Missouri
Christopher Collings’ final words before Missouri execution
Christopher Leroy Collings was executed in Missouri on Tuesday for the rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl.
Collings, 49, died by lethal injection at 6:10 p.m. CST at the Potosi Correctional Center in Bonne Terre.
“Right or wrong I accept this situation for what it is,” Collings said in a written final statement. “To anyone that I have hurt in this life I am sorry. I hope that you are able to get closure and move on.”
Collings is the 23rd inmate to be executed in the U.S. this year and the fourth in the state of Missouri.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to grant a stay of execution on Monday.
“Mr. Collings has received every protection afforded by the Missouri and United States Constitutions, and Mr. Collings’ conviction and sentence remain for his horrendous and callous crime,” Governor Michael Parson said in a statement on Monday. “The State of Missouri will carry out Mr. Collings’ sentence according to the Court’s order and deliver justice.”
Missouri Department of Corrections via AP
In 2007, Collings kidnapped Rowan Ford, the 9-year-old stepdaughter of one of his friends, according to court records. He was found guilty of raping the child and strangling her with chicken wire.
Collings has said that he did not intend to kill Ford, but he panicked when she recognized him. He had lived with her family for several months that year.
Ford’s body was found in a cave about a week after her disappearance. An autopsy ruled that she died due to strangulation.
Ford’s stepfather, David Wesley Spears, was also charged with rape and murder related to the incident. He had confessed to sexually assaulting and killing Ford, but Collings denied his involvement.
Prosecutors withdrew the murder charge in 2012.
Spears accepted a plea deal, agreeing to plead guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and hindrance of prosecution. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison and released in 2015.
“I am so proud of the girl that she was turning out to be,” Rowan’s older sister, Ariane Macks, Ford’s sister, told USA TODAY. “A part of me died when my sister died. I did lose my ray of sunshine.”
Macks said Collings deserved to be sentenced to death for killing Ford.
“I wanted him dead, I still do…but they could have done something better than lethal injection because he’s going out easy,” she said. “I cannot even imagine the pain when [Rowan] was strangled. Chris being so tall and so big [compared] to my little sister, she didn’t have a fighting chance.”
In Colling’s clemency petition, his attorneys said he suffered from a brain abnormality that caused “functional deficits in awareness, judgment and deliberation, comportment, appropriate social inhibition, and emotional regulation” and he experienced abuse as a child. Parson denied the petition.
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As of Valentine’s Day 2026, the Pebble Beach Pro Am is heating up for the weekend rounds, and Bet365 Sportsbook is making its presence felt across the Show-Me State. To maintain momentum during this critical opening year, Bet365 Missouri is offering an unmissable incentive for Valentine’s Day Weekend: the Bet365 bonus code SYRACUSE unlocks a guaranteed Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets promo for all new Missouri customers.
This bonus is a strategic outlier in the current market. While standard welcome bonuses in states like Ohio or Illinois dipped to $100 for the Super Bowl, Missouri bettors activating the Bet365 bonus code today gain access to an additional $50 in value. This $150 guarantee is currently one of the most powerful bankroll-builders available in the U.S. sports betting landscape.
Bet365 Bonus Code SYRACUSE: A New National Standard
The rollout of this promotion is perfectly timed for a pivotal Valentine’s Saturday in the NCAAB March Madness race and a stacked PGA field. The Bet365 bonus code structure prioritizes immediate flexibility. Unlike complex “second chance” offers that require a loss to activate, the Bet365 bonus code SYRACUSE delivers the $150 payout simply for placing a wager, regardless of the game’s outcome.
Key Deal Terms:
- Bonus Code: SYRACUSE
- Offer: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets (Guaranteed)
- Eligibility: New Missouri users
Today’s Headline Betting Event: Pebble Beach Pro-Am PGA
The Bet365 bonus code is live just in time for the weekend at Pebble Beach. Missouri bettors can use their qualifying $5 wager on Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy to trigger the $150 bonus before exploring the rest of the day’s basketball action.
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Detailed Breakdown
- Event: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
- Dates: 12 – 15 February 2026
- Location: Pebble Beach Golf Links – Pebble Beach, CA
- Purse: $20,000,000
- Par: 72
Pre-Tournament Betting Odds
- Scottie Scheffler: +300
- Rory McIlroy: +1400
- Tommy Fleetwood: +2500
- Note: Odds are subject to change.
By using the Bet365 bonus code to place a $5 wager on Scheffler to win (+300) or an underdog like McIlroy (+1400), new users will secure $150 in bonus bets to use on the extensive Saturday slate listed below.
Saturday NCAAB Schedule:
Once the Bet365 bonus code is activated, bettors can use their bonus funds on the PGA tournament or any of the following NCAAB games taking place today.
| Away | Home | Time (ET) | Odds/Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clemson | Duke | 12:00 PM | Duke -11.5 |
| UCLA | Michigan | 12:45 PM | Michigan -16.5 |
| Kansas | Iowa State | 1:00 PM | Iowa St -5.5 |
| Kentucky | Florida | 3:00 PM | Florida -11.5 |
| Purdue | Iowa | 5:00 PM | Purdue -1.5 |
| Texas Tech | Arizona | 6:30 PM | Arizona -9.5 |
| Gonzaga | Santa Clara | 10:30 PM | Gonzaga -3.5 |
How to Activate the Bet365 Bonus Code SYRACUSE:
Claiming the elevated launch offer is simple, but requires the correct code during registration. Follow these steps:
- Application: Input the Bet365 bonus code SYRACUSE in the designated field while creating your account on the Missouri app or site.
- Deposit: Fund the account with a minimum of $10.
- Qualifying Wager: Place a $5 bet on the PGA today, or any sports market.
- Distribution: The Bet365 bonus code automatically releases $150 in bonus bets to your balance once the wager settles.
Conclusion: A Massive Valentine’s Day for Bet365 Missouri!
Bet365 Missouri is redefining the standard for new user value. By deploying the Bet365 bonus code SYRACUSE during this action-packed month, sports fans can lock in a premium $150 bonus, ensuring they have ample ammunition to tackle every shot of Saturday golf at Pebble Beach and every minute of NCAAB action.
GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 21+ only. Must be physically located in MO. T&Cs Apply. In App Only.
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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) -A Missouri lawmaker is proposing a statewide economic development package designed to benefit any city in the state through a partnership with the Department of Economic Development.
Republican State Rep. Brad Christ from St. Louis introduced the “Missouri Innovation, Public Safety, and Accountability Act,” which establishes a voluntary framework for Missouri cities to designate downtown innovation districts.
“How can we build an overall economic development plan for the entire state that sets a framework so we’re not doing this one-off policy work,” Christ said.
Any Missouri city can opt their business district or downtown into the partnership. The city is responsible for streamlining the approval of new business ventures, while the state provides tax incentives.
Once designated, districts automatically qualify for tax abatements, tax increment financing, income tax credits, and opportunity zone benefits. The program includes fast-track permitting with 45-day decision timelines and “one-stop shops” for project review.
Tax benefits include income tax exclusions for new residents, employer withholding credits, relocation credits, and office-to-residential conversion credits up to 25-30% of costs.
The program directs 50% of incremental state tax revenues to local public safety and infrastructure funds. Additionally, 10% of new property tax revenues flow to a fund for rural and smaller communities.
Employers can receive up to 3% withholding credits for maintaining or growing payroll with qualifying reinvestments.
“These downtown districts, whether it’s St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia, Kansas City, are a huge bulk of Missouri’s GDP,” Christ said. “As they grow, the whole state grows. It’s good for everyone in the state if these downtown areas are successful.”
The program would sunset in 10 years unless reauthorized, and all tax provisions would become effective Jan. 1, 2027.
Jefferson City Mayor Ron Fitzwater said tax credits can benefit communities, though they face some pushback.
“Tax credits are something that are beneficial to communities, and I know that there’s positive sides of it and negative sides; they get some push back,” Fitzwater said. “But it’s more expensive to build to historic standards, so the tax credits sometimes kinda help that.”
Fitzwater said Jefferson City is working with its downtown association and other businesses to promote them and provide resources.
The state capitol is in the middle of a big revitalization itself. A new conference center is planned right in the heart of the city’s downtown, and historic properties on East Capitol Avenue are being sold to buyers with wishes to transform them into businesses, offices, and restaurants.
Christ hopes to get the bill in committee next week. It has until mid-May to make it through both chambers and reach the governor’s desk.
To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Please include the article info in the subject line of the email.
Copyright 2026 KY3. All rights reserved.
As of Friday, February 13, 2026, the Pebble Beach Pro Am is closing entering Round 2, and Bet365 Sportsbook is making its presence felt across the Show-Me State. To maintain momentum during this critical opening year, Bet365 Missouri is offering an unmissable incentive for Valentine’s Day Weekend: the Bet365 bonus code SYRACUSE unlocks a guaranteed Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets promo for all new Missouri customers.
This bonus is a strategic outlier in the current market. While standard welcome bonuses in states like Ohio or Illinois dipped to $100 for the Super Bowl, Missouri bettors activating the Bet365 bonus code today gain access to an additional $50 in value. This $150 guarantee is currently one of the most powerful bankroll-builders available in the U.S. sports betting landscape.
Bet365 Bonus Code SYRACUSE: A New National Precedent
The rollout of this promotion is perfectly timed for a pivotal Friday night in the NCAAB March Madness race and a stacked PGA field. The Bet365 bonus code structure prioritizes immediate flexibility. Unlike complex “second chance” offers that require a loss to activate, the Bet365 bonus code SYRACUSE delivers the $150 payout simply for placing a wager, regardless of the game’s outcome.
Key Deal Terms:
- Bonus Code: SYRACUSE
- Offer: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets (Guaranteed).
- Eligibility: New Missouri users.
Today’s Headline Betting Event: Pebble Beach Pro-Am PGA
The Bet365 bonus code is live just in time for the PGA tournament at Pebble Beach. Missouri bettors can use their qualifying $5 wager on Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy to trigger the $150 bonus before exploring the rest of the night’s basketball action.
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Detailed Breakdown
- AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
- 13 – 16 February 2026
- Pebble Beach Golf Links – Pebble Beach, CA
- Purse $20,000,000Par 72Yards 6,989
Pre-Tournament Betting Odds
- Scottie Scheffler: +300
- Tommy Fleetwood: +2800
- Rory McIlroy: +1400
- Note: Odds are subject to change.
By using the Bet365 bonus code to place a $5 wager on the Scheffler to win (+300) or the underdog Rory McIlroy (+1400), new users will secure $150 in bonus bets to use on the extensive evening slate listed below.
Full Friday Schedule: Once the Bet365 bonus code is activated, bettors can use their bonus funds on the PGA tournament or any of the following NCAAB games taking place tonight:
How to Activate the Bet365 Bonus Code SYRACUSE:
Claiming the elevated launch offer is simple, but requires the correct code during registration. Follow these steps:
- Application: Input the Bet365 bonus code SYRACUSE in the designated field while creating your account on the Missouri app or site.
- Deposit: Fund the account with a minimum of $10.
- Qualifying Wager: Place a $5 bet on the PGA today, or any sports market.
- Distribution: The Bet365 bonus code automatically releases $150 in bonus bets to your balance once the wager settles.
Conclusion: A Massive Friday for Bet365 Missouri!
Bet365 Missouri is redefining the standard for new user value. By deploying the Bet365 bonus code SYRACUSE during this action-packed opening month, sports fans can lock in a premium $150 bonus, ensuring they have ample ammunition to tackle every snap of Friday golf at Pebble Beach and every quarter of NCAAB action.
GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 21+ only. Must be physically located in MO. T&Cs Apply. In App Only.
If you or a loved one has questions or needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net for more information.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
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