Crystal Rogers, a mother of five, went missing over Fourth of July weekend in 2015. detail_page_enabled: true, Crystal Maria Rogers is an American woman from Bardstown, Kentucky who went . In one of WDRB last interviews with him, we asked if Rogers' body would ever be found. REALLY???? 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Pennsylvania woman missing since 1992 found alive in Puerto Rico, Missing San Francisco DJs wife posts heartbreaking update, Father of 5 vanishes after leaving Louisiana bar during work trip, San Francisco radio DJ had mysterious brain issues before disappearing, missing Kentucky mother last seen six years ago. submission: { On October 16, 2015, Brooks' brother Nick Houck was fired from the Bardstown Police Department for allegedly interfering with the investigation of Crystal Rogers disappearance, according to NBC affiliate WLEX. Check back with ABC36 for updates. Inside were her purse, keys and cellphone. "I'm telling you I've been 100 percent honest with you.". , Singleton is a close friend and longtime employee of Brooks Houck. Days after Crystal Rogers was reported missing, her boyfriend Brooks Houck sat inside the Nelson County Sheriff's Office, answering Detective Jon Snow's questions. Last year, the FBI tore up a driveway in a subdivision of Bardstown whileconducting "several searches" related to the disappearance ofRogers. teacher harriet voice shawne jackson; least stressful physician assistant specialties; grandma's marathon elevation gain; describe key elements of partnership working with external organisations Rogers family, however, was immediately concerned. Brooks Houck is the prime suspect in the 2015 disappearance of his then girlfriend and mother of 5 Crystal Rogers. The home of Nick Houck Brooks' brother, who was fired by Bardstown police in 2015 for allegedly interfering with the investigation into Rogers' disappearance was also searched, FBI. In an interview with Nancy Grace, Brooks admitted he and Rogers had a stressed relationship at times, but he emphatically denied having anything to do with her disappearance. McCubbin said that Houcks conduct was unbecoming and showed poor ethics and integrity, WHAS-11 reported. Powered by. Rogers disappeared on July 3, 2015. 22102015Brooks A POLICE officer has been fired after he allegedly tampered with a case involving the missing girlfriend of his brother who is suspected in her disappearance. Crystal was last seen on the afternoon of July 3rd, 2015 playing games on her phone at her home. As CrimeOnline previously reported, FBI agents and cadaver dogs are at a subdivision in Bardstown, the town Rogers, then 35, was living in when she vanished in July 2015. Rogers' family was suspicious of her boyfriend. He continued to deny his connection to the disappearance, saying, "My whole family's name is trashed for something completely not even tied to me. Brooks Houck is named the. HLN Investigations is a news team that produces breaking news specials and HLN Original Series within the crime and justice genre. "And I do have a lot of hope that this is where the investigation needs to be at and that they may be able to provide me answers this time," Ballard said. "If he truly loved my daughter, he would do anything to find her because we're doing anything," Sherry Ballard said. When I graduated high school, seeing all the kids with their moms and they were like so proud. Maupin stole some of those signs and was court ordered to write an apology to Sherry Ballard. The Daily Beast alleged that Houck refused to be interviewed by the detectives searching for Rogers, failed an FBI polygraph test and tried to warn his brother when police were going to interview him. He told Snow that when he woke up on the morning of July 4, Rogers wasn't there. A few months later, in November, a new sheriff, Ramon Pineiroa, was elected in Nelson County after former Sheriff Ed Mattingly stepped down at the start of the year. TIMELINE | The disappearance and search for Bardstown mother Crystal Rogers, Missing Bardstown mother's car found abandoned with flat tire and keys in it, Weekend search scheduled for missing mother of five in Nelson County, Nelson Co. Sheriff: Missing Bardstown woman likely dead, boyfriend now a suspect, Suspended Bardstown police officer fired after hearing, Missing Bardstown woman's boyfriend says investigation is 'starting to get silly', Parents of missing Bardstown mother seeking full custody of her youngest son, Man accused of lying to grand jury in Crystal Rogers case appears in court, DETECTIVE: 'Crime' involving Crystal Rogers believed to have happened at Houck farm, Officers investigating after father of missing Bardstown mother Crystal Rogers shot and killed while hunting, Former KSP troopers hired to investigate unsolved crimes in Bardstown, Ballard family won't accept court-ordered apology letter from woman who stole signs in Bardstown, 3 years after Crystal Rogers went missing, Brooks Houck speaks to WDRB, Brooks Houck indicted on theft charges in Nelson County, Judge rules Crystal Rogers' son can no longer see his grandmother, Sherry Ballard, Jury acquits Brooks Houck of charges that he stole roofing shingles from Lowe's, Crystal Rogers' daughter talks about life without her mom during the 5 years she's been missing, CRAWFORD | Shift into 'March mode' powers positive postseason start for Louisville women, Indiana wobbles but rallies past Michigan State, 94-85, AT THE BUZZER | Van Lith's first-half tear carries Louisville to 74-48 ACC Tourney rout of Wake, Kentucky, Indiana utility companies working to restore power to thousands of customers, Humana sues architect, contractors over structural defects with 40-year-old downtown Louisville tower, Louisville mayor declares State of Emergency after damaging storms roll through Kentuckiana, Man dies after crashing car into tree in Indian Hills neighborhood, Louisville police say, Tom Sizemore, 'Saving Private Ryan' actor, dies at 61, VIDEO | Louisville police release body camera footage of officer accidentally shooting 2 teenagers, Gov. A few reports revealed that a suspicious man had been watching Molly. The Nelson County Sheriff's Office, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, FBI and Louisville Metro Police Department searched 300 acres with at least 14 cadaver dogs. Hes very deceiving, she said. 2023 www.courier-journal.com. He is also the father of Rogers youngest child. Bardstown Police Chief Kim Kraeszig told WDRB that they conducted a search warrant at Houcks house, looking for financial records related to the theft allegations. Most Read Investigators received a flood of tips after announcing several searches at the subdivision last week. The motive and person behind his murder remain a mystery to this day. Her kids need closure, but to physically hear it, its going to be so hard on us.". When you see news happening, share it! Crystal Rogers, 35, has been missing since July 3. We would always get the chicken strip basket with the toast and gravy to go with it. Over the years, family raised money for information leading to an arrest in Rogers' and Tommy Ballard's cases. I knew my mom was proud, but like just wanting her to be there physically, it was very hard to see other moms there, Fenwick said. These residents are not considered suspects.. publisher_id: "7544", I always wonder what my life would be like if she and my papaw was still here.". . She had this to say about everything her family has endured through the years: "You look at it now, and you're like, this actually happened. How to watch:HLN airs docu-series investigation on missing Kentucky mom Crystal Rogers. Since my moms been missing, life has been really hard. I don't need an attorney. What did the sheriff at the time of the murders know about this investigation into Nick Houck? Both cases are still unsolved. Do they think people are THAT dumb?? "That's my scary day," she said. According to her boyfriend Brooks Houck, Crystal Rogers was last seen on the night of July 3, 2015. , he said she stayed up late playing games on her phone and was gone the next morning from the house where they lived with their 2-year-old son, Eli, and other children. The FBI was/is investigating the Bardstown and Nelson County police departments for corruption. All Rights Reserved. Sherry believes Tommy was getting close to finding out what happened to Rogers before he was killed. Rogers first disappeared back in 2015her boyfriend Brooks Hauck was the only suspect named in the case at that time. Houck runs Houck Rentals, a business involving real estate holdings of more than 130 parcels in 2018, the Kentucky Standard reported. BARDSTOWN on WHAS11: bit.ly/35hUbnH Listen to the BARDSTOWN podcast: whas11.com/article/news/local/bardstownpodcast/417-5362a934-5231-4a40-ad27-3b91c21cb8cb Follow WHAS11 Facebook: bit.ly/2qrsERY Twitter: bit.ly/35iHicO Instagram: bit.ly/35gV0wU, Rogers family in courtroom with Brooks Houck, Brooks Houck spent Thursday morning in a courtroom, but not for anything connected to his former girlfriend, Crystal Rogers of Nelson County. When nothing is being done and there is so much attention drawn to a case the FBI gets involved they dont always need authorization. The couple, who have one child together, had been living together in Bardstown, a small town in the heart of Kentucky bourbon country, when Rogers vanished. There are multiple people around Houck who have been implicated in her disappearance and Houck has also been accused of theft, for which he was acquitted. Adding they know there are people who know specific information about crystals disappearance and want to do the right thing. 6940 Man O' War Blvd. Houck has never been charged with a crime in Crystals disappearance. PREVIOUS STORIES ON WAVE3.COM+KSP search Brooks Houck's grandmother's home in Bardstown+Father of Crystal Rogers shot and killed in hunting incident+Lead suspect in Crystal Rogers disappearance appears in court+Nelson Co. sheriff: One Houck brother a suspect in Crystal Rogers' disappearance, likely death. No one has been charged, but Houck was named a suspect in 2015. Houck's brother, Nick, was a police officer with Bardstown Police at the time of Rogers' disappearance andwas fired after interfering in the investigation. Those brothers are evil. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. Despite this, authorities have not confirmed whether the remains belong to missing mom. }, "I have eight pages of circumstances that lead me to look in their direction," Mattingly said. FBI agents were searching a farm Monday morning connected to the man Rogers was in a relationship with at the time of her disappearance. Several people around Houck, including two relatives and one employee, have also been implicated in the case. "And I need closure. Like, this is our story now. Houck was named the main suspect in Rogers'. widget: true, In 2019, a partially-built home on Wheeling Avenue was destroyed in a fire and according to what Fire Chief Billy Mattingly told the Lexington Herald-Leader, the fire was being investigated as arson. Nobody has. The mother and daughter were found dead in their home on Springfield Road near Bardstown. Ballard has maintained that she will always believe Houck did something to hurt her daughter. Feb 21, 2023. He said that Rogers was on her phone when he went to sleep and gone when he woke up. Her car was found two days later on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway with a flat. Warren County Jail Brooks Houck has been named the only suspect in the disappearance of his girlfriend Crystal Rogers (pictured here together with their two-year-old son). That day in court was also the first time the Ballards saw Brooks Houck since Rogers was reported missing. Some of those properties Houck sold represented properties he had owned for many years, some as far back as 2005. We've received your submission. The HLN cable channel is a spinoff of CNN. "I think eventually she will be found, yes," Snow said. UPDATE (8/27/21 10:30 A.M.) The FBI has found an item of interest during a property search for missing Bardstown mother Crystal Rogers. Detectives believe she was murdered. In my heart, I know he's 100% guilty, Ballard said. In July of 2017, Brooks Houck's current girlfriend, Crystal Maupin, was arrested after she was allegedly caught on camera ripping up signs connected to the investigation. When confronted with the results, Nick denied that he was lying, saying, I dont give a goddam what your f*cking computer said Youre calling me a f*cking liar [and] I dont like it when people call me a liar.. [] I can't even go on the side of the road without looking like a murderer. Its been a very hard week, Rogers mother, Sherry Ballard, told the paper Thursday. 3rdGenUKGrad. In 2015, Crystal Rogers was last seen at her then boyfriend, Brooks. It's very hard. Over the ensuing three years, the drama around her disappearance would include accusations of police interference, the still unsolved shooting death of her father and a sign campaign straight out of the movie Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.. Maupin is the girlfriend of Brooks Houck. Brooks Houck. He is the father of Crystal Rogers' youngest child. I was calling and texting and she wasn't answering, she said. It's not the family farm that is located just off the Bluegrass Parkway exit where Ellis was killed, it was the family home. The bureau has not identified what the item of interest is at this time. Houck and Rogers have a son together. We appreciate the communitys support, particularly the residents of the Woodlawn Springs subdivision.. Kentucky State Police is in charge of this case and classified it as a death investigation. "We will definitely send something out when that changes," Anderson said. Who knows with drug rings. Days earlier, FBI Louisville announced that investigators were led to the subdivision based on information gathered in the past year. orientation: "portrait", Detectives say Crystal Rogers was last seen on July 3, 2015 by her boyfriend at the time, Brooks Houck. Honestly, none of this information is surprising but nice to have it explained out this way. Nick Houck told the investigator, angrily. Its closer to Bardstown, up the BG. Her red Chevrolet Impala was found abandoned on July 5 with a flat tire along the Bluegrass Parkway with her keys, phone and purse still inside, FBI officials have said. Crystal Maupin pleaded guilty to theft charges in court Tuesday. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. A year later, Tommy Ballard, Crystal's father, who had been at the forefront of the search for Crystal and the investigation into her disappearance, was shot and killed near his son's house, while hunting with his grandson. It never gets easier, she said. The mystery and the unknown have weighed heavily on the family. The trial was held a couple months later, and in April, a jury found Brooks Houck not guilty. Telling her this and then the very next page I'll be telling her well this is very serious like you should have been there, Fenwick said. Early on, a friend and employee of Brooks Houck, Danny Singleton, faced 38 counts of perjury for lying to detectives during the investigation, but pleaded guilty to lesser charges of false swearing. An FBI Louisville spokesman previously said all three locations hadalready been searched "to various degrees" over the years. Copyright 2020 WDRB Media. We remain dedicated to bringing justice.. , refusing to testify for the fear she might incriminate herself. I wonder why Nelson Co SO wouldve invited the FBI to assist if their department is corrupt? Like she's just right over my shoulder talking back and reading what I'm writing.. There was a problem saving your notification. what happened to archie in monarch of the glen; funeral poem our father kept a garden. I can tell you if I was not happy with where my daughter's case was going, I would not be quiet like I am now. In July, the lead detective in Rogers' case, Snow, retired. I dont think so. Until the body is found, Nick and Brooks Houck will likely never be charged with her murder, or any others they've committed. This is a developing story. Sherry Ballard said her daughter's children are now 22, 21, 19, 17 and 9. Federal agents, with help from Nelson County highway department vehicles, were continuing to zero in on a driveway and truck away pieces of concrete and materials from outside a home. #Bardstown #CrystalRogers https://t.co/dguQlsLZxp pic.twitter.com/NJz6DIetlQ, Hayley Minogue (@HayleyMinogueTV) August 6, 2020. "I just want to see my grandson. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Nick then failed a polygraph test conducted by an examiner from the FBI when questioned about the case. went missing over Fourth of July weekend in 2015. This item is being further evaluated and we will release additional information as it becomes available, the agency tweeted. Where Crystal's body, or remains, are is still unknown except to those who murdered her. Investigators had wanted to ask her about a white car of hers they believed was connected to Rogers disappearance. I'm sorry for my actions,'" Sherry Ballard said of the letter. During the summer of 2020, the FBI took over from Kentucky State Police and the Nelson County Sheriff's Office as the lead investigator inthe case, with over 150 federal agentsservingsearch warrants in August 2020 atthree sites owned by Houck and his family members. ", "My mom is a very special woman," one of Rogers' daughterswrote on a website dedicated to the investigation. Little did anyone know it would be much longer. His family believes the same person is responsible for both Tommys death and Rogers' disappearance. , Brooks did not report her missing for two days, and ultimately it was her own family that went to police. Federal authorities said they're searching Brooks Houck's home . Until justice is served, they have one simple request. There were no witnesses, and no arrests have been made in connection with the fatal shooting. You just don't go to bed one night and not know she's gone and then not worry when she left the baby," Rogers sister Brooke Ballard told ABC News. What a bunch of corruption. Regarding the thought of finally finding out what happened to her daughter, Ballard said, "I want it, but its going to be so hard for me. Agentsreportedlywere using a cadaver dog to search the subdivision and a Courier Journal photographer saw investigatorsusing a jackhammer on the driveway of a home. WELLSVILLE - William F. Davis, 83, passed away on Wednesday (February 22, 2023) at Maple City Rehabilitation and Nursing Center following a lengthy illness. "In my heart, I know he's 100% guilty," Ballard said. By KATELYN NORRIS knorris@kystandard.com. All Rights Reserved. Her disappearance has garnered national attention, but there are still no answers and no signs of her. He later confessed to lying in the case and spent seven months in jail. I just watched the Disappearance of Crystal Rogers and a lot of this was theorized in the show. Brooks acts very entitled and arrogant and his explanations/excuses for the last time he saw Crystal are complete BS. Brooks Houck, an initial suspect and Crystal Rogers' then-boyfriend, has denied involvement in her disappearance. You have permission to edit this article. I was just like, there's no way Im waiting a year to find my daughter, Ballard said, holding back tears. Rogers' father was killed in an unsolved hunting accident. A year later, Tommy Ballard, Crystal's father, who had been at the forefront of the search for Crystal and the investigation into her disappearance, was shot and killed near his son's house, while hunting with his grandson. On Saturday FBI Louisville tweeted about its support from the Bardstown community over the past week..thanking them for donations of food and a flood of tips. Officers were authorized to search Brooks' home at 113 Glenview Drive, Nick's home at 730 Pulliam Ave., and a farm owned by the Houck family at 345 Paschal Ballard Lane, Beam said. And I was just shocked. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. He is considered the main suspect in her death. Several weeks after Crystal's disappearance, the Nelson County Sheriff's Office announced Crystal was presumed dead and named Brooks Houck the main suspect. Spalding (@spaldinghurst) September 8, 2018. Her car was found abandoned on the Bluegrass Parkwaywith her keys, phone and purse still inside. SOLVE THESE MURDERS. His family believes the same person is responsible for both Tommys death and Rogers' disappearance. How 5 people could be murderer in a SMALL area with no arrests is unbelievable- simply unbelievable. In the interview, Houck said that Rogers, their 2-year-old son Eli and himself left the family farm around midnight the night of July 3. On the one-year anniversary of Tommy Ballards death, signs showed up around Bardstown speculating about Brooks involvement in Rogers disappearance. The bones were reportedly located four miles from a Bardstown farm owned by Crystal Rogers' ex-boyfriend's family where the 35-year-old is believed to have last been seen alive. On Monday, a search was being conducted at a farm at 345 Paschal Ballard Lane. I think the whole town wants it.. They give us hope and keep us going.. We are the most trusted source for local news. The land, which sits on 30 acres, is owned by the mother of Brooks Houck, who was named a suspect in the case in. Rogers has been missing since July 3. She even let a friend stay with her because (the friend) didn't have a place to go. Sherry Ballard, the mother of Crystal Rogers, speaks with WDRB News in June 2020. Just a short time after that interview, Brooks Houck was arrested for stealing more than 200 bundles of shingles from Lowe's during four separate visits during an 11-day period. In the summer of 2018, WDRB News spoke to Brooks Houck in an interview for the first time. Beshear says 3 killed in Kentucky during severe storms Friday, Lawsuit claims Louisville pool company spent customer money on Vegas vacations and plastic surgery, Gov. } BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WTVQ/WHAS) -The FBI is searching a Bardstown neighborhood for evidence in connection to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers. }. It was also announced that Nick Houck was fired from the Bardstown Police Department for interfering with the investigation. Numerous podcasts have focused on the Crystal Rogers case. The church is requiring everyone to wear a mask. However, family members of the still-missing Rogers were there to see the man unofficially considered a suspect i, Crystal Rogers: FBI Takes Over Investigation Into Missing Louisville Woman. Houck, who started mowing the lawn after agents left his home, has raised some eyebrows. "prerollTemplate":"https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640x480&iu=/132916964,1079947/wtvq.com/featured&ciu_szs=300x250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&vpos=preroll&unviewed_position_start=1&correlator=1677885517&cust_params=category=Featured%2CLocal%20News%2CNews%2CState%20News&video_position=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wtvq.com%2Ffbi-searching-bardstown-neighborhood-for-evidence-in-the-disappearance-of-crystal-rogers%2F&post=757748" Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com. He was about to go hunting with his grandson, one of Rogers' five kids. Crystal's dad, Tommy Ballard, searched every day for his daughter. evvnt_require("evvnt/discovery_plugin").init({ Snow said a crime involving Rogers is believed to have happened at the Houck Farm. Nick has never been charged or arrested in connection with Rogers' disappearance. Waking up every day and not being able to wake up and be like Hey mom and What are you going to do today? Just like normal little things. Features. Her boyfriend, Brooks Houck, has now been named by police as a suspect. After making it his lifes mission to find his daughter, Rogers' father, Tommy Ballard, was killed while hunting in November 2016. Kentucky mom Crystal Rogers disappeared in 2015 Credit: Federal Bureau of Investigation. The driveway was reportedly dug up, as agents appeared to be zeroed in on the location. Then in August came the most intensive search of the Houck family farm. On October 16, 2015, Brooks' brother Nick Houck was fired from the Bardstown Police Department for allegedly interfering with the investigation of Crystal Rogers disappearance. Crystal Rogers with her two daughter before she disappeared in 2015. He was pronounced dead at the scene on a farm located on Ed Brent Lane. BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) This week marks five years since Crystal Rogers was last seen in Bardstown. News outlets report the home owned by Brooks Houck burned down in Bardstown on Sunday night. Brooks Houck, Rogers' [] Wed love to hear from you. Not unlike the mythic feud between the Hatfields and McCoys, which happened nearby, the search to find out what happened to Rogers soon led to acrimony between her family and the family of her boyfriend at the time. Brooks Houck is a businessman who is also the former boyfriend and main suspect in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, a 35-year-old mother of five who went missing under suspicious circumstances on July 3, 2015. The mother of a Kentucky woman who vanished more than six years ago says the FBI has turned its focus to three homes constructed by the missing woman's boyfriend around the time of her. Several Ballard family members have even publicly accused Houck of being responsible for Thomas's death in 2016. Despite Rogers' family's criticisms, he claimed he was helping search efforts behind the scenes and said that his polygraph test was determined to be "inconclusive.". after she was allegedly caught on camera ripping up signs connected to the investigation. On the one-year anniversary of Tommy Ballard's death, signs showed up around Bardstown speculating about Brooks' involvement in Rogers' disappearance. Singleton later pleaded guilty and was released from jail after being in custody for six months. The Nelson County Sheriff's Office held a news conference the next day on Rogers' disappearance. Brooks has never been charged or arrested in connection with Rogers' disappearance. He was a 1958 graduate of Andover Central School. With the case garnering national attention, so many in Bardstown and across the country have been left wondering what happened to the mother of five. Known as the Bourbon Capital of the World, Bardstown, Kentucky, is a small town with a population of just below 14,000, but it also has an unsettling number of high-profile, unsolved murders and disappearances.