A change of venue was granted Tuesday to one of two men accused of kidnapping, raping and murdering a 9-year-old Stella girl last November.

Proceedings for David Wesley Spears, 25, of Stella have been moved to Pulaski County from Barry County. The change of venue request was made by defense attorneys Cynthia Bryden and Sharon Terlington, likely because of publicity in the case.

The ruling was made by Barry County Judge Robert S. Wiley.

Spears and family friend Christopher Collings are accused of abducting, raping and killing Rowan Ford, 9, in early November. Spears was Ford’s step-father.

The girl’s body was discovered in a sinkhole in McDonald County 10 miles southeast of her home nearly a week after she was declared missing by Spears and his former wife, Colleen. Ford had been missing since 10:45 p.m. Nov. 2, and was the subject of a massive search by local law enforcement agencies, volunteers, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Collings is expected to appear for a hearing Aug. 19 in Barry County. As the two men are being tried separately, their trials could take place in different locations.

This is not the first time an area trial has been moved to Waynesville, the Pulaski County seat on a change of venue. Trial for Levi King was moved there from McDonald County because of publicity in that case. King was convicted of two counts of first degree murder in the shooting deaths of Orlie McCool and Laura Dawn McCool and was sentenced to life in prison. He faces additional murder charges in Texas.