The Misery Machine - The Case of Rowan Ford

Episode Date: January 7, 2024

This week, Drewby and Yergy head to Stella, Missouri to discuss the case of Rowan Ford, 9-year-old girl who loved Jesus and her community. On the evening of November 2nd, 2007, Rowan was abducted by Christopher Collings... a man she considered to be an uncle figure. She was brought to Christopher's trailer and subsequently sexually assaulted. However, when Rowan saw her attacker's face in the moonlight, Christopher panicked and killed her... disposing of her body in a local sinkhole known as Fox Cave. Support Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachine PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/themiserymachine Join Our Facebook Group: https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1 Instagram: miserymachinepodcast Twitter: misery_podcast Discord: https://discord.gg/kCCzjZM #themiserymachine #podcast #truecrime Source Material: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/mo-supreme-court/1676021.html https://www.clarkfuneralhomes.com/obituary/4916666 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22792205/rowan-damia-ford https://www.ozarksfirst.com/crimetraveler/crime-traveler-what-happened-to-rowan-ford/ https://rturner229.blogspot.com/2022/11/fifteen-years-ago-today-rowan-ford-was.html https://www.koamnewsnow.com/news/court-upholds-conviction-in-rowan-ford-s-murder/article_6074fe7e-efd4-54e5-a821-e1b0f24e4d71.html https://www.joplinglobe.com/news/local_news/video-stepfather-takes-plea-deal-in-rowan-ford-murder-case/article_7ab869b9-ef36-53eb-8cb6-6b715e790c0b.html https://law.justia.com/cases/missouri/supreme-court/2014/sc92720.html https://rturner229.blogspot.com/2014/01/state-this-is-why-rowan-fords-killer.html https://web.mo.gov/doc/offSearchWeb/offenderInfoAction.do

Rowan Damia Ford was born on April 11, 1998 in San Diego, California. At the time of our story, she was a nine-year-old fourth grade student at Triway Elementary School in Stella, Missouri. She lived with her mother, Colleen Munson, and her stepfather, David Spears. She had two brothers, James and Robert, and two sisters, Janice and Ariane. Rowan attended Stella Baptist Church where she was active in Sunday school, Wednesday night team kid, in Angel Food Ministry. The one thing everyone noticed about this sweet little girl was that she was always happy and always willing to help. According to her pastor, he always came early to church on Sunday to set up. Rowan would always be sitting on the steps to greet him and came early just to see if anyone needed any help.

Rowan had light brown hair, dark brown eyes, and freckles that scattered about her nose and cheeks. During the summer of 2007, Rowan had just learned to swim and ride a bike. Her prize possession was her blue-tinted Blossom Quest bicycle. Her favorite color was purple. She loved to eat spaghetti, sing, color, draw, and read, especially books about cats. Her favorite television show was Hannah Montana. Now, according to her teacher, she was a beautiful student, an angel, perfect. She was everybody's friend and I couldn't.

have asked for a better student. Also residing in Rowan's home was Christopher Collins, who was a longtime friend of her stepfathers. During the summer and fall of 2007, Christopher slept in the basement of the family's home. Rowan affectionately referred to him as Uncle Chris. In late October of the same year, Christopher moved into a travel trailer on his family's farm located in Wheaton, Missouri, which was about a 10-minute drive east from Stella along State Highway A. On the evening of Friday, November 2nd, a man named Nathan Mahurran, who was a mutual friend of Christopher and David, met them at a farm where they all worked together. The men went to a liquor store to buy two or three six-packs of malt liquor before heading back to David's house to play pool and drink. At 8.30 p.m.,

Rowan's mother, Colleen, left for work and left her daughter and her husband's care. After purchasing more alcohol, the men continued to drink. Later that evening, Christopher asked Nathan to drive him home. The pair talked David into going with them and leaving Rowan home alone asleep on the floor in her bedroom. On the way to Christopher's trailer, the men stopped to buy more alcohol, as if they hadn't had enough to drink that evening already. When they arrived, they smoked weed and continued to drink, without a care in the world as to how Rowan was doing. After about an hour, Nathan and David left to go home. Nathan decided to take backroads home instead of State Highway A because he was drunk and he did not want to get stopped by the police. He dropped David off and returned to his own home around.

midnight. On November 3rd, Colleen returned home from her overnight shift at 9 a.m. and could not find her daughter. After searching the house, Colleen woke her husband and asked him where Rowan was. David told Colleen that Rowan was staying with the friends, but he could not identify the friends. Colleen walked the neighborhood searching for Rowan to no avail. She wanted David to call the police, but he insisted Rowan was still at a friend's house. When Rowan did not return that out, afternoon, Colleen contacted the Newton County Sheriff's Department to report her daughter missing, at which time a large-scale search was launched to find her. David, Nathan, and Christopher were all considered persons of interests because they were the last people to see Rowan the night prior.

In a yard where you'd usually hear the sounds of laughter, she's just a sweet, loving child. And children playing. She just captures everyone's heart. Silent tears fall, as the FBI comes and goes from this. house shaken by tragedy. She's been missing for going on three days, four days, and I just can't believe that it's come down to this. I mean, the FBI being at the house. Family, law enforcement, and the Stella community are on the search for nine-year-old Rowan Ford. The longer it is, the worse it is. The long wait started Saturday morning when Rowan's mother, Colleen Spears, came home from an overnight job to find her daughter missing. Rowan's step,

stepfather David Spears says the girl was in bed when he left the house to go out with some friends. He didn't check on her when he returned several hours later. She'd never be gone this long. As the Newton County Sheriff classifies this a case of foul play, Can't believe there's something like this would happen in a community like this. Citizens are on high alert. Are we looking at a nut running around out here? The kids, they don't let the children aren't out playing.

As a community hopes to find an answer that will alleviate every, everyone's worries. We want to keep our hope, but the longer it goes, the, we just want or found. On November 4th, Newton County deputies spoke with Christopher in the parking lot of a local restaurant about Rowan's disappearance. Christopher gave the deputies the same account Nathan did about their activities that evening, but left out the part that they had been smoking weed. Now, keep in mind, this was in 2007, so smoking weed was against the law in the state of

Missouri and wouldn't be decriminalized until about 15 years later. He told the deputies he stayed home and went to sleep after Nathan and David left. He also denied speaking to David after he left and claimed he was unaware that Rowan was even missing until police spoke to him. The deputies described Christopher as cooperative, concerned, and polite. Later that evening, Christopher visited Colleen at her home, asked how the search was going, and offered to help find Rowan. On November 5th, the FBI became involved with the investigation. While Newton County, deputies continued to interview David, FBI technicians seized and searched his pickup truck, as well as a vehicle his mother said she loaned him. In the meantime, Newton County deputies approached

Christopher at work and requested he answer more questions. He agreed and drove himself to the sheriff's department. Christopher gave a similar statement to the one he had given the day before. He was read as Miranda rights after being questioned about David's potential involvement in Rowan's disappearance. Christopher indicated that he understood his rights and waived them. In fact, he also agreed to submit to a polygraph test and a computer voice stress analysis test. Christopher was read his rights again prior to testing and waived them once more. After the testing was complete, Christopher spoke to the deputies.

He insisted he knew nothing about Rowan's disappearance and offered to help them in the search. As long as the authorities are allowing the community search, we will search. Look through the woods surrounding Little Rowan. Ford's house and you see friends and family joining that massive search effort. Couldn't have asked for a better place for my for my family to live. Look in front of the missing nine-year-old's home and you see an effort on a much smaller scale, but one that may be even more important to this family.

The community has been a great support system for my mom. Janice Schaefer says she holds out hope her little sister Rowan will be back any day now. It's hope you can see in the faces here. and in the writings from friends. I've just been trying to get my mom to eat and sleep. She's not doing a very good job of that right now. All I can tell is that every day that she's still missing, you know, it's a negative for us, yes.

Negative due to the fact that no one has seen Rowan since Friday night, cold weather is bearing down in this area and the fact that tips have still not led to a person of interest. Still missing. Authorities say this is still a. a missing child case, but admit that at some point in the near future, this intense searching will have to come to an end. We have a nine-year-old child that's missing, and a mother who's missing that child, and we'll be involved as long as there are investigative leads for us to follow up on, as long

as there's something for the FBI to do. Family members say they can't imagine anyone wanting to hurt her, but if that is the case, they just better be thankful I'm not the judge. We can only pray for her. Later that afternoon, Wheaton Police Chief Clinton Clark was on routine patrol. Christopher and Chief Clark had a relationship spanning 17 years. He had known Christopher since he was a young boy and was close friends with his adoptive parents. Christopher trusted Chief Clark and always turned to him for advice.

He sought solace from him when his mother passed away, and made a point to keep in contact with him when he lived out of town. Christopher flagged down Chief Clark, told him that Rowan was missing and that he was trying to find her. Chief Clark described Christopher as kind of excited and not his normal self. He encouraged Christopher to continue to do what he could to help find Rowan. After speaking to him, Chief Clark notified the FBI that Christopher contacted him about Rowan's disappearance. Chief Clark told the FBI that he and Christopher had a longstanding relationship in a good rapport. He believed Christopher knew something about Rowan's disappearance and offered to help in the investigation.

Chief Clark was encouraged by the FBI and Newton County deputies to continue to talk with Christopher. That evening, Christopher went to Colleen's home. There, the FBI spoke to Colleen and Christopher individually. Again, Christopher was described as cooperative, and he gave the same account of the evening's activities as he had given previously. He spoke about his relationship with David. told the FBI that David was involved with Rowan's disappearance and offered to wear a wire to help the investigation. Christopher also suggested locations in which to search for Rowan. On November 6th, law enforcement officials continued to search for Rowan,

but the focus of the investigation was on her stepfather, David. He was interviewed repeatedly, his home was searched, and he was driven around the area in an effort to find Rowan. In the late afternoon or early evening, Christopher went to Chief Clark's office to let him know he had spoken to the FBI and was active in the search to find Rowan, even suggesting places for them to search. Chief Clark believed Christopher had something on his mind and appeared apprehensive. Christopher would not make eye contact with him, and he found this unusual.

He told Christopher that he knew how to contact him if he needed help with anything. After this conversation, Chief Clark contacted the FBI and told them about his talk with Christopher. The FBI believed that if he was going to confess or reveal any information whatsoever, that it would be to Chief Clark himself. And so, the FBI encouraged the chief to help in the investigation, to which he agreed. On November 7th, Christopher met with the FBI at the Newton County Sheriff's Department. He consented to provide a buckle swab for DNA testing. Christopher signed consent forms for the police to search a safe he owned located at David's home,

as well as his property and trailer. He submitted to additional testing, which required a voluntary waiver of his rights. Afterwards, Christopher was interviewed, but not read his Miranda. writes. He spoke with the FBI about an alibi David presented for the night Rowan disappeared, which Christopher said was untrue. As the interview progressed, he became more emotional, tense, and nervous when asked about Rowan. Christopher told the agents, if they were going to accuse him of being involved with Rowan's disappearance, that he was not going to talk to them anymore. That evening, Christopher went to Chief Clark's office and was very upset about how he was treated

in the FBI interview. He told the chief he was going to dummy up about anything else. He was going to dummy up about anything else, and maybe he needed to get a lawyer. Chief Clark told him that was his right to do so, but encouraged him to continue to do anything he could to find Rowan and stated it was not in his best interest to stop cooperating. Christopher then told Chief Clark, if I have anything else to say, I'll talk to you. Chief Clark then advised Christopher of his Miranda rights. He agreed to speak and signed a waiver for him.

Chief Clark told Christopher that he felt there was something on his mind and asked if he knew anything about Rowan's decision. disappearance. Christopher began to cry and stated that he always loved Rowan, would not have done anything to hurt her. At this point, someone came into the police department and interrupted their conversation, and this caused Christopher to leave abruptly and in a hurry. Chief Clark contacted the FBI after his discussion with Christopher. He informed them that he believed Christopher was near a breaking point and suggested he needed a day off from questioning. He further advised them that Christopher was about to lawyer up and tried to dissuade him from doing so and encouraged him to

continue to cooperate. On November 8th, Christopher had no contact with law enforcement. Chief Clark spoke with the FBI about him, the dynamics of his family, and Chief Clark's unique relationship with him. He thought Christopher knew something about Rowan's disappearance, but believed they needed to find her body first. The FBI told Chief Clark once they found Rowan's body, they wanted him to be the one, to speak to Christopher. On November 9th, after a harrowing week-long search, Rowan's body was discovered at the bottom of a sinkhole known as Fox Cave. The sinkhole was 20 to 30 feet from the road in a heavily wooded area.

Rowan was nude from the waist down except for one sock. She had a ligature mark around her neck and trauma, blood, and tissue damage consistent with SA. Her body was covered with leaves and debris. Chief Clark learned about the discovery on the news that morning. He received a page from his office that Christopher came by asking for him and inquired about what time he came on duty because he needed to speak to him. Chief Clark was contacted by the FBI,

who directed him to find Christopher and tell him that they found Rowan's body. Chief Clark went looking for Christopher but could not find him. However, Christopher later called him on his cell phone and asked if police were following him in a gray minivan to which the chiefs were following him in a gray minivan to which the chief denied knowing anything about surveillance being conducted on Christopher. He claimed that he had been driving all over the area trying to shake it, as he was nervous and felt threatened. The chief advised him to go to the police department,

but Christopher suggested they meet up instead. After they met, Christopher told Chief Clark they needed to talk and agreed to ride back to the police department in his patrol car. They discussed the gray minivan, and Christopher indicated he was worried that people might take matters into their own hands now that Rowan's body had been recovered. Chief Clark told him he could not protect him 24 hours a day and could not guarantee his safety. When they arrived at the police department, the chief read Christopher his Miranda rights. Christopher indicated he understood his rights and agreed to talk.

Chief Clark told him, well, son, it's over. We found Rowan's body this morning. Christopher dropped his head and his eyes began to water. Chief Clark believed David Spears had done something to Rowan and suspected Christopher had knowledge of what he did. Chief Clark told him he needed to tell him what David did to his stepdaughter, to which Christopher reacted with surprise and looked at him kind of funny. The police department was busy and Christopher indicated he did not want to talk with so many people nearby. Chief Clark recommended they go somewhere quiet to talk and Christopher

suggested they go to the Muncie Bridge, located a few miles outside of Wheaton. Now Chief Clark contacted law enforcement officials to inform them he and Christopher were headed to the Muncie Bridge. After they arrived, Christopher held his hands out, indicating he ought to handcuff him. Chief Clark stated that was not necessary, to which Christopher replied, For what I'm about to tell you, you will. Christopher and Chief Clark sat on a slope near the bridge, and he told him what occurred the evening Rowan disappeared.

Christopher relayed the same story he maintained all week about his activities up until the time Nathan and David left his trailer. He confirmed that the pair took the back roads home to have void being detected. He told Chief Clark he knew if he hurried, he could get back over to David's house and get Rowan out of there before the other men returns. Christopher took State Highway A, which was the quickest route back to David's house. Once there, Christopher went in, used the bathroom, and retrieved Rowan off of the floor of her bedroom. He then carried Rowan who was still sleeping outside and put her inside of his pickup truck. Rowan remained asleep during the drive back to his

trailer. Christopher then carried Rowan inside, placed her on the bed, and removed her pajamas pants and underwear. He did not speak to Rowan so she would not recognize his voice and kept the lights off so she would not see him. Christopher then admitted to as saying the nine-year-old girl, which caused Rowan to wake up. Afterwards, Christopher told the chief he intended to return Rowan to her house. He said he took Rowan outside and held her in front of him by her arms, facing away from him so she would not see his face. But Rowan looked back over her shoulder and could see Christopher in the moonlight. He knew that Rowan recognized him and freaked out. In an old pickup truck sitting on the property, Christopher saw a coil of chicken house rope as he called it. So he took it,

looped it around Rowan's neck. He remained behind Rowan and pulled the rope tight with his fists clenched, pulling his arms away from each other. Rowan struggled, but Christopher said he kept it tight. even after Rowan stopped struggling and fell to the ground. Eventually, she stopped moving. Christopher realized that he was in a lot of trouble, in his own words, and put Rowan's body in the bed of his pickup truck. He planned to dispose of her body off of the Muncie Bridge, but rejected that idea because he thought her body would be discovered too quickly.

As he drove around and considered his options, he decided to go to Fox Cave. Christopher told Chief Clark he threw Rowan's body into the sinkhole and tried to pull some branches and limbs over to cover the entrance, but it was too big, the debris fell inside. Christopher got back into his pickup truck and returned to his trailer. At the trailer, he discovered blood on his mattress and his clothing. Christopher said he knew he needed to get rid of these items,

in addition to Rowan's pajama pants, her underwear, and the rope he used to strangle her. He put everything except the mattress into a wood stove and burned it. He then rolled up the mattress and put it into a 55-gallon drum used as a burn barrel with some old carpet. Christopher said, I got to thinking, now that's going to make a hell of a fire. Somebody's going to see that burning. So instead, he then dragged the barrel into a barn and set the contents on fire to avoid detection. When Christopher finished talking, he and Chief Clark returned to the Wheaton Police Department as he wanted the other law enforcement officials involved in the investigation to hear his story.

Now, during the ride back to the police department, Christopher wrote in the front seat, smoked a cigarette, and was not handcuffed. He was advised of his rights, and deputies from Barry and Newton County, along with the FBI, listened as he repeated his confession. Christopher signed a consent form to allow a search of his property during the interview. This interview was not recorded. Afterward, Christopher was transported to the Berry County Sheriff's Department, where he gave a videotape statement after being advised of his rights.

Christopher said that he had been advised of his rights several times throughout the week. He repeated the same series of events during the interview and said that he felt guilty and remorseful. He claimed that he had been bawling like a baby all afternoon. Christopher's confession was surprising to the investigators because they were operating under the assumption that David Spears killed Rowan and that Christopher merely had knowledge of the event. As a result, Newton County deputies questioned David again,

in which time David implicated himself. Upon learning this, Christopher was questioned again at Barry County in a recorded interview. The deputies in Chief Clark told him that David stated he called his mother, had her bring a vehicle to his home, and then he joined Christopher back at his trailer. David stated he also essayed Rowan. He claimed that he was there when Christopher killed her. and then helped his friend dispose of her body. Christopher vehemently and repeatedly denied that David had any involvement in Rowan's essay,

killing, or the disposal of her body. Christopher's trailer and adjacent properties were searched while he gave a second videotape statement. Among the items collected were a rusted metal spool inside the bed of an old pickup truck, a piece of string or twine found on the driver's side floor of the old pickup truck, rope or wire found inside his pickup truck, a 55-gallon drum with burnt remnants inside, a burn pile that contained an item appearing to be a cord, ashes collected from a wood stove, and a light to medium brown hair found in the bed of his pickup truck. An autopsy revealed that Rowan died from ligature strangulation.

She was conscious for approximately 10 seconds, quit breathing after approximately two to three minutes, and would have been brain dead approximately 12 minutes later. Her body had signs of decomposition. She was covered in small scrapes, bruises, and injuries inflicted prior to death. She also had significant facial trauma likely inflicted after her death as a result of being thrown into the sinkhole. Her privates had been lacerated from front to back. This laceration was consistent with blunt force trauma, which caused significant bleeding

and would have been very painful. During the autopsy, evidence was collected, including swabs for biological evidence, blood samples, and the recovery of two foreign hairs. Now keep in mind, the monster that did this to Rowan was over 300 pounds and was 6 foot 3 inches tall. Christopher was charged with one count of first-degree homicide, one count of forcible essay, and one count of statutory essay.

The homicide charge was seven. from the SA charges, which later were dismissed. The venue was changed to Phelps County and a jury was selected from Platt County. Christopher filed the motion to suppress, seeking to exclude evidence of all statements taken from him by law enforcement agents throughout the entire investigation and all evidence obtained from the searches of his body, pickup truck, trailer, and property. The circuit court overruled his motion, finding Christopher was not in custody for any of these interviews until November 9th, after he returned to the Wheaton Police Department with Chief Clark

and met with other law enforcement officers to give a statement. During the trial, Rowan's mother, Colleen, spoke about the day she found her daughter missing in the days leading up to the discovery of her body in the sinkhole. Go outside, sit and wait for. I'd go in the house when the school bus came by. Why would you do that? Because I didn't want the other kids upset. Bring the course of that week.

Did you allow law enforcement to search your house? Yes. Now, you said that you would wait outside in those chairs in the yard. Yes. Where were you when you found out that Rowan had been found? I was outside. What happened on that? Ken Copeland asked if I'd go inside the house.

Who's Kim Copeland? came to sheriff of Newton County. Was it just you and Mr. Copeland? No, my daughters were there and another office, a female officer. What did he tell you? He told me that they had found her. At the conclusion of the guilt phase, the jury found Christopher guilty of killing Rowan. During the penalty phase, the state of Missouri presented victim impact testimony from six witnesses.

Christopher presented two witnesses who offered testimony about David's potential involvement. Christopher's family members testified describing his tumultuous upbringing is shuffling back and forth between his biological and adoptive parents who had significant substance abuse and legal issues, as well as the issues he encountered as a teenager and young adult. Christopher also presented testimony from an expert in the field of human development. It explained he was handicapped developmentally due to severe emotional neglect during the first six months of his life. life and beyond. As a result, the expert testified that Christopher suffered confusion in his connections with other people that resulted in a diagnosis of severe, disorganized, disassociative

attachment disorder and intermittent explosive personality disorders. After the penalty phase, the jury recommended a sentence of death. The jury found Rowan's death involved torture, and as a result thereof, her death was outrageously and wantonly vile, horrible and inhumane. The jury also determined that Rowan was a potential witness in a pending investigation of her essay and was killed as a result of her status as a potential witness. Christopher was sentenced to death, however Christopher was quick to appeal. Public defenders say calling his conversations with a police officer he knew. Pictures of Rowan Ford's lifeless body used as evidence and physical evidence not relevant to the case caused jurors to make an emotional rather than a legal decision when they chose the death penalty.

I hope you watch the video because it's really shocking. Much of the day's arguments centered around a videotaped conversation. Wheaton Police Chief Clint Clark had with Collings days after Collings confessed to him about the rape and murder of 9-year-old Rowan Ford. This was an extensive relationship. An attorney from the Office of the State Public Defender says a videotape. conversation with Chief Clark, an officer that Collings had a friendship with, violated his rights. So clearly and vividly shows what Clark does to pressure and the tactics that he used is the good old boy, the you don't have, you can trust me, I'm acting in your best interests, all that. Personal argued that Clark used his friendship to pressure callings and to giving information.

He's less likely to invoke his right to counsel. or to remain silent. Each attorney was questioned by the seven Missouri Supreme Court justices. It was the defendant who initiated the contact with Clark, and the defendant had the ability to leave the area by the bridge at any point. An attorney from the office of the Missouri Attorney General argued that because of Collins' confession, subsequent conversations were more relevant to the case against Rowan Ford's stepfather, David Spears. Chief Clark is not pursuing evidence against Christopher Collings at this point.

They have all the evidence they need to convict Christopher Collings based on Christopher Collings statements on the 9th. On the 14th, they're trying to make their case against David Spears. In the guilt phase, counsel admitted that he committed the acts charged. Several justices noted that Collings repeatedly sought out Clark by tracking him around town or by asking for him. It's Collings who seeks out Clark. The state also argued from the majority of the conversation, between Collings and Clark, Collings dictated where and when the conversations would take place.

It's as unthreatening as any situation where somebody is going to confess to murder. Now the Supreme Court justices will weigh this appeal and what will likely be one of many appeals in this case. In Jefferson City, on Lori Patton, Color 10 News. Thankfully, all of his appeals thus far have been denied. As of the date of this recording in 2023, Christopher Collings has now been on death row, longer than Rowan was alive. But what about Rowan's stepfather, David Spears? As we mentioned previously, he actually confessed to being involved with Rowan's

essay, killing, and the disposal of her body. According to Berry County prosecutor Johnny Cox, he said, this would put the state in a position of arguing inconsistent theories of who actually strangled Rowan Ford. The state would have to argue that both versions are true, even if they both cannot be true. He went on to say that state and federal courts prohibit inconsistent theories in the prosecution of co-defendants. Pursuing such a course of action could result not only in the overturning of any conviction

of David Spears that might be obtained, but also the conviction of Christopher Collings that already had been obtained. He continued, without physical evidence that is consistent with David Spears' statement, the state cannot and will not pursue a course of action that would put, for Collings' conviction at risk. Prosecutor Cox noted that he knows many people are convinced that David Spears was involved, but he cannot be certain without any evidence to support his confession. He said, I cannot, in good conscience, ask a jury to convict a person of murder in the first

degree and ask that he be put to death if I am uncertain about his involvement. Instead, David Spears pled guilty to child endangerment and hindering prosecution. Prosecutors claim that he made a false confession. They cited an expert witness who testified at a hearing in 2010 that under such pressure, David gradually came to internalize a belief that he must have committed the crime, even though he had no memory of it. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the two lesser felonies, with five years time served. Rowan's funeral services were held on Wednesday, November 14th,

at the Gospel Lighthouse Church in New Yorkshire, with Reverend Glenn Ennis officiating. Hundreds of mourners came out to the church to pay their respects to the little girl whose life was so tragically cut short. Rowan's favorite hymn, the old rugged cross, was sung. Her wake was held the evening prior. Rowan was laid to rest at the Macedonia Cemetery in Stella, beneath a gray granite headstone with etchings of a heart and a kneeling angel. They spent hours searching. We can only pray for her. Hours praying she would come home. I can't comprehend it.

Hours wondering why Rowan's life ended so soon and with such cruelty. You don't expect something like this to happen. Those who knew her best say they needed to be at this funeral to get some of those questions answered and to say goodbye. Even though she wasn't here long, she left a big impact on everybody. Friends say they want Rowan's impact on life to outshine the shock of what happened in her final hours. Preachers inside this church talked about how several people wanted vigilante, justice to be done to the suspects in this case. Instead of violence, those here urged people to do what Rowan would have done by letting faith guide their lives to living the best life they

could. For the life that Rowan led. Even though I didn't know her, my boy knew her. The youngest here may have known Rowan the best. She was active at her school and especially in Sunday school. I think they're dealing all right. We go to church. They understand about loss and heaven. And that right there is a bit comfort. To be sure, this is a crime that changes a community, but in this case, that community looks to be stronger. Stronger for the girl who formed so many bonds in her short life, and stronger for those who must push on without that talkative nine-year-old by their side.

It's tragic, but there's a lot of love in this community, and I think that outpouring of love shown itself today. We have to be... In Newton County, Chris Grogan, Colerton News. Rowan's case is particularly sad due to the fact that there's a lot of unanswered questions as to what her stepfather's involvement actually was. To her family and many members of her community, this must feel like a giant miscarriage of justice. This is yet again just another example of the monsters that we fear the most coming after our children, statistically being the people we hold most dear. While Christopher Collings is currently sitting on death row as of December of 2023,

David Spears has done his time and most likely has been released from prison. We could find no current incarceration records for him. Whether or not we think it's right that David is likely a free man, there is nothing that can be done to change that. The best that we can hope for is that her mother, Colleen, her siblings, and her extended family can one day heal from the sense, senseless tragedy.