ST. LOUIS — A Missouri man, Christopher Collings, 49, is set to face execution by lethal injection due to his conviction for the sexual assault and murder of a child. His defense team has submitted a clemency petition, highlighting serious issues from his past, including a history of abuse and claims of a “structurally abnormal” brain that affects his decision-making abilities. Collings is scheduled for execution on Tuesday evening at the state prison in Bonne Terre, marking it as the 23rd execution in the United States this year and the fourth in Missouri alone.
Collings was found guilty of murdering 9-year-old Rowan Ford, a fourth-grader from Stella, Missouri, back in November 2007. Her body was discovered in a sinkhole six days after her disappearance, revealing that she had been strangled. He later confessed to the crime. As Collings awaits his execution, Missouri’s Republican Governor Mike Parson is currently deliberating over the clemency petition. Historically, Governor Parson has presided over 12 executions without granting clemency.
According to Collings’ attorney, Jeremy Weis, there is an appeal still pending with the U.S. Supreme Court. However, numerous past appeals have been rejected by various courts. The clemency request emphasizes the impairment in Collings’ brain, which reportedly leads to issues with awareness, judgment, and emotional regulation, alongside a history marked by severe childhood abuse. The petition portrays him as a victim of circumstances that prevented him from developing into a stable adult.
Furthermore, the clemency petition argues the unfairness of executing Collings when another man linked to the crime, Rowan’s stepfather David Spears, who also confessed, received a lesser sentence. Spears served over seven years in prison before his release in 2015. In his statements, Collings indicated that he had been drinking heavily and using marijuana with Spears and another individual prior to the attack on Rowan. He admitted to taking her from a home and assaulting her in his living space before ultimately strangling her upon realizing she recognized him.
After the crime, Collings took Rowan’s body to a sinkhole and disposed of the evidence, including the rope used in the attack and items of clothing that were stained with blood. Court documents also reflect that Spears uniquely directed the police to the location of Rowan’s body, despite his involvement. In his statements to authorities, Spears narrated that he choked the child, realizing the gravity of his actions only afterward.
Both the clemency petition and the pending Supreme Court appeal dispute the credibility of a key prosecution witness, who was a police chief and had several convictions of being absent without leave while serving in the military. Defense attorney Weis argues that the failure to disclose this background during the trial compromised Collings’ right to due process, stating that the witness’s credibility was crucial to the case against Collings.
Missouri has already executed three individuals this year, with Collings potentially being the next in line. The state ranks behind only Alabama and Texas for the highest number of executions in 2024, as the legal battle for Collings unfolds.
