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. Like she's just right over my shoulder talking back and reading what I'm writing.. Your email address will not be published. The Rogers and Ballard cases are unfortunately not the only unsolved cases to afflict the tightknit community of Bardstown, Kentucky. Rogers was dating Brooks Houck, an initial suspect, who is the father of one of her sons . For the first time, one of Crystals five children sits down with WDRB and talks about what life has been like without their mom. Until the body is found, Nick and Brooks Houck will likely never be charged with her murder, or any others they've committed. 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. The FBI began searching a Bardstown neighborhood earlier this week in connection to information regarding the disappearance of Rogers. The FBI announced Friday that it had uncovered an "item of interest" on the fourth day of digging in a nelson county subdivision. We are not providing the specific addresses of the searches in an effort to protect the privacy of the affected homeowners. She was a very good daughter," Ballard told The Courier Journal. I'm not worried about nobody but my grandson and my daughter.". }); Last year a new detective, Joedy Gilliland, took over Crystal's case after Detective John Snow retired. Houck has denied involvement with Rogers'disappearance and has never been charged. "She could have just said 'I'm sorry. According to Dun & Bradstreet, the company has four employees and made nearly $330,000 in sales. #Bardstown #CrystalRogers https://t.co/dguQlsLZxp pic.twitter.com/NJz6DIetlQ, Hayley Minogue (@HayleyMinogueTV) August 6, 2020. Copyright 2017 WAVE 3 News. Also, the farm isnt located right off the exit Ellis was shot from. Throughout the search,police were allowing only a few cars into the subdivision and reporters were kept out. virtual: false, 5 years later, nobody knows, The FBI has been offering a reward of up to $50,000, FBI said it is "offering up to a$25,000 reward, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. While we do not have a timeline in regards to when the search will conclude, we will continue our efforts for as long as it takes, FBI Louisville tweeted Thursday. Sheriff Ed Mattingly said at that time that Houck was fully cooperating with the investigation. 2 weather-related deaths reported from strong Ky. storms, Southern Middle School to move to remote learning March 6-10 after fire, Thousands of Kentuckians without power as storms head east, Lexington tax preparation service owner indicted on tax fraud. Honestly, none of this information is surprising but nice to have it explained out this way. And that's the day that if I ever have too much on my shoulders, that might be the day. However, he described his business as thriving and reportedly planned to replace his older property with new properties. Who knows with drug rings. Brooks is interviewed about the disappearance of his girlfriend Crystal Rogers. var field59 = field59 || {}; Crystal Rogers' mom speaks out:As FBI searches Bardstown subdivision, Sherry Ballard hopes for 'answers this time'. 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. Rogers' car was found with a flat tire on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway in Bardstown with her phone, purse, and keys still inside. Have you ever been on the exit where Ofc Ellis was ambushed? 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.". According to NBC News, Singleton is a close friend and longtime employee of Brooks Houck. Check back with ABC36 for updates. According to FBI Louisville, the discovery was made during day four of the search at the Woodlawn Springs subdivision. It never gets easier, she said. On Monday, a search was being conducted at a farm at 345 Paschal Ballard Lane. "dfpConfig": { Fixed: Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed.The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release. }, 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. Police subsequently released footage from the Houck brothers' separate police interviews. When you see news happening, share it! As the years have come and gone, there's been a yearning for justice. 2023 www.courier-journal.com. "I'm hopeful," Snow said. Whitesides home was again searched in July 2017, following the death of Rogers father, Tommy Ballard. We celebrate community and we tell your stories. 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.. . I don't need an attorney. Federal agents just left his house and now Brooks Houck is mowing his lawn. In May 2013, Officer Jason Ellis was ambushed on his way home from work, and shot multiple times. He pleaded not guilty to a handful of felony theft charges. Very nervous.". In March 2018. honoring them, as well as the victims of other unsolved Bardstown murders, and urging witnesses to come forward. The 35-year-old went missing on July 3, 2015. They said it wasn't like Rogers to not respond, especially to her children. 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. On the one-year anniversary of Tommy Ballards death, signs showed up around Bardstown speculating about Brooks involvement in Rogers disappearance. BARDSTOWN, KY (WAVE) - The new girlfriend of the main suspect in the disappearance of Bardstown woman Crystal Rogers has pleaded guilty to stealing signs about the missing mother of five. I dont remember this reference. There are a few aerial videos some of the searches and I never saw any pigs in them. Crystal Rogers vanished in 2015 and is presumed dead. Snow said a crime involving Rogers is believed to have happened at the Houck Farm. The Version table provides details related to the release that this issue/RFE will be addressed. A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the missing moms case. Two years later, Nick and his brother Brooks, who was also in on the drug smuggling, killed Brooks's then girlfriend, Crystal Rogers, who had uncovered information on the drugs and the murder of Officer Jason Ellis. McCubbin said that Houcks conduct was unbecoming and showed poor ethics and integrity, WHAS-11 reported. WELLSVILLE - William F. Davis, 83, passed away on Wednesday (February 22, 2023) at Maple City Rehabilitation and Nursing Center following a lengthy illness. I do know Officer Jason Ellis was investigating Nick Houck and was murdered when he got too close. 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. "If he truly loved my daughter, he would do anything to find her because we're doing anything," Sherry Ballard said. Houck has denied involvement with Rogers' disappearance and has never been charged. 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.. 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. Talk to ABC 36 News anchors, reporters and meteorologists. Powered by. Now is the time to come forward.. Inside were her purse, keys and cellphone. "He has not offered once to search or help or do anything for the family," she said. We know there are individuals in the community who have information on Crystals disappearance. It's those millions of little things she has missed out on for five years now. Investigators had wanted to ask her about a white car of hers they believed was connected to Rogers disappearance. The church is requiring everyone to wear a mask. JUSTICE FOR CRYSTAL. 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. She lived with her boyfriend, Brooks Houck, which was the last time she would be seen alive. Maupin is the girlfriend of Brooks Houck. REALLY???? Its closer to Bardstown, up the BG. He told Snow that when he woke up on the morning of July 4, Rogers wasn't there. Copyright 2020 WDRB Media. Nick and Brooks, along with their mother, have verbally, as well as physically, threatened the family of Crystal Rogers and those volunteering in the search for her, including my own immediate family. Rogers, who was reported missing by her mother on July 5, 2015, was last seen two days earlier. from Lowes. He was a 1958 graduate of Andover Central School. He certainly didn't own up to any knowledge in the Oxygen documentary series. Rogers was datingBrooks Houck, an initial suspect, who is the father of one of her sons. Ballard told The Courier Journal she has "a lot of hope" that her family will soon finally learn what happened to her daughter. From the day the case started over a Fourth of July weekend to the FBI taking the case this week, we take a look back at all the major moments. Wonder how they missed evidence of Crystals remains Im kind of surprised you were out there searching where Tommy Ballard was killed since its on private property that belongs to their family. "He made eye contact with me. Crystal Rogers. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. This is starting to get silly. Danny L. Singleton, reportedly a close friend and longtime employee of Crystal's boyfriend Brooks Houck, is charged with 38 counts of perjury for lying to investigators under oath. Since my moms been missing, life has been really hard. 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. The envelope has never been found. 2. Is that why Brooks ran for sheriff? Little did anyone know it would be much longer. "I don't give a *bleep* what your *bleeping* computers said, OK?" "She was nice to everyone she met. The trial was held a couple months later, and in April, a jury found Brooks Houck not guilty. In late-July, Brooks Houck's new girlfriend, Crystal Maupin, was arrested. The FBI has not released more details on the "items of interest" that were sent to the Virginia lab for testing. [] I can't even go on the side of the road without looking like a murderer. Do they think people are THAT dumb?? Did confirm federal warrants being served at both locations. Again, the motive and perpetrator have never been determined. On May 25, 2013, Ellis, a husband and father of two young boys, clocked out of his shift at 2 a.m. and started his normal, 15-mile drive home on the Bluegrass Parkway. 25 Feb/23. map: false, Halfway around the ramp, someone had dragged a pile of branches into the roadway. By the time Kyleigh was 19, the reward has grown to $100,000. No arrests have been announced in the case as of midday Monday. I hope they hold Brooks responsible and arrest him some day because clearly he is guilty as all get out. Rogers family, however, was immediately concerned. 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. Sherry Ballard believes he was targeted and even said he thought he was being followed in the days leading up to his death. Thank you! 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. }. Brooks Houck was named as a suspect in the 2015 disappearance of his ex-girlfriend Crystal Rogers, who is presumed dead. When the Houck brothers' grandmother Anna Whitesides was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in June of 2016, the then-82-year-old. Last week, federal investigators searched the property, which is owned by Rosemary Houck, Brooks Houck's mom, looking for evidence into Rogers' disappearance. "The stories just don't add up. The ex-troopers were also looking into Tommy Ballard's death and theslaying of teacher Kathy Netherland and her teenage daughter Samanthain 2014. 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. You have permission to edit this article. Though still considered a missing person case, police are working under the assumption Rogers is dead. City officials held an administrative hearing on Nick Houck's actions and fired him a day later. In 1979, Crystal Rogers Aunt, Freda Sharene Sherry Ballard, went missing from Bardstown, . 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. "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" Lexington, KY 40509. 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. According to the FBI, several items of interest have been sent to the FBI laboratory in Quantico, VA. Brooks Houck is the former boyfriend and main suspect in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers. Detectives say Crystal Rogers was last seen on July 3, 2015 by her boyfriend at the time, Brooks Houck. 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. 5 years later, nobody knows. Rogers' father was killed in an unsolved hunting accident. Brooks Houck is the father of the child and primary guardian - he is also the main suspect in Rogers' disappearance though no charges have been filed against him. Officials said Brooks Houck, Crystal's boyfriend, was the last person to see her alive when they were at his family farm the night of July 3. All Rights Reserved. "And I need closure. 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 . I'm going to put out everything I know about this case and others related to it. Brooks brother was fired from the police after being accused of interfering with the investigation. Like, this is actually your life. He is considered the main suspect in her death. He was the last one to see her alive, and is also the only person ever named as a suspect. was present) to take photos of Maupin for the purpose of posting them on Facebook. Bardstown Fire Chief Billy Mattingly saidthe house may have been set on fire by disgruntled employees who worked for Brooks Houck. He is the father of Crystal Rogers' youngest child. Houck runs Houck Rentals, a business involving real estate holdings of more than 130 parcels in 2018, the Kentucky Standard reported. 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. Nick then failed a polygraph test conducted by an examiner from the FBI when questioned about the case. The FBI reportedly said the residents of the property that investigators and construction equipment focused on had no connection to the case, and the federal agency said it will pay for any repairs to the property. It's been a long road, and it may be even longer, but I think we're getting close.". But when you really get to know him? "The memory that will forever be in my heart is going to DQ and buying my momma lunch. 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. March 13, 1939 - February 22, 2023. 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). In 2019, ahome being builtby Brooks Houckwas burned down inwhat city officials said was anarson case. In the beginning of the episode when one of the officers or detectives said that they dont believe any of the murders are connected. His family believes the same person is responsible for both Tommys death and Rogers' disappearance. In December 2015, Louisvilles WDRB reported the arrest of Danny Singleton on 38 counts of false swearing after he allegedly lied under oath to a grand jury in relation to the investigation of Crystal Rogers disappearance. Not at all!!!! They were discovered on a farm close to where Rogers car was found. Id be afraid to live in that area, This is so frightening. There were no witnesses, and no arrests have been made in connection with the fatal shooting. She even let a friend stay with her because (the friend) didn't have a place to go. His family believes the same person is responsible for both Tommys death and Rogers' disappearance. "I don't think my husband's death was an accident," she said. Bourbon Town Mystery, produced by the HLN Investigations team, takes a deep dive into the disappearance of Rogers. An item of interest was discovered while investigators scoured for clues about the disappearance of Crystal Rogers. She appealed the decision. Her estranged husband, Edsel Eddie Barnes, and another man, George Weir, were eventually convicted and. The mother of five went missing on July 3, 2015, and she hasn't been found to this day. The motive and person behind his murder remain a mystery to this day. FBI agents were searching a farm Monday morning connected to the man Rogers was in a relationship with at the time of her disappearance. Nelson County Jail Three properties owned by Houck, believed to be the last. A short time prior to this, Tommy was searching near one of Brooks Houck's properties. By KATELYN NORRIS knorris@kystandard.com. The maroon Chevy Impala had a flat tire with her keys, purse and cellphone still inside. Officer Ellis was shot and killed at the exit off the Bluegrass Parkway near Bardstown. According to WDRB, he owns 129 properties and 11 houses. No one has been charged,but Houck was named a suspect in 2015. Ballard has maintained that she will always believe Houck did something to hurt her daughter. Rogers first disappeared back in 2015her boyfriend Brooks Hauck. How convenient he was left behind with the baby. FBI said they arent doing any on camera things just yet. What did the sheriff at the time of the murders know about this investigation into Nick Houck? I'm sorry for my actions,'" Sherry Ballard said of the letter. 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. Ballard even harassed Houck's girlfriend, Crystal Maupin, and her family, to the point of following her into a restaurant (where E.P.H. At the time of that call, Nick Houck himself was an officer with the Bardstown Police Department. The chief also threatened to take his badge and he said that Nick did not seem very bothered by that idea. orientation: "portrait", But his own investigation was cut short when he was shot and killed in November of 2016. Someone else asked the same question in another group and someone answered saying no. 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. 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. The mayor of Bardstown said Nick Houck phoned his brotherwhen he knew Brooks was being interviewed by detectives, warning that his brother "should protect himself," and that investigators "might be trying to trip him up," theKentucky Standard reported in 2015. #26. 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. category_id: null, 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. Hes very deceiving, she said. I don't know who. Police say he was the last person to see her. He took Exit 34, a narrow ramp bounded on either side by steep stone walls. Brooks Houck was named as a suspect in the 2015 disappearance of his ex-girlfriend Crystal Rogers, who is presumed dead. Brooks Houck, an initial suspect and Crystal Rogers' then-boyfriend, has denied involvement in her disappearance. Shortly after that, another family member found Rogers' car abandoned on the Bluegrass Parkway at mile marker 14. Press J to jump to the feed. Speaking in the wake of the Ballard shooting, longtime Bardstown resident Betty Greenwell told WDRB, "All these killings and murders and things going on here it makes you nervous. UPDATE: (9/7/21) FBI Louisvilles recent search related to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers has concluded. You have permission to edit this article. Sherry Ballard, the mother of Crystal Rogers, speaks with WDRB News in June 2020. I just watched the Disappearance of Crystal Rogers and a lot of this was theorized in the show. Three months later, Tommy Ballard was shot and killed early in the morning in mid-November.
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