By Derek Spellman

dspellman@joplinglobe.com

CASSVILLE, Mo. — A Stella man who is accused of raping and murdering his 9-year-old stepdaughter waived a preliminary hearing Tuesday and was ordered to stand trial.

David W. Spears, 25, is charged with first-degree murder, forcible rape and statutory rape in connection with the alleged abduction, sexual assault and murder of Rowan Ford in November. Spears and his attorney, Michael King, appeared Tuesday before Barry County Associate Judge Victor Head.

Spears and a friend, Chris Collings, 32, of Wheaton, face the same three charges in the case. Collings waived a preliminary hearing last month and was bound over for trial.

Authorities still are trying to reconcile discrepancies between the two defendants’ accounts of the events leading to the girl’s death. Both Spears and Collings reportedly have confessed to the rape and murder.

Barry County Prosecutor Johnnie Cox said the trials of the two men should help determine exactly who did what. He also noted that authorities are awaiting the results of lab tests on some physical evidence.

Those results will help determine whether authorities will seek the death penalty, Cox said.

Investigators believe Rowan was abducted early Nov. 3 from her home in Stella in Newton County, raped and murdered in Barry County, and her body disposed of in McDonald County.

The body was found in a sinkhole near Powell after a nearly weeklong search that involved the Newton County Sheriff’s Department, the McDonald County Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.

Both Spears and Collings remained incarcerated Tuesday at the Barry County Jail.

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