Story Published:
Nov 19, 2007 at 6:50 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Nov 19, 2007 at 6:50 PM CDT
CASSVILLE, Mo. -- Law officers believe the same type of cord used to tie up the goats near Chris Collings' camper also ended Rowan Ford's life. One of the two men charged for Rowan's murder told a detective the reason.
"One of them stated (it was) because she looked up at him," said Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly.
Detectives think Chris Collings and David Spears took the 9-year-old girl to Collings' camper. Inside the rundown, dirty camper, Epperly says, the two men raped the girl.
One of the men said she pleaded with them to stop. Investigators believe the two men pulled her out of the camper after they raped her, pulled a cord out of a truck and then strangled her.
"I could not tell you what went through this man's mind at that time," Epperly said, "Drinking and drugs and what could go through anybody's mind to sexually abuse a 9-year-old innocent girl? That's just unhuman."
Hearing about Rowan's last moments, Collings' brother gets sick to his stomach.
"I'm just kind of wondering if he ain't covering up for somebody," said Greg Horton.
