Ford on Nov. 3, 2007. The case was moved to Pulaski County from Barry County this summer on a change of venue.

At a hearing Wednesday, Circuit Judge Tracy Storie granted a prosecution motion to force Spears to submit a hair sample for DNA testing. The sample will be compared with hairs found on Rowan's body.

Spears and family friend Christopher Collings are accused of abducting, raping and killing the girl.
Her body was found in a sinkhole in McDonald County nearly a week after she was reported missing from her Stella home. A massive search was conducted by local law enforcement agencies, volunteers, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Collings, 33, is expected to go to trial in March 2010 in Phelps County.

Both men are accused of first-degree murder, a Class A felony, forceable rape and first-degree statutory rape, both unclassified felonies.

Barry County Prosecutor Johnnie Cox has said he will ask for the death penalty in the case.

Wednesday was the first time that Rowan's mother, Colleen, was not in the courtroom for hearings in the two cases. She divorced Spears after he was charged.

http://www.neoshodailynews.com/news/x1049843009/Spears-to-go-to-trial-in-2010

[apitzer]

CASSVILLE, Mo. | Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for two men charged in the rape and murder of a 9-year-old southwest Missouri girl.

Barry County prosecutor Johnnie Cox filed notice with the court Monday that he plans to seek the death penalty for David Spears and Chris Collings. Spears was Rowan Ford’s stepfather, and Collings was his friend.

Both men have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, forcible rape and statutory rape.

Rowan disappeared from her home in the small town of Stella in November. Her body was found days later in a cave.

Prosecutors say both men have confessed to the crime, but authorities are trying to reconcile discrepancies between their accounts.

And here's a pic of the scum...

[heidi salazar]

Collings' trial has been set for Jan. 2011, and Spears' has been pushed to Aug. 2011.

http://www.ky3.com/news/local/95061274.html

[JeffcoCitizen]

Hearings continue in Spears’ murder case

Posted Apr 15, 2010
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. —

Court hearings continue today and Friday for a Stella man accused of raping and killing his 9-year-old stepdaughter in November 2007.

The hearings for David Wesley Spears started Wednesday. Spears and Chris Collings are accused of raping and killing 9-year-old Rowan Ford in early November 2007 at Collings’ home in Wheaton, then throwing the body of the Triway Elementary student down a sink hole in eastern McDonald County.

The case was moved from Barry County to Pulaski County on a change of venue. Judge Tracy Storie is hearing arguments on motions in the case.

Spears’ defense team is trying to get his taped audio confession thrown out on the basis that it violated Spears’ constitutional rights against self-incrimination. According to Springfield television station KY3, at issue is when Spears was read the Miranda warning and when he requested an attorney be present. The confession was obtained by the Newton County Sheriff’s Department.

Prosecutor Johnnie Cox told the television station it was up to a judge to decide whether a defendant’s statement was admissible, adding that there was enough evidence to proceed with the trial. Cox has asked for the death penalty.

Once motion hearings end on Friday, Spears will be back in court on June 21 for a final pre-trial conference before trial begins on July 12. Ten days have been set aside for the trial, which is expected to conclude on July 23.

read more at link http://www.neoshodailynews.com/highlight/x1042536021/Hearings-continue-in-Spears-murder-case


******************

There is a lot of things going on here - I checked on casenet MO online courts system
here is the link   https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/searchCases.do


You should read the docket on this one.  They are trying to exclude the Victim Impact Statements.

Hope that does not happen.  In MO we have Victims Rights Statute and it's in our Constitution.

Link is here  http://ago.mo.gov/crimevictims/

[JeffcoCitizen]

Judges will allow alleged confessions in Collings and Spears murder trials of Rowan Ford

February 20, 2011
CASSVILLE, Mo. —
The alleged confessions in the 2007 death of Rowan Ford will be allowed in court.  The report comes from the Joplin Globe.

The newspaper's reporting the judges for Christopher Collings and David Spears separate trials have decided to let jurors hear statements made by the men before and after they were arrested.  Several hearings have been held regarding these statements.

Both judges say investigators acted legally during their questionings of Collings and Spears.

The men have both been charged with the November 2007 murder and rape of 9-year-old Rowan Ford of Stella, MO; Spears was Ford's step-father.

The men are being tried separately on venue changes.

http://www.ky3.com/news/ky3-judges-will-allow-alleged-confessions-in-collings-and-spears-murder-trials-of-rowan-ford-20110220,0,190905.story

[AnneTheBelgian]

http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=434046

Suspect in Rowan Ford Murder Wants Death Penalty Off Table

Monday, April 04 2011

(Newton County, MO) -- Attorneys for a one of two murder suspects try to take death penalty off the table.

The trial begins this week in Rolla, Missouri for Christopher Collings, who is accused in the abduction, rape, and murder of 9-year-old Rowan Ford in November 2007.

Ford's body was found in a cave in McDonald County, Missouri a week after she was reported missing from her Stella home.

On Monday, Collings' attorneys filed a motion to prevent the state from seeking the death penalty.

Prosecuting attorney Johnnie Cox tells KOLR/KSFX that before jury selection begins, the judge will take up any current motions.

David Spears, who is Rowan's step-father, is also charged with the child's rape and murder.

Earlier this year, prosecutors said Ford wasn't Christopher Collings' only victim.They filed information regarding circumstances that would allow a jury to recommend the death penalty.

According to court documents, Collings also engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with another girl.

Spears' trial is slated for this year.











Photos : 1. The murderer Christopher Collings

              2. The murderer David Spears

             3. The little victim Rowan Ford



Poor little angel... God bless you












Anne

[AnneTheBelgian]

http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=435216

Thursday, April 7, 2011

(with video)

Community Remembers Rowan Ford on Eve of Murder Trial

Reported by: Jennifer Denman

Wednesday, April 06 2011

(Stella, MO) -- Nearly four years ago, a small southwest Missouri community was paralyzed by the murder of a little girl.

Nine-year-old Rowan Rord was raped and murdered in November 2007.

Her stepfather, David Spears, and his friend Chris Collings, are charged with her murder. Both men face the death penalty.

Jury selection for the trial of Chris Collings begins Thursday morning, causing horrific memories of that crime to flood back to the small village of Stella.

The winding roads of Newton County lead you to the small village. Fewer than 200 people live there.

The seasons change and the memories fade, but one will never leave.

"There is not a day that we don't have Rowan in our hearts," says Tracy Welch, principal of Triway Elementary School.

Welch remembers the 9-year-old well.

"She always had a smile. She was always happy."

For welch and others in Stella, just as easy as it is to remember her smile, their minds drift to the sorrow they experienced in November 2007.

"She's a little girl," adds Welch. "Bad things aren't supposed to happen to little girls."

"It was like it was yesterday," says Alicia Blevins, Rowan's neighbor. "To everyone else life goes on, but to us neighbors who look at the house -- my front door faces her front door -- you look at the house and remember and the pain and the things that child went through."

Blevins is talking about the home where Rowan lived. Now it has new owners. Of course, everyone remembers when it became the focus of Stella.

It was a Saturday, just after Halloween. Questions turned to panic after Rowan, who often toured the town on her bike, didn't come home.

"All the town came together," says Blevins. "We searched and searched."

Officers from across the region searched --even the FBI. Chris Collings and Rowan's stepfather David Spears joined in.

Spears gave a tear-filled interview with a plea for his stepdaughter's safe recovery.

But after a week of searching, a tip led a deputy to a hidden cave in a neighboring county. Inside, he found little Rowan dead, stuffed into the bottom.

Collings and Spears found themselves behind bars. Police say both offered up taped confessions. In just a week, Stella had lost its innocence.

"It's been real hard for Stella to comprehend that," says Blevins.

Many of the people who in Stella back in 2007 have since moved away, but there are little reminders of Rowan like a brick in the veterans memorial. Also, at her elementary school, where her classmates planted a tree in her memory and left a plaque.

"It was gut-wrenching thing back three-and-a-half, four years ago," says Bill Alsop, mayor of Stella. "It's just as bad standing here today."

You could say Alsop has helped to hold the community together while at the same time remembering his little friend.

"She'd come into the store every morning at six. She'd come up behind me and claw me"

And now with the trial of Chris Collings beginning, it's what they know that could make the difference on the stand.

"There's some people that I know have been subpoenaed that I don't want to go because they don't want to go through the memories and that's heartbreaking," adds Alsop.

"She has done more to pull this community together and to help everybody learn to appreciate each other," says Welch.

"She's there in the clouds," says Blevins. "Eagles fly by she's there. We remember Rowan."

A jury will take up to three weeks to recommend a verdict.

But beyond the gavel, there will always be a grave site. Standing beside it will always be those who loved that little girl.

As far as those taped confessions go, they've remained contentious points of pre-trial hearings. Ultimately, a judge is allowing that confession to be a part of his trial.

Before jury selection begins Thursday, the judge will rule on a recent motion filed by the defense to take the death penalty off the table.

KOLR/KSFX will be in the courtroom and we will be following this trial for the next three weeks.

Ford's mother could also be called to testify in this trial.










What a great tragedy... Poor little angel... I hope that these two bastards will receive a death sentence and will burn in Hell













Anne

[AnneTheBelgian]

http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1281105186/Continuance-granted-in-first-Rowan-Ford-murder-trial

April 7, 2011

Continuance granted in first Rowan Ford murder trial

By Jeff Lehr Globe

Staff Writer

The Joplin Globe

Thu Apr 07, 2011, 03:26 PM CDT

ROLLA, Mo. — A Phelps County judge has granted a continuance in the capital-murder trial of Christopher L. Collings, one of two men accused of raping and killing 9-year-old Rowan Ford of Stella in 2007.

Circuit Judge Mary Sheffield granted the continuance today in response to a motion filed by attorneys for Collings, 35, of Wheaton. Jury selection had been scheduled to begin today in Rolla, where the case was moved on a change of venue from Barry County.

The defense sought the continuance this week, claiming they had not had sufficient time to prepare for relatively new evidence prosecutors have indicated they intend to present.

The judge reset the jury selection in Phelps County for April 20-22, with opening statements and the presentation of evidence and testimony now set for April 25.

Collings and Ford’s stepfather, David W. Spears, 28, are being tried separately on charges of having raped and strangled the girl, whose body was recovered from a sinkhole in McDonald County. Spears is currently set for trial in August in Pulaski County. The state is seeking the death penalty in both men’s cases.



















Anne

[v1976ra]

 The state is seeking the death penalty in both men’s cases.

As they should! And they want the DP pulled from the table... 

Spending XX years on DR is too good for them, IMO. They will for sure spend more years on DR, stealing oxygen and costing the taxpayers than their victim spent on this earth. 

[AnneTheBelgian]

http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=443467

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Judge Declares Mistrial in Collings Case

Saturday, April 23 2011

(Rolla, MO) -- A man accused of raping and murdering a 9-year-old girl will not stand trial Monday, the day the proceedings were expected to begin.

Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Johnnie Cox says the judge granted a mistrial after attorneys could not agree on a jury.

Court documents show a change of venue has been ordered.

Collings is one of two people charged with killing and raping of Rowan Ford in early November 2007.

Her stepfather, David Spears, is also charged with her death. He and Collings are both facing the death penalty.

The trial was originally supposed to begin April 7. However, the defense argued it didn't have enough time to prepare for last-minute evidence presented by the prosecution.

The new start date was set for Monday. Now, it is unclear when a trial will happen.

Attorneys are expected to meet with the judge about the best way to proceed with the case.

Collings still faces charges in the case.













Anne

[JeffcoCitizen]

Chris Collings Jury Selection Moved to February 2012

May 03 2011
(Rolla, MO) -- Another delay and a new direction for a three-and-a-half year-old Ozarks murder case.

On Tuesday, a judge pushed back the trial for Christopher Collings by more than ten months.

Jury selection is now set to begin February 27, 2012, for Collings, one of two men accused of raping and murdering 9-year-old Rowan Ford of Stella, Missouri.

The body was found in November 2007.

Two weeks ago, a judge ruled that Chris Collings would not stand trial the day proceedings were expected to begin.

Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Johnnie Cox said the judge granted a mistrial after attorneys could not agree on a jury. A change of venue had been ordered.

Collings' trial was originally supposed to begin April 7. However, the defense argued it didn't have enough time to prepare for last-minute evidence presented by the prosecution.

The new start date was set for Monday, April 25 before being declared a mistrial. Attorneys met with the judge on Tuesday to decide the best way to proceed with the case.

"Parties agree that a jury is to be selected from Platte County," said Judge Mary Sheffield.

Attorneys hope the Kansas City area jurors will have something people don't have in the Ozarks: limited exposure.

"They recalled something about the case from back when they first heard about it, or recent reports about the case," says Cox.

As for the lengthy delay before Collings sees the inside of the courtroom, that's because of scheduling.

"Based on everyone's availability, and Platte county's

 scheduling, we had to pick the February date to start the trial," adds Cox. "We just ask that everyone be patient."

While the jury will come from Platte County, the trial will still be in Phelps County.

The jury will be brought in for what's slated as a 3-week trial.

Tuesday's decision is likely to have an impact on the other man accused of killing Rowan Ford, her stepfather David Spears. His trial's scheduled for August 2011. He has a hearing set for June.

He and Collings are both facing the death penalty.

http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=448867

[AnneTheBelgian]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/default/article/Delay-sought-for-suspect-in-stepdaughter-s-death-1388243.php

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Delay sought for suspect in stepdaughter's death

Published 07:41 a.m., Friday, May 20, 2011

ROLLA, Mo. (AP) — A southwest Missouri man accused of killing his 9-year-old stepdaughter is seeking a delay and a change of venue for his trial.

The Joplin Globe reports Friday that attorneys for 28-year-old David W. Spears contend pretrial publicity requires that jurors for Spears' trial be chosen from farther away than Pulaski County.

They cite a mistrial declared in April for Spears' co-defendant, 35-year-old Chris Collings. The mistrial occurred after not enough potential jurors could be found — even though the proceeding was in Phelps County on a change of venue from Barry County.

The two men are accused of raping and murdering 9-year-old Rowan Ford in November 2007. They both face the death penalty. Their cases were moved to Pulaski and Phelps counties on an earlier change of venue.

___

Information from: The Joplin Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com


Anne