Death row inmate who raped and killed girl, 9, finally given execution date 17 years later
Christopher Collings has been given an execution date of December 3, 17 years after he was convicted of the rape and murder of nine year old Rowan Ford in Missouri
The Missouri Supreme Court has set a December execution date for Christopher Collings, who was convicted nearly two decades ago for the horrific rape and murder of a 9 year old girl. Collings is due to be executed by lethal injection at 6pm. on December 3, 2024 at the state prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri.
He was found guilty of the brutal rape and murder of Rowan Ford, a fourth-grade student who disappeared from her home in Stella, Missouri, on November 3, 2007. Ford's body was discovered in a cave six days after she went missing, with police confirming that the child had been strangled.
Collings had resided with the family for several months during the summer and autumn of 2007, sleeping in the basement, and Rowen affectionately referred to him as "Uncle Chris", reports the Mirror US.
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The young girl vanished one night, and her body was found in a sinkhole six days later. According to the Associated Press, authorities concluded that the cause of death was strangulation.
Collings was subsequently arrested and charged with her murder. He confessed to abducting her from her home while she slept and sexually assaulting her.
When she recognised him and panicked, he strangled her with a "chicken house rope". A jury later found him guilty of murder.
In 2014, Collings' appeal to have his sentence reduced to life imprisonment was dismissed. Williams has always maintained his innocence, and St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell has lodged a motion to overturn the sentence, arguing that new evidence reveals DNA from another individual - not Williams' - was found on the murder weapon.
A hearing to present this evidence for Williams is set to commence on Aug. 21.
The conviction and sentencing of Collings have been examined by the Missouri Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. According to the Missouri Attorney General's office, no court has ever pinpointed any legal mistakes.
Once the Attorney General submits a motion to establish an execution date, Collings's legal team will be given time to respond. If the Missouri Supreme Court decides to issue an execution warrant, the execution date will be scheduled between 90 and 120 days from the order.
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