Connect with us

Missouri

Christopher Collings’ final words before Missouri execution

Published

on

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.

Advertisement

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.”

This image provided by the Missouri Department of Corrections shows Christopher Collings, who was convicted of raping and strangling a 9-year-old girl in 2007. Collings was executed on Tuesday.

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

“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.

Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.



Source link

Advertisement

Missouri

Stone leads Missouri against No. 21 Georgia after 20-point showing

Published

on

Stone leads Missouri against No. 21 Georgia after 20-point showing


Georgia Bulldogs (15-3, 3-2 SEC) at Missouri Tigers (13-5, 3-2 SEC)

Columbia, Missouri; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Missouri hosts No. 21 Georgia after Jayden Stone scored 20 points in Missouri’s 78-70 loss to the LSU Tigers.

Advertisement

The Tigers have gone 11-0 at home. Missouri averages 81.2 points and has outscored opponents by 9.0 points per game.

The Bulldogs have gone 3-2 against SEC opponents. Georgia has college basketball’s best offense averaging 96.0 points while shooting 47.8%.

Missouri’s average of 7.7 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.4 more made shots on average than the 7.3 per game Georgia allows. Georgia averages 23.8 more points per game (96.0) than Missouri allows (72.2).

The matchup Tuesday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams in conference play.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jacob Crews averages 2.3 made 3-pointers per game for the Tigers, scoring 11.6 points while shooting 47.2% from beyond the arc. Mark Mitchell is averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists over the past 10 games.

Advertisement

Jeremiah Wilkinson is averaging 17.9 points and 1.8 steals for the Bulldogs. Blue Cain is averaging 13.6 points over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Tigers: 5-5, averaging 71.8 points, 27.3 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 6.3 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.4 points per game.

Bulldogs: 8-2, averaging 93.6 points, 36.7 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 7.6 steals and 6.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.3 points.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Missouri

Northwest Missouri State WR commit Karsten Fiene flips to Mizzou

Published

on

Northwest Missouri State WR commit Karsten Fiene flips to Mizzou


Eli Drinkwitz used to preach locking down the borders in recruiting.

As Missouri took more of a national approach, though, more in-state recruits ended up elsewhere. But the Tigers still have an eye for their own talent in the Show-Me State, flipping the commitment of wide receiver Karsten Fiene from Northwest Missouri State.

Missouri hosted Fiene for an official visit this weekend. The program looked for a third wideout in the 2026 class, extending a mid-December offer to Fiene, who pledged to the Bearcats in late July while not thinking another opportunity would present itself.

“It meant a lot to me,” Fiene said about his Tigers scholarship. “As a kid growing up, I always wanted to play D-I football and go to the League, so finally getting this offer means a lot.”

Advertisement

In 2025 season, when the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Fiene starred in the Lee’s Summit (Mo.) High backfield down the stretch, the Tigers took home the MSHSAA 6A state title. The senior totaled 1,586 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns.

“It was surreal,” Fiene said Fiene. “We started 0-4, and it was like this isn’t gonna go well. And we came out winning a state championship, and I wasn’t even thinking about the recruiting process. I was going to Northwest Missouri State, and then Mizzou calls me up one night. And they’re like, ‘Hey, we really want you here. We want to offer you.’ And it was like holy cow. This is actually happening.”

Fiene joined three-stars Jabari Brady and Devyon Hill-Lomax in the current recruiting cycle. The two inked with the Tigers during the Early Signing Period in December. National Signing Day will open Feb. 4 for late commits, who will not enroll until the summer.

“The staff did an amazing job,” Fiene said. “The whole place felt like home and somewhere I wanted to be. Mizzou for sure hit on the food. There was food left and right from burgers, wings and nachos at lunch to the steak at dinner.”

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Shaun Terry II served as the player host for Fiene as well as Class of 2026 Lee’s Summit running back Preston Hatfield, who received an offer during the visit. Fiene didn’t meet any signees from his class, but he visited alongside Liberty (Mo.) North cornerback Trashundon Neal.

Advertisement

Fiene marked the fifth in-state player to join the Tigers’ 2026 class. Linebacker Keenan Harris and interior offensive linemen Braylon Ellison and Brysen Wessell signed with Missouri in early December. Defensive lineman Jocques Felix committed earlier this month. Missouri now has 21 commits/signees in its 2026 non-transfer class.

“They think I’m gonna be a stud,” Fiene said.



Source link

Continue Reading

Missouri

Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for Jan. 17, 2026

Published

on


The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 17, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 17 drawing

05-08-27-49-57, Powerball: 14, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 17 drawing

Midday: 8-9-1

Advertisement

Midday Wild: 7

Evening: 0-8-5

Evening Wild: 7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 17 drawing

Midday: 7-2-3-6

Advertisement

Midday Wild: 6

Evening: 9-5-0-4

Evening Wild: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 17 drawing

17-37-48-55-57, Cash Ball: 03

Advertisement

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 17 drawing

Early Bird: 01

Morning: 04

Matinee: 05

Prime Time: 05

Advertisement

Night Owl: 03

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 17 drawing

07-12-15-31-33

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Jan. 17 drawing

01-04-06-34-56, Powerball: 19

Advertisement

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Advertisement

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

Advertisement

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
  • Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
  • Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
  • Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
  • Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
  • Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending