In a major development, the Louisville FBI office announced the arrest of Brooks Houck in connection with the long-standing 2015 disappearance and murder of Crystal Rogers, a mother of five from Bardstown, Kentucky. Houck now faces charges of murder and tampering with physical evidence, according to an indictment cited by CBS News affiliate WLKY. Crystal Rogers was last seen on July 5, 2015, with her abandoned car discovered that same day, containing a flat tire, her phone, purse, and keys. Brooks Houck, who was her boyfriend at the time and the father of one of her children, has been named the primary suspect in her disappearance but was never charged until now.
Houck’s arrest marks a significant step toward justice for Crystal Rogers and her grieving family. The Ballard family, speaking on behalf of Crystal, expressed their relief in a statement obtained by WLKY, stating, “At this time, we ask for privacy as this is another step forward for justice for Crystal. Continue to pray that justice is served and we bring Crystal home.” This arrest comes after years of investigation involving multiple family members connected to Houck, including his grandmother and brother. The FBI, taking charge of the case in 2020, conducted searches on the family farm where Rogers was last seen alive, further intensifying the pursuit of justice.
This development follows another recent arrest in the case, as Joseph Lawson, also from Bardstown, was taken into custody earlier this month. Lawson faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence, with the alleged crimes occurring around the time of Rogers’ disappearance in July 2015. He has pleaded not guilty and is being held on a $500,000 bond. Brooks Houck’s arraignment is scheduled for early October in the Nelson County Circuit Court, where more details of the case are expected to be revealed. Houck, now in custody with a $10 million cash bond, is the second arrest related to Crystal Rogers’ murder and brings hope for long-awaited answers in this tragic case.
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