Christopher Leroy Collings, a father of two daughters who was convicted in the rape and murder of 9-year-old Rowan Ford in 2007, is scheduled to be executed in Missouri on Tuesday by lethal injection. Collings kidnapped Rowan while drunk with friends, raped her, and then strangled her before dumping her body in a cave. The jury found the murder to be “outrageously and wantonly vile, horrible, and inhuman.”Collings’ lawyer stated that his client is remorseful and has been treated unfairly by the justice system, while Rowan’s older sister expressed that lethal injection is not a harsh enough punishment for him.
The execution is set to take place at the Potosi Correctional Center in Bonne Terre, Missouri, at 6 p.m. Collings will be allowed a last meal request and is expected to deliver last words. Witnesses include some of their family members as well as news media representatives.
Rowan Ford was described as a bubbly, shy, and special little girl by her older sister. The community was shocked by her disappearance and mourned her loss. Collings, who came from a troubled background, never formed emotional attachments due to severe neglect from his birth parents and traumatic experiences while in foster care. He struggled with addiction and his trial attorneys argued that he did not intend to kill Rowan. His current attorney has raised doubts about Collings’ confession and pointed to another suspect’s confession as further evidence of doubt.
While Collings’ family and media representatives will be present at the execution, Rowan’s family continues to grieve the loss of their beloved sister and daughter.
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