The man found guilty of the 2007 rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl has been petitioned to have his execution date determined by the Missouri Supreme Court.
Thursday, April 4, saw the announcement by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office that Christopher Collings, who was found guilty of raping and killing a 9-year-old child, will soon be put to death by the Missouri Supreme Court.
According to court documents, Collings kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and killed 9-year-old Rowan Ford in Newton County, Missouri, in November 2007.
After that, he dumped her body in a McDonald County sinkhole close to Powell. Along with his bedding and bloody clothes, he also set fire to the rope he used to choke her. In the end, he gave the cops his confession.
Court records stated that a Platte Co. jury in Phelps Co. found Collings guilty. Jurors discovered that Ford had been cruelly tortured by Collings during the sentencing phase.
It was also discovered that he killed her to avoid the possibility of her testifying against him.
Bailey stated that the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and the U.S. District Court had all reviewed Collings’ conviction and sentence. No legal mistakes were ever discovered.
Bailey stated that Collings’ attorneys will have an opportunity to reply following the filing of a motion to determine the execution date.
The date of execution, should the Missouri Supreme Court decide to proceed, will be determined within 90 to 120 days of the court’s directive.
