Stepdad, friend charged in death of 9-year-old girl

CASSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — The stepfather of a 9-year-old girl found dead in a hillside cave and his friend were each charged Saturday with murder and rape.

Rowan Ford vanished while in her stepfather’s care last weekend, and authorities early on had said he would not explain a lengthy absence that night from the family’s house. Her disappearance led to an intensive search by dozens of officers from three counties and 50 FBI agents and specialists.

The girl’s body was found Friday in a cave in a remote part of McDonald County, about 10 miles south of the village of Stella, where she lived with her mother, Colleen Spears, 44, and her stepfather, David Spears, 25.

Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly said the stepfather’s friend, Chris Collings, 32, confessed to authorities about the slaying.

Based in part on Collings’ statement, the affidavit Epperly sent to the prosecutor alleges the men took Rowan from her home to a camping trailer where Collings lived in Barry County and each raped the girl. One of them strangled her with a cord, though it wasn’t clear which man, Epperly said.

Barry County prosecutors charged David Spears and Collings with one count each of first-degree murder, forcible rape and statutory rape.

Epperly said Collings, who was being held in the Barry County Jail, did not have an attorney. David Spears’ mother, Myrna Spears, said her son didn’t have an attorney yet and would likely need a public defender.

Myrna Spears told The Associated Press Saturday that her son admitted to her from jail Friday night that he had taken part in the crime. He claimed to have suffered a blackout and his memories of that night started coming back to him Friday, she said.

Authorities have said David Spears had been drinking that night, while his wife was working the overnight shift at Wal-Mart.

Bill Alsop, the village mayor, said Colleen Spears was too upset to speak with reporters.

“She’s numb,” Alsop said. “She’s trying to keep herself busy. She’s in there right now on the sewing machine, sewing something for her baby’s funeral.”

Epperly said he expected Newton County prosecutors to file a kidnapping charge against Collings but not the girl’s stepfather because he was a legal guardian.