Missouri

Missouri man facing execution in the sexual assault and strangling of a 9-year-old girl

Published

1 year ago

December 3, 2024

Missouri man facing execution in the sexual assault and strangling of a 9-year-old girl

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Missouri man is scheduled to be put to death Tuesday evening for sexually assaulting and strangling a 9-year-old girl whose body was thrown into a sinkhole.

Christopher Collings, 49, is set to receive a single injection of the sedative pentobarbital at 6 p.m. CST for the 2007 murder of fourth-grader Rowan Ford.

The girl was assaulted and strangled with a length of rope in the tiny southwestern Missouri town of Stella, on Nov. 3, 2007, and her body was discovered six days later in the sinkhole outside town.

Collings’ fate appeared to be sealed on Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal and Republican Gov. Mike Parson turned aside a clemency request. Parson, a former sheriff, has overseen 12 previous executions and never granted clemency.

Collings’ execution would be the 23rd in the U.S. this year and the fourth in Missouri — Brian Dorsey was executed on April 9, David Hosier on June 11 and Marcellus Williams on Sept. 24. Only Alabama with six and Texas with five have performed more executions in 2024.

Rowan was a fourth-grader described by teachers at Collings’ trial as a hard-working and happy student, a lover of Barbie dolls who had her room painted pink. Collings was a friend of Rowan’s stepfather, David Spears, and lived for several months in 2007 at the home Rowan shared with Spears and Rowan’s mother, Colleen Spears. The child called Collings “Uncle Chris.”

Collings told authorities that he drank heavily and smoked marijuana with Spears and another man in the hours before the attack on Rowan, according to court records. Collings said he picked up the still-sleeping child from her bed, took her to the camper where he lived, and assaulted her there.

Collings told police that he planned to take Rowan back home, leading her outside the camper facing away from him so that she couldn’t identify who assaulted her. But when moonlight lit up the darkness, Rowan was able to see him, Collings told police. He said he “freaked out,” grabbed a rope from a nearby pickup truck and killed her.

Colleen Spears returned home from work at 9 a.m. on Nov. 3 and was alarmed when she couldn’t find Rowan. Court records said Spears insisted Rowan was at a friend’s house. But when Rowan failed to return home by the afternoon, Colleen Spears called police, prompting a massive search.

Collings, Spears and a third man became the focus of police attention because they were the last people seen at Rowan’s home. Collings told police that after killing Rowan, he took the body to a sinkhole. He burned the rope used in the attack, along with the clothes he was wearing and his bloodstained mattress, prosecutors said.

Court documents and the clemency petition said Spears also implicated himself in the crimes. A transcript of Spears’ statement to police, cited in the clemency petition, said Spears told officers that Collings handed him a cord and Spears killed Rowan.

“I choke her with it. I realize she’s gone. She’s … she’s really gone,” Spears said, according to the transcript. Meanwhile, court documents said it was Spears who led authorities to the sinkhole where the body was found.

But Spears was allowed to plead to lesser charges. It wasn’t clear why. Prosecutors at the original trial didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.

Spears served more than seven years in prison before being released in 2015. No phone listing could be found for Spears.

The clemency petition said Collings suffered from a brain abnormality that created “functional deficits in awareness, judgment and deliberation, comportment, appropriate social inhibition, and emotional regulation.” It also noted that he was frequently abused and sexually abused as a child.

“The result was a damaged human being with no guidance on how to grow into a functioning adult,” the petition stated.

The clemency petition and the Supreme Court appeal both challenged the reliability of the key law enforcement witness at Collings’ trial, a police chief from a neighboring town who had four AWOL convictions while serving in the Army. Failure to disclose details about that criminal history at trial violated Collings’ right to due process, Collings’ attorney, Jeremy Weis, contended.

“His credibility was really at the heart of the entire case against Mr. Collings,” Weis said in an interview.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for Jan. 5, 2026

Published

11 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 5, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

04-18-24-51-56, Powerball: 14, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

Midday: 2-4-6

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 2-4-5

Evening Wild: 1

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

Midday: 6-0-7-3

Midday Wild: 1

Evening: 8-9-9-5

Evening Wild: 4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

01-15-50-55-57, Cash Ball: 02

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

Early Bird: 06

Morning: 02

Matinee: 11

Prime Time: 15

Night Owl: 03

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

01-02-22-27-33

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

15-22-39-41-62, Powerball: 09

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

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.

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.

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Missouri

Missouri man’s alleged cryptocurrency scheme may have Ankeny victims

Published

23 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Missouri man’s alleged cryptocurrency scheme may have Ankeny victims

The Ankeny Police Department is asking anyone from Ankeny and across the Des Moines metro to come forward if they think they may be a victim of a Missouri man who is accused of running a cryptocurrency investment scam.

Charles Spencer Burri of Columbia, Missouri, was arrested and charged with financial exploitation of an elder and stealing $750 or more. The Columbia Police Department alleged Burri — owner and operator of Burri Asset Management LLC — has solicited thousands of dollars for cryptocurrency investments but stopped responding to victims after he received their money.

Columbia police reported to Ankeny they had uncovered evidence Burri possibly met with people in Ankeny and the Des Moines metro in July 2025, according to a news release Friday, Jan. 2.

Ankeny police believe there may be additional victims in the area who have not been identified, according to the release. Sgt. Trevor McGraw in Ankeny said Monday that no victims had come forward over the weekend.

Anyone who Burri or Burri Asset Management LLC may have contacted, or who has experienced financial loss through a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme, is encouraged to contact the Ankeny Police Department through its non-emergency line at 515-286-3333, extension 5, and file a report.

Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at PSitter@usatodayco.com. Find out more about him online in the Register’s staff directory.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for Jan. 4, 2026

Published

1 day ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 4, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

Midday: 3-8-4

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 9-3-4

Evening Wild: 3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

Midday: 4-0-8-5

Midday Wild: 7

Evening: 7-2-6-4

Evening Wild: 7

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

03-34-45-51-60, Cash Ball: 01

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

Early Bird: 08

Morning: 12

Matinee: 05

Prime Time: 12

Night Owl: 13

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

08-19-26-33-35

Check Show Me Cash 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

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

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

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.

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