In my heart, I know he's 100% guilty, Ballard said. BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) This week marks five years since Crystal Rogers was last seen in Bardstown. A vigil Monday night will honor Crystal Rogers, a Bardstown mother of five who disappeared in 2015. This case stinks to high heaven. Crystal Rogers. That poor, poor town. Crystal's family also announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to her. I'm sorry for my actions,'" Sherry Ballard said of the letter. Brooks Houck was dating crystal rogers at the time she went missing, and they have a child together. Whitesides has never been charged or arrested in connection with Rogers' disappearance. Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com. Hes very deceiving, she said. Brooks Houck is the prime suspect in the 2015 disappearance of his then girlfriend and mother of 5 Crystal Rogers. "I just want to see my grandson. 5 years later, nobody knows. The chief also threatened to take his badge and he said that Nick did not seem very bothered by that idea. Some of those properties Houck sold represented properties he had owned for many years, some as far back as 2005. On Monday, a search was being conducted at a farm at 345 Paschal Ballard Lane. According to WDRB, Rogers' family dont know who is responsible for the signs.. JUSTICE FOR CRYSTAL. 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 a few aerial videos some of the searches and I never saw any pigs in them. Bourbon City Kitchen a hidden gem in NC. Its so obvious the murders/disappearance are all connected. Houck runs Houck Rentals, a business involving real estate holdings of more than 130 parcels in 2018, the Kentucky Standard reported. Maybe it would look highly suspicious if they didnt call in the FBI, and if this as big as it seems, Brooks days might be numbered because he might know too much. Crystal Maupin pleaded guilty to theft charges in court Tuesday. Snow said a crime involving Rogers is believed to have happened at the Houck Farm. And then, witnesses see him having a bonfire the night of her disappearance! That day in court was also the first time the Ballards saw Brooks Houck since Rogers was reported missing. The FBI in Louisville said Friday that investigators scouring for clues about the disappearance of Crystal Marie Rogers, 35, recovered the unspecified item at the Woodlawn Springs subdivision in Bardstown, where the mother of five was reported missing in July 2015. In June, Whitesides was served with a subpoena to testify before a Nelson County Grand Jury, but she invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to talk. Rogers family, however, was immediately concerned. Crystal Rogers' mom speaks out:As FBI searches Bardstown subdivision, Sherry Ballard hopes for 'answers this time'. Throughout the search,police were allowing only a few cars into the subdivision and reporters were kept out. Several weeks after Crystal's disappearance, the Nelson County Sheriff's Office announced Crystal was presumed dead and named Brooks Houck the main suspect. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. It's very, very hard, Ballard said. In an interview with Nancy Grace, 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. #26. Early on, 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. Sherry Ballard said her daughter's children are now 22, 21, 19, 17 and 9. By the time Kyleigh was 19, the reward has grown to $100,000. Crystal Maria Rogers is an American woman from Bardstown, Kentucky who went . The Rogers and Ballard cases are unfortunately not the only unsolved cases to afflict the tightknit community of Bardstown, Kentucky. 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. The FBI homed in on one property being built by Crystal Rogers' boyfriend -- Brooks Houck, the only suspect named in the case -- at the time of her disappearance in 2015. There were no witnesses, and no arrests have been made in connection with the fatal shooting. No arrests have been made in connection withRogers' disappearance. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. meee eet a amen O) N 0O oO oO N N =, 0O co oO Mh LEOMINSTER PUBLIC LIBRARY my AUVUEN SNGAd YILSNINOT Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2023 with . Houck was named as a suspect in the 2015 disappearance of his ex-girlfriend Crystal Rogers, who is . In 2017, Kentucky State Police hired former troopers to investigate the cases of both Rogers andJason Ellis, aBardstown police officerwho wasambushed in 2013and killedby at least two people. Unresolved: Release in which this issue/RFE will be addressed. However, Nick Houcks behaviorled to his dismissal. The land, which sits on 30 acres, is owned by the mother of Brooks Houck, who was named a suspect in the case in 2017. I personally went and searched the area where Tommy was shot and found the tree Nick used to stabilize his shot and saw the marks left behind by the gunpowder and recoil. Houck and Rogers have a son together. Nelson County Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa told WHAS-11 that Houck is the main suspect in the case of Rogers disappearance, even though he was never charged. You dont know what kind of monsters live there.. It would take three. And I was just shocked. The community also stepped up in a big way with family and strangers from all over setting out to search every inch of Nelson County and the surrounding area. Are there or were there pigs on the Houck family farm?? Since my moms been missing, life has been really hard. He then got back into his car and fled the scene. "I'm telling you I've been 100 percent honest with you.". Rogers has been missing since July 3. 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). Her disappearance has garnered national attention, but there are still no answers and no signs of her. He took Exit 34, a narrow ramp bounded on either side by steep stone walls. The missing mother's case has gained national attention, with it being featured on HLN's "Real Life Nightmare" docu-series. Rogers, a 35-year-old mother of five children, was reported missing on July 3, 2015, from Bardstown. Her kids need closure, but to physically hear it, its going to be so hard on us.". 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.. Ajudge ruled in February of 2019 that Rogers 6-year-old son could not sit with Ballard until the custody case was complete, WDRB reported. Detectives believe she was murdered. Rogers' family was suspicious of her boyfriend. Mr. Davis was born on March 13, 1939 in North Hornell to Lewis F. and Margaret Angielee (Dodge) Davis. A message seeking comment from an FBI spokesperson in Louisville was not immediately returned. I'm ready for it, but I have to prepare myself at the same time that I don't fall apart when that day does finally here here.". Bardstown Fire Chief Billy Mattingly saidthe house may have been set on fire by disgruntled employees who worked for Brooks Houck. Nelson County Sheriff Chief Deputy Joedy Gilleland was then named the new lead detective the following month. You have permission to edit this article. According to WDRB, he owns 129 properties and 11 houses.. , Brooks did not report her missing for two days, and ultimately it was her own family that went to police. Houck and Rogers had previously dated and had a child together. 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. After making it his lifes mission to find his daughter, Rogers' father, Tommy Ballard, was killed while hunting in November 2016. Police subsequently released footage from the Houck brothers' separate police interviews. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. In 2019, ahome being builtby Brooks Houckwas burned down inwhat city officials said was anarson case. News; Restaurants & Bars; jim martin death couples massage class san diego beaver falls football kelley brown adam brown's wife remarried. 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. Beshear preemptively declares State of Emergency ahead of Kentucky storms, No one injured after historic building in Forest Hills neighborhood catches on fire, WDRB FCC Applications & Related Materials. Kentucky State Police officially named Brooks Houck a suspect in Crystal Rogers' disappearance in October 2015, according to NBC News. 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. I do know Officer Jason Ellis was investigating Nick Houck and was murdered when he got too close. It's not the family farm that is located just off the Bluegrass Parkway exit where Ellis was killed, it was the family home. I hope they hold Brooks responsible and arrest him some day because clearly he is guilty as all get out. field59.ipo = { 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. In 1979, Crystal Rogers Aunt, Freda Sharene Sherry Ballard, went missing from Bardstown, . He was in jail for a short time before he posted bail. 3rdGenUKGrad. 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. Rogers family, however, was immediately concerned. 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. Ballard has also been in a custody dispute with Houck. To date, no one has been arrested for the disappearance of Crystal Rogers and the shooting death of Tommy Ballard. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. When that happened to my husband, wife Sherry Ballard told WDRB, it was no accident.. }; The FBI announced Friday that it had uncovered an item of interest on the fourth day of digging in a nelson county subdivision. According to radio station WBKR, Brooks did not report her missing for two days, and ultimately it was her own family that went to police. On November 19, 2016, Crystal Rogers' 54-year-old father Tommy Ballard was fatally shot in the chest by an unknown person while waiting in a field for his grandson to go hunting. He is considered the main suspect in her death. Feb 21, 2023. The Nelson County Sheriff's Office held a news conference the next day on Rogers' disappearance. WDRB reported that Houck was indicted on four felony counts and four misdemeanor counts of theft after he was accused of taking more than 200 bundles of roofing shingles from Lowes in Nelson County over a period of multiple days. This, to me, is starting to get silly.". Officials said Brooks Houck, Rogers' boyfriend, was the last person to see her alive when they were at his family farm the night of July 3. A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the missing moms case. I'm innocent. " I'm just praying this will bring us some kind of closure. }, "He made eye contact with me. I told him Im going to the Police Department to report her missing, and he said, Thats what you should do, Rogers' mother Sherry Ballard told The Kentucky Standard. As part of the agreement she must write a letter of apology to Crystal Roger's mother, Sherry Ballard. No one has been charged,but Houck was named a suspect in 2015. Houck is quite well-known in Bardstown, Kentucky. This arraignment has to do with felony theft charges. I hope the FBI truly is investigating this. If I needed the police where you live, I would NOT trust them, Small town police forces are always beyond corrupt. All Rights Reserved. Whitesides' lawyer said, There are lots of things, particularly in a high-profile case, where there is as frenzied an investigation as there is here that could ensnare an 82-year-old woman.. The motive and person behind his murder remain a mystery to this day. Jul 30, 2017. Since Rogers' disappearance and Tommy Ballard's death, signs in support of the family had been scattered all around Bardstown. When I graduated high school, seeing all the kids with their moms and they were like so proud. City officials held an administrative hearing on Nick Houck's actions and fired him a day later. You have permission to edit this article. 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. So I have to prepare myself. "And I just. 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.". It is suspected That his brother Nick Houck, a local police officer was. Ever since her disappearance, Rogers' family has plastered signs around Bardstown and its neighboring communities asking for any information on Rogers. BARDSTOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) Today marks seven years since the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, a Bardstown mother of five. That same month, a three-judge panel ruled that Sherry Ballard could no longer see her grandson, the child of Rogers and Brooks Houck. On November 19, 2016, Crystal Rogers' 54-year-old father. People say it gets easier. He is the only suspect who has been named in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, his ex-girlfriend and a mother of five. For the first time, one of Crystals five children sits down with WDRB and talks about what life has been like without their mom. "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" We appreciate the communitys support, particularly the residents of the Woodlawn Springs subdivision.. I moved out of Bardstown over a year ago when I realized I was in the crosshairs of Nick Houck, unbeknownst to him or me. Do they think people are THAT dumb?? The 19-year-old was over seven months pregnant at the time of her disappearance, and, until August 1983. He said that Rogers was on her phone when he went to sleep and gone when he woke up. Spalding (@spaldinghurst) September 8, 2018. On August 6, FBI agents raided his home and witnesses told the Kentucky Standard that they saw agents searching the property as well as other agents bringing a handcuffed Nick Houck out of the house Thursday morning., Brooks Houck entering the courtroom followed by family of Crystal Rogers. that detectives planned to interview him and advised him not to speak with them. We are not providing the specific addresses of the searches in an effort to protect the privacy of the affected homeowners. I dont think so. 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. Download the ABC 36 News App on your smart phone or tablet device to receive breaking news and weather push notifications the minute it happens. We remain dedicated to bringing justice.. Wed love to hear from you. element: "#evvnt-calendar-widget", Rogers, who was reported missing by her mother on July 5, 2015, was last seen two days earlier. "She could have just said 'I'm sorry. Then in August came the most intensive search of the Houck family farm. In the summer of 2018, WDRB News spoke to Brooks Houck in an interview for the first time. Wonder what he was burning uh probably evidence and or a body! Singleton later pleaded guilty and was released from jail after being in custody for six months. 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. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. More on Jason Ellis:Who killed Bardstown Officer? Check back with ABC36 for updates. , refusing to testify for the fear she might incriminate herself. ", "My mom is a very special woman," one of Rogers' daughterswrote on a website dedicated to the investigation. Rogers' father was killed in an unsolved hunting accident. The maroon Chevy Impala had a flat tire with her keys, purse and cellphone still inside. publisher_id: "7544", #Bardstown #CrystalRogers https://t.co/dguQlsLZxp pic.twitter.com/NJz6DIetlQ, Hayley Minogue (@HayleyMinogueTV) August 6, 2020. Though still considered a missing person case, police are working under the assumption Rogers is dead. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Not at all!!!! (WDRB Photo). 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. I don't know if or who else was/is involved, but former Bardstown police officer, Nick Houck is bringing drugs into Bardstown and the surrounding area for a major drug organization. To watch the 2018 series, visitOxygen's site. During an early afternoon news conference, Sherry Ballard, Crystal's mother, said she was informed Monday morning by the FBI that a search of the 245 acre Houck farm was underway. "We've searched the rivers, we've searched farms, houses, sinkholes, wells, any place she might be," family member Sammy Johnson said. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Until the body is found, Nick and Brooks Houck will likely never be charged with her murder, or any others they've committed. Everybody keep praying and don't lose the hope, Fenwick said. In 2018, he sold 24 properties that he called old and depreciated for more than $1.8 million, the Kentucky Standard reported. Crystal's dad, Tommy Ballard, searched every day for his daughter. Federal agents just left his house and now Brooks Houck is mowing his lawn. Crystal was last seen on the afternoon of July 3rd, 2015 playing games on her phone at her home. It's very hard. Bourbon Town Mystery, produced by the HLN Investigations team, takes a deep dive into the disappearance of Rogers. News outlets report the home owned by Brooks Houck burned down in Bardstown on Sunday night. "dfpConfig": { 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. WAVE reported Kathy had been shot multiple times, while Samantha had been bludgeoned about the head, both women showing knife wounds to their necks. The motive and person behind his murder remain a mystery to this day. That's the type of person she was. Houcks grandmother, Anna Whitesides, was also implicated when she invoked her Fifth Amendment right when called to testify in court; the station reported that whoever was responsible for her disappearance used Whitesides car to move Rogers body. 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. 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. We know that there are individuals out there who have specific information about Crystals disappearance and want to do the right thing, FBI Louisville tweeted Saturday. When the Houck brothers' grandmother Anna Whitesides was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in June of 2016, the then-82-year-old invoked her Fifth Amendment rights, refusing to testify for the fear she might incriminate herself. Among the other past shows on the missing mother is"The Disappearance of Crystal Rogers," which premiered in 2018 onOxygen. In May 2013, Officer Jason Ellis was ambushed on his way home from work, and shot multiple times. When Rogers went missing, Brooks said he wasnt initially worried about her absence since she often went out with friends and stayed out late, sometimes not coming home until the next morning. The mother's case has spawned documentaries and podcasts and plenty of news coverage. According to WKLY, one of Houcks employees, Danny Singleton, pleaded guilty to false swearing after he initially faced 38 counts of perjury for lying to detectives. To date, no one has been arrested for the disappearance of Crystal Rogers and the shooting death of Tommy Ballard. Warren County Jail She appealed the decision. More than a year after Rogers disappeared, her father, 54-year-old Tommy Ballard, was fatally shot in November 2016 while huntingon family property in a rural area outside Bardstown. Rogers' body has also never been found. Rogers was 35 when she was last seen on July 3, 2015, at the home she shared with her boyfriend, Brooks Houck. The custody case began in. Crystal Rogers case:FBI Louisville, other federal agencies search for Crystal Rogers with new warrants. Houcks attorneys had the trial held in Bowling Green out of concerns that Houck would be unable to get an impartial jury in Nelson County due to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, WDRB reported; after less than two hours deliberating, the jury acquitted him. Rogers' family also announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to her. He is also the father of Rogers youngest child. Also, the farm isnt located right off the exit Ellis was shot from. The little things really matter more than the big huge things, Kyleigh Fenwick said. "The memory that will forever be in my heart is going to DQ and buying my momma lunch. Police say he was the last person to see her. 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. Brooks Houck was named as a suspect in the 2015 disappearance of his ex-girlfriend Crystal Rogers, who is presumed dead. Little did anyone know it would be much longer. Rogers, a 35-year-old mother of five, was the girlfriend of Houck's brother, Brooks Houck, 34, who on Friday was named a suspect in her disappearance. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The disappearance of Crystal Rogers has been a mystery since 2015. "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. "I wasn't even alarmed," Houck, said during his police interview. Nick Houck parked his car on the Bluegrass Parkway behind Tommy's son's house and shot him from the woods between the Bluegrass Parkway and the clearing where Tommy was when he was shot. An FBI Louisville spokesman previously said all three locations hadalready been searched "to various degrees" over the years. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. There was a problem saving your notification. - Listen to Massachusetts : Molly Bish by Cults, Crimes & Cabernet instantly on your tablet, phone or browser - no downloads needed. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The FBI homed in on one property being built by Rogers' boyfriend -- Brooks Houck, the only suspect named in the case -- at the time of her disappearance in 2015. Nearly every day since Rogers went missing, her father, Tommy Ballard, searched for her and even started his own investigation. How convenient he was left behind with the baby. I hope Brooks and Nick, as well as anyone else involved in these murders, is brought to justice, but between the corruption of the Bardstown Police Department, and the knowledge Nick has to get away with it, I doubt they ever will. Nobody could get a hold of her.. Three properties owned by Houck, believed to be the last person to see Rogers alive, were searched last week, WDRB reported. [] I can't even go on the side of the road without looking like a murderer. The sheriff's office has been the lead investigating agency in Rogers' disappearance. According to FBI Louisville, based on information collected during the last year by the federal investigation into the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, FBI Louisville is now conducting several searches in the Woodlawn Springs subdivision in Bardstown. Again, the motive and perpetrator have never been determined. I dont remember this reference. These charges do not appear to be connected to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers in any way. After a day like that, and almost every day, Kyleigh writes to her mom in a journal. 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. What did the sheriff at the time of the murders know about this investigation into Nick Houck? In July of 2017, Brooks Houcks current girlfriend, Crystal Maupin, was arrested after she was allegedly caught on camera ripping up signs connected to the investigation. Anyone with information can submit a tip anonymously. Copyright 2020 WDRB Media. Her estranged husband, Edsel Eddie Barnes, and another man, George Weir, were eventually convicted and. You hope it gets solved, Bardstown resident Paul Monin told the station of the six-year missing-person probe. We are the most trusted source for local news. evvnt_require("evvnt/discovery_plugin").init({ 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. Investigators had wanted to ask her about a white car of hers they believed was connected to Rogers disappearance. Houck has never been charged with a crime in Crystals disappearance.