SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – New concerns that a defendant in a child murder case got too good of a plea deal.

David Spears pleaded guilty to his role in the 2007 murder of his step-daughter 9-year-old Rowan Ford. But for the past few years, Spears has been working for the state of Missouri, your tax dollars paying his salary.

“It just goes beyond outrage. There really isn’t a word that describes how I felt when I found out that he was actually employed at the public’s expense,” said Joplin area State Representative Lane Roberts.

He says he was mortified to learn that Spears is working in the public defenders’ office in West Plains.

In 2007 Rowan Ford was strangled, raped, and her body dumped in a sinkhole in McDonald County. Her killer, Christopher Collings, was executed last month. But Spears pleaded guilty to lesser charges and spent several years in prison.

“To lose a child is in itself just gut-wrenching. But when you look at how he conducted himself, the crying and the carrying on about what a tortured soul he was. This was her stepfather. This was a man who was supposed to have protected her. Instead, he sought to help the individual who took her life avoid prosecution,” explained Roberts.

He and 15 other state representatives sent a letter to the Public Defenders Commission calling on them to fire Spears arguing his defense, incarceration, wages, and possibly retirement is paid for with tax dollars. It also says that keeping him on the payroll since 2016 after he was paroled is “vicious, outrageous, and defies reason”.

Roberts said, “They have, as I understand it, been reviewing their hiring practices. My hope is that they will amend those practices so something of this nature never occurs again.”

He wants the community to know that the fight for justice for Rowan continues.

“For those of us who have been elected to represent the public, in whatever capacity, there’s an obligation to call it out when you see it. So if nothing else comes of this hopefully people will get a level of confidence that somebody is paying attention. Those who make decisions on their behalf and spend their money are accountable for what they do.”

KY3 called the Howell County public defender for comment but was told he was out of the office.

The Public Defender Commission meets this Wednesday to discuss their employee background check policy.

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Mike Kehoe was sworn in Monday as the 58th governor of Missouri.

Along the Missouri River, the stage was set and the capitol grounds were elaborately decorated for a patriotic ceremony celebrating Missouri’s state leaders and their families.

All eyes were on Kehoe as he addressed Missourians.

“I will always remember and honor the solemn oath I just took,” he said on the podium.

His first moments in office, as promised, were dedicated to fighting crime in Missouri.

He signed into law a number of executive orders in what he calls a comprehensive reformative agenda that gives all law environment officers additional tools to do their jobs.

Kehoe said he’ll follow through by strengthening public education, creating stable jobs, reducing taxes and regulations to attract businesses, and tackling crime.

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“I believe we can work together without sacrificing our core beliefs. Securing Missouri’s future means strengthening public education and expanding school choice so that every single student has the opportunity to get a world-class education. Whether it’s a four-year college or career technical education, schools that teach kids how to think — not what to think — are the key to long-term self-reliance,” Kehoe said. “Securing Missouri’s future means creating stable jobs that provide both a source of income and a sense of purpose.

“My administration will focus on reducing taxes and cutting regulations so families keep more of their own money, and so job creators want to come here, expand here and hire more hard-working Missourians. Finally, securing Missouri’s future means securing our agriculture economy.”

His promise to Missourians is a secure future.

“Too many Missourians don’t feel safe — and too many Missourians aren’t safe,” he said. “When people are afraid for their lives and for their families, they cannot be productive, and they will not prosper. My administration will be relentless in our pursuit to make Missouri a place where it’s easier to be a cop than a criminal.”

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Some of the executive orders signed by Kehoe include:

1. “Operation Relentless Pursuit” is what he explained as a regional anti-crime effort to allow officers to pursue and apprehend “dangerous fugitives” with outstanding warrants.

“No longer will we wait until they are caught in a traffic stop,” said Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.

2. “Blue Shield Program,” which Gov. Kehoe said aims to strengthen community support for all law enforcement agencies. He said communities that participate would receive state grant money.

3. Gov. Kehoe plans to designate specific officers to train on immigration enforcement so “Missouri can assist in immigration enforcement when called upon by President Trump,” Bailey said.

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4. “Immigrant Data Collection,” which Bailey said means anyone being investigated for criminal behavior will also have their immigration status tracked by the state.

5. Gov. Kehoe signed into law a pay grid adjustment to the Missouri State Highway Patrol to reduce the time it takes to reach top salary from 15 years to 12 years of service.

Bailey said they’d look at the staffing levels of various law enforcement agencies across the state and whether or not they choose to opt in.

A spokesperson for the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department said they’d review Kehoe’s crime plan before commenting.

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With the conclusion of his swearing-in ceremony, Kehoe left the crowd with a guarantee.

“Missourians expect results, they deserve results and with my administration, they will get results,” he said. “I will talk to anyone, work with anyone and root for anyone who has a good idea to make our state safer, stronger and better.”

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KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.