Brooks Houck and his accomplice, Joseph Lawson, were recently found guilty of murder charges in connection with the presumed death of Crystal Rogers, a 35-year-old mother of five from Kentucky who went missing in 2015. Rogers was last seen at Houck’s family farm on July 3, 2015, and her remains have not been located.
Prosecutor Shane Young described the crime as premeditated murder during the court proceedings. Houck and Lawson were convicted of various charges related to the disappearance of Rogers, highlighting a long-awaited breakthrough in the case.
The trial revealed that Houck, Rogers’ then-boyfriend, was found guilty of murder and complicity to tampering with physical evidence, while Lawson was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence. Despite the lack of physical evidence linking them to the crime, prosecutors presented digital evidence that implicated the two men in planning and concealing Rogers’ disappearance and killing.
Steven Lawson, Joseph’s father, was also convicted in a separate trial for charges related to Rogers’ disappearance. The court proceedings shed light on the events leading up to Rogers’ disappearance, with witness testimonies and digital evidence playing crucial roles in the case.
Following the convictions, Rogers’ oldest daughter expressed her sentiments, stating that what happened was unfair and that her mother deserved better. The jury recommended life imprisonment for Houck and 25 years for Joseph, with sentencing hearings scheduled for August. The case has brought closure to a chapter in the mystery surrounding Rogers’ disappearance, but questions persist regarding the death of Rogers’ father, Tommy Ballard, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation.
On Nov. 19, 2016, Tommy Ballard was tragically killed by a single bullet to his chest while getting ready for a hunting trip with his 12-year-old grandson in Bardstown, Kentucky. Despite ongoing investigations, no one has been charged in connection with the shooting. Authorities suspect a possible link between Ballard’s death and the disappearance of his daughter. The FBI’s Louisville office is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for any information leading to an arrest or conviction in Ballard’s murder case. If you are facing domestic violence, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org for support.
