Christopher Collings was generally known as “Uncle Chris” to Rowan Ford — his good friend’s 9-year-old stepdaughter — earlier than he sexually assaulted the kid, killed her and dumped her physique in a sinkhole.
A 49-year-old Missouri man was executed by deadly injection on Tuesday, along with his apologetic final assertion revealed after he confessed to the 2007 rape and homicide of his good friend’s 9-year-old stepdaughter, Rowan Ford.
Christopher Collings, who Ford knew as “Uncle Chris” earlier than her brutal killing, was put to loss of life final night time in a Bonne Terre jail and declared lifeless 9 minutes after an injection of pentobarbital, per AP.
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In a handwritten last assertion earlier than his execution obtained by USA At the moment, Collings wrote, “Proper or unsuitable I settle for this case for what it’s. To anybody that I’ve damage on this life I’m sorry. I hope that you’ll be able to get closure and transfer on. Regardless which facet of this case that you’re on. You might be in my prayers and I hope to see you in heaven in the future.”
Per the Kansas Metropolis Star, Collings’ final meal consisted of a bacon cheeseburger, breaded mushrooms, tater tots and a salad.
“We share Chris’s need that his loss of life will present a measure of closure for the sufferer’s household and that the folks damage by him will be capable to keep it up,” mentioned Collings’ legal professional, Jeremy Weis, in a press release. “What occurred immediately, although, was an act of vengeance, nevertheless it is not going to outline Chris, nor will or not it’s how we bear in mind him.”
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Rowan Ford’s Homicide
Collings was dwelling with Rowan’s stepfather, good friend David Spears, in addition to the kid and her mom on the time of the homicide.
Based on court docket data, Collings informed police he, Spears, and one other man have been ingesting and smoking marijuana the night time of Rowan’s loss of life, November 3, 2007. He confessed to taking the kid from her mattress earlier than bringing her to his camper, the place he assaulted her.
He allegedly mentioned he did not intend to kill her, however “freaked out” when she acknowledged him after seeing his face. Collings then admitted to strangling her to loss of life, earlier than hiding her physique in what’s been described as a sinkhole or cave. He additionally burned rope, a blood-stained mattress and the garments he was carrying.
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Spears additionally reportedly confessed to involvement within the crimes, with docs saying he informed police Collings handed him a twine and he killed Rowan. Courtroom docs additionally say he first insisted Rowan was at a good friend’s home earlier than finally main police to her physique, which was found on November 9.
Spears, nevertheless, pled responsible to a lesser cost of endangering the welfare of a kid and masking up the crime and was sentenced to 11 years in jail. He was launched in 2015, after seven years.
Collings, in the meantime, was discovered responsible of first-degree homicide on March 20, 2012, earlier than he was sentenced to loss of life on March 23.
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