Thursday, November 03, 2022

Fifteen years ago today Rowan Ford was murdered

 Fifteen years ago today, Chris Collings, 6-8 and nearly 300 pounds, raped and murdered Rowan Ford, 9, a fourth grader at Triway Elementary School in Stella.

Rowan's obituary lists the day of her death as November 9, but that was when she was officially pronounced dead after her body was recovered from the sinkhole where Collings tossed her.

The murder had a traumatic effect on the community of Stella and particularly on Triway Elementary and her memory has been kept alive these past 15 years.








Empty chairs were placed for Rowan and Kelly Heiling, who had died at age 16, among what would have been their graduating class at East Newton High School May 9, 2016.

A tribute to Rowan is included in Stella's memorial park for veterans.

Her killer, Chris Collings, was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to death. His appeals have been rejected in state courts and the U. S. Supreme Court elected not to hear his appeal.

Meanwhile, he sits on death row at the Potosi Correctional Center.

He has been on death row for 10 1/2 years - a year and a half longer than Rowan Ford spent on this earth.

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Lost Angels: The Murders of Rowan Ford and Doug Ringler Available on Amazon

Two children, two murders and two communities that were changed forever.

Lost Angels: The Murders of Rowan Ford and Doug Ringler, details the deaths of 9-year-old Rowan Ford of Stella, Missouri in 2007 and 8-year-old Doug Ringler of Carthage in 1993.

The book is available in paperback and e-book formats at the link below:

Lost Angels: The murders of Rowan Ford and Doug Ringler: Turner, Randy: 9781795245401: Amazon.com: Books

 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Randy as a journalist is most akin to a buzzard.

Anonymous said...

Vote Republican, Dems are soft on crime, we need to enforce our laws instead of slaps on the wrist, judges need held accountable

Anonymous said...

Such a callous remark, when the article is for the purpose of remembering a young girl who suffered a horrible death. Shame on you.

Anonymous said...

Why is this monster still alive???

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised he's alive. I can't really find anything really current but to let him out would be a HUGE mistake EVER, it's confusing to me too how her stepfather admitted to helping or being a part of it at all if he wasnt but we all know that Christopher s.a. and killed her.

Anonymous said...

Interesting take on that when it was a republican who committed the Crime against that little girl. 🤔