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In the small town of Bardstown, Kentucky, 35-year-old Crystal Rogers disappeared on July 3, 2015. A mother of five young children, Rogers was last seen at her home with her boyfriend, Brooks Houck.The next day, her maroon Chevrolet Impala was found abandoned on the Blue Grass Parkway, containing her personal items, but there was no sign of her. That strange find sparked a decade-long investigation marked by family heartbreak, law enforcement challenges, and ultimately, courtroom reckonings.Suspicions quickly fell on Houck, who'd given conflicting statements that raised doubts. The sniper-style killing of Crystal Rogers' father, Tommy Ballard, in 2016 added layers of tragedy and intrigue to the case. It made public some of the tensions in small-town policing and the relentless pursuit of answers by Crystal Rogers' family.The case was explored in NBC's Dateline season 34, episode 7, The Trouble in Bardstown, reported by Andrea Canning. The episode aired on November 7, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.Dateline season 34 episode 7: The disappearance of Crystal Rogers and early suspicionsCrystal Rogers' car was found abandoned on the highway (Image via Unsplash/ @ Peter Robbins)Born in 1980, Crystal Rogers resided in Bardstown with her five children and Houck, a local real estate developer. After spending the evening at Houck's family farm on July 3, 2015, the couple headed home at around midnight. According to Houck, Rogers used her phone while he slept, and by morning, she and her car had vanished.When Crystal Rogers stopped communicating with her children, family members became worried. Sherry Ballard, her mother, reported her missing to the Nelson County Sheriff's Office on July 5, 2015, as per the Lexington Herald-Leader. Rogers' 2007 Impala was pulled over with a flat tire at mile marker 14 on the Blue Grass Parkway by a truck driver a few hours later.Inside were her purse, medications, cellphone, and a child's toy. There was no blood or signs of struggle. The GPS data indicated that the car traveled directly from Houck's home to the site without making any stops.Houck's delayed response and calm demeanor raised several flags among investigators and family. Early searches focused on the Houck family farm but yielded little, according to Wave 3 News.By October 2015, Sheriff Curtis McCubbin announced that Houck was the primary suspect. His brother, Nick Houck, a Bardstown police officer, was accused of having warned him during questioning and was fired in 2016 after failing a polygraph.An associate of Houck's, Danny Singleton, was charged with perjury for misleading a grand jury about the night in question, and pleaded to lesser counts, according to Wave 3 News.Also read: Gianni Versace's murder case - A detailed case overviewThe Ballard family's loss and investigation stallsCrystal Rogers' body was never found (Image via Unsplash/ @ Markus Winkler)The case took a devastating turn on November 19, 2016, when Tommy Ballard, Crystal Rogers' dad and a vocal advocate for the investigation, was shot and killed while deer hunting with his grandson, age 12, on family land. The attack, carried out from a distance with a high-powered rifle, echoed sniper precision and remained unsolved.Ballistics would later match a gun, purchased anonymously and connected to Nick Houck, but no charges were filed. Sherry Ballard discussed the double blow in interviews, describing how it strengthened their determination in the midst of sadness, as per Wave 3 News.Local investigations were criticized for being slow and affected by conflicts of interest, given the relationships the Houcks had established within the community.Searches in 2017 at the home of Houck's grandmother, Anna Whitesides, focused on vehicles and tools, but no body was found. Whitesides invoked her Fifth Amendment rights before a grand jury. In 2018, Houck was acquitted of unrelated theft charges, which many viewed as a distraction, according to Wave 3 News. The Ballards pressed federal authorities, leading to FBI involvement in 2020.Raids on Houck's properties and Crystal Rogers' car uncovered electronics and documents. A 2021 dig in a Houck-developed subdivision revealed an embedded item of interest, although the details remained sealed. By 2022, a $100,000 reward was offered. Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa, who was assigned to the investigation, cited leads from retired detective Jon Snow's foundational work, as reported by Oxygen.Also read: 5 chilling details about the Dan Markel case from Dateline season 34 episode 5Arrests and mounting evidenceBrooks Houck was sentenced to life in prison (Image via Unsplash/ @ Wesley Mc Lachlan)In 2023, breakthroughs accelerated. Brooks Houck was charged with murder, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse on September 20, 2023. He turned himself in on October 6 after posting a $10 million bond, as per WHAS 11. He allegedly strangled Crystal Rogers at home and disposed of her body in a farm sinkhole with assistance, according to the prosecution.In the same month, Joseph Lawson, a former employee of Houck, was charged with tampering and conspiracy to commit murder. Similar conspiracy charges were brought against his father, Steve Lawson, in December, as per WHAS 11.Witness reports of Houck's admissions, financial connections indicating motivation over business disputes, and cellphone pings locating Joseph close to the farm on July 3, 2015, were among the evidence.According to documents that were made public in July 2025, Rogers allegedly committed the murder after he confronted Houck about infidelity. In December 2023, the Ballards sued Houck for wrongful death, as per WLKY. FBI searches continued, including one in September 2024, which uncovered unidentified items at a property connected to Houck. Due to publicity, the location was moved to Warren County, and separate trials were mandated.Houck and Joseph prepared together, but Steve Lawson's case went forward first. There was still a $50,000 reward for information on the murderer of Tommy Ballard.Also read: The true story behind Heidy Truman's mysterious death ahead of DatelineThe trials and path to verdictsJoseph received 25 years in prison (Image via Unsplash/ @ Wesley Tingey)On May 27, 2025, Steve Lawson's trial got underway in Bowling Green. Four days later, on June 30, he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering and sentenced to 17 years in prison. He provided a truck for the disposal of bodies, according to testimony. Houck and Joseph Lawson's joint trial, held in July, lasted nine days and involved more than 50 witnesses, according to WHAS 11. The prosecution provided timelines, forensic evidence, and a former associate's assertion of Houck's confession. The defense claimed there was not enough tangible proof, such as a body or DNA. Following three days of deliberation, the jury found both guilty on all counts. Joseph was found guilty of conspiracy and tampering, and Houck was found guilty of murder, complicity in tampering, and abuse of a corpse, according to WHAS 11.The sentencing date was September 17, 2025. Joseph received 25 years; Houck received life without parole plus five years. Judge Charles Simms mentioned the right to appeal. Statements from family members filled the courtroom: Ashley Miller, Roger's daughter, described chronic pain, and Sherry Ballard referred to him as a "sick human being." Tommy Ballard's case remains unresolved, and Crystal Rogers' remains were never found, as per WHAS 11. Also read: Dateline season 34 episode 4: Who was behind Leslie Preer’s murder?Watch Dateline season 34 episode 7 available on NBC.
