Naman Shrestha
When a 35-year-old mother of five named Crystal Rogers suddenly vanished in July 2015 from Bardstown, Kentucky, it ignited an extensive search for the woman. As the disappearance was investigated by the authorities, they uncovered some dark secrets that hinted at Crystal’s murder. Spanning several years, the case was finally closed when the detectives managed to link the perpetrator/s to the gruesome crime. In the episode titled ‘The Trouble in Bardstown’ of NBC’s ‘Dateline,’ all the intricate details of the case and the investigation that ensued are covered.
Crystal Rogers’ Remains Have Still Not Been Found
Sherry and Thomas Marvin “Tommy” Ballard welcomed their daughter, Crystal Maria Ballard Rogers, into the world on April 4, 1980, in Bardstown, located in Nelson County, Kentucky. The Ballard family household was packed with warmth, love and a strong familial bond. Sherry and Tommy instilled in their daughters, Crystal and Brooke, core values of compassion, resilience, and integrity, and taught them to face all of life’s adversities with unwavering strength. Crystal grew into a kindhearted woman who deeply valued her family and shared a great bond with them. By the time mid-2015 rolled around, she was a mother to five kids, one of whom she shared with her boyfriend, Brooks Houck.
The pair and the kids were living together in her hometown, Bardstown. In the first week of July 2015, Crystal’s family and friends were shaken when she vanished from her home under mysterious circumstances on July 3. When they couldn’t reach their daughter, her parents grew concerned and began inquiring about her whereabouts from wherever they could. Upon being questioned, her partner, Brooks, stated that before he hit the bed the night before, he saw her playing games on her cellphone, and everything seemed alright. However, the subsequent morning, he continued, there was no trace of Crystal or her 2007 Chevrolet Impala. It was the last time she was reported to be seen alive.
On July 5, 2015, Crystal’s car was found abandoned near the Bluegrass Parkway, close to mile marker 14, with the keys still sitting in the ignition. According to reports, the authorities also recovered Crystal’s wallet as well as her cellphone in the vehicle. On the same day, two days after her disappearance, her mother officially filed a missing persons report. The authorities swiftly sprang into action, determined to find clues and evidence that would lead them to Crystal, but to no avail. When they couldn’t find her in the following months, she was officially declared dead. As of writing, it has been over a decade since the mother of five went missing. Unfortunately, her remains have not been found to this day.
Perpetrators Behind Crystal Rogers’ Death Were Apprehended Years Later
As part of the investigation, the authorities interviewed many of Crystal Rogers’ family and friends, including her boyfriend, Brooks Houck. During his interview, he claimed that he was with Crystal and their son at his family farm. As per his accounts, he was unable to find her anywhere when he woke up the following morning. Although he maintained his innocence, he failed a polygraph test a few days later. By October 2015, Crystal was presumed to be dead as she was not found, and Brooks was labeled as a suspect in the case. After his brother, Nick Houck, tried to interfere with the investigation, he was fired from the Bardstown Police Department, where he worked.
A few months later, in 2016, Brooks’ grandmother’s house and mother’s farm were searched in an attempt to find any evidence connecting Brooks to the crime. According to Crystal’s parents, her boyfriend refused to let them see their grandson after her disappearance. In November of the same year, the family suffered yet another loss as Crystal’s father, Tommy Ballard, was shot to death while he was hunting on family property with his grandson. With little to no development in the case, the FBI took over the investigation in August 2020. After conducting multiple searches in the properties owned by Brooks and his family members, the detectives found items of interest in Woodlawn Springs Subdivision, where Brooks had constructed homes, and on his 245-acre family farm on Paschal Ballard Lane.
Armed with enough evidence, in August 2023, the detectives arrested 32-year-old Joseph Lawson and charged him with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence. About a month later, Brooks Houck was finally arrested on September 27 for murder and tampering with evidence. A couple of months later, in December, Joseph’s father, Steven Lawson, was also arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the murder of Crystal Rogers in 2015. On top of that, Crystal’s family also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Brooks in December 2023. As per several witnesses, Brooks didn’t want to share the custody of his son with Crystal and didn’t want to pay child support, which motivated him to commit the crime.
Brooks is Still Held at a County Jail, While Joseph is Incarcerated at a Kentucky Prison Facility
As all three accused men, Brooks Houck, Joseph Lawson, and Steven Lawson, pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, they stood on trial. At first, Steven stood trial separately, and on May 30, 2025, he was found guilty of conspiracy to murder and tampering with physical evidence. The following month, Brooks and Joseph’s joint trial commenced. After several days, on July 8, the jury reached a final verdict and convicted both of them of the charges against them.
The next month, Steven was sentenced to 17 years in prison for his crimes, while his son, Joseph, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. As for Brooks Houck, he received a life imprisonment sentence for the murder of his girlfriend, Crystal Rogers. Not long after, all three convicts filed appeals to have their convictions overturned. As of today, 44-year-old Brooks Houck is currently being held at the Johnson County Jail, awaiting transfer to a state prison. Meanwhile, 34-year-old Joseph Lawson is serving his sentence at Little Sandy Correctional Complex in Sandy Hook, Kentucky, with his parole eligibility scheduled for September 2042.
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