Trial delayed for suspect in Rowen Ford's death

CREATED Jun. 15, 2011

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(AP) - A man charged with raping and killing his 9-year-old stepdaughter will not go on trial in August as scheduled.

David Spears is charged with killing Rowen Ford of Stella in November 2007. A judge on Wednesday agreed to delay the trial, with jury selection beginning Oct 30, 2012, in Clay County. Spears was married to Rowan's mother when the girl was killed.

A friend of Spears, Chris Collings, is also charged in the girl's death. Investigators think the two took the girl from her home to Collings' home, where they raped and killed her.

Her body was found in McDonald County a week after she disappeared.

Collings' trial is scheduled to start next March 5 in Rolla, with jury selection starting Feb. 27 in Platte County.