List of All Articles with Tag 'erica'

A year after an Uber driver was shot in the head, the mother of the victim has filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against the ride-share company. Christina “Christi” Spicuzza, 38, is alleged to have been murdered by Calvin Anthony Crew, 24, after he pulled a gun on her as she was driving him as part of an Uber taxi service. Cindy Spicuzza, the mother of the victim, has now filed a federal civil lawsuit against Uber for the wrongful death of her daughter. The ride began on 10 February; Mr Crew called his girlfriend Tanaya Mullen to order him an Uber using her Apple Pay account, Allegheny County Police say. Spicuzza accepted the ride and picked up Mr Crew around 9.11pm. Spicuzza, a mother of four, was found dead around midday on 12 February 2022. She was left lying face-down wearing a “Covid face mask” in a wooded area in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Mr Crew was known to authorities as already “adjudicated for a robbery” he committed at the age of 14. The lawsuit relays that Uber failed to protect Spicuzza in three different ways: Uber should have verified Mr Crew’s identity before he entered Spicuzza’s vehicle, that Mr Crew’s previous criminal convictions should have been notified to Spicuzza and finally that Uber should have provided her with basic safety features. Distressing dashcam footage released by the court shows the moment that Mr Crew, who was wearing a balaclava to try and hide his identity, pushed a gun to the back of Spicuzza’s neck while holding her ponytail. In the background, the Uber app is heard saying to “drop off Tanaya”, meaning the journey was supposed to end there. The probable cause affidavit confirmed that the suspect told Spicuzza to keep on driving while holding the gun to her head. “Come on, I have a family,” Spicuzza said. “I got a family too, now drive,” Mr Crew replied. “I’m begging you, I have four kids,” Spicuzza said. “Please take that off of me,” asking him to put down the gun. The suspect allegedly said, “Do what I say and everything will be alright.” According to the affidavit, Mr Crew had been texting and calling his girlfriend Ms Mullen throughout the ride, possibly talking about picking up cannabis. “Whatever you doing tonight be careful,” Ms Mullen allegedly said to Mr Crew during the Uber ride. The night after the murder of Spicuzza, Ms Mullen allegedly texted Mr Crew, “I’m not going to jail if we get caught.” Mr Crew made the victim drive for an hour while going through her banking apps, and then eventually killed her, detectives say. “Had Uber applied its driver background check procedures to passengers, used its massive data analysis capabilities to screen out dangerous passengers, permitted drivers to cancel suspicious fares without penalty, or simply provided basic safety features in Ms Spicuzza’s Uber-approved rental car, these simple and effective measures—all readily available to Uber—could have saved Ms Spicuzza’s life,” the lawsuit said. “Unfortunately, however, Uber knew the dangers its drivers faced from dangerous, unverified passengers like Mr. Crew, and chose to do nothing, evincing a conscious corporate attitude for ‘profits over people,’ leaving behind Ms. Spicuzza’s family to grieve her tragic and preventable death.” The lawsuit states that Uber “could easily fulfil” its duty to protect their drivers “by applying the same screening standards it currently applies to its drivers to its passengers, as well as verifying who is ordering the ride.” In a statement to Law&Crime, an Uber spokesperson said that “No family should have to suffer such an unimaginable loss.” “While we cannot comment on pending litigation, we are committed to the safety of drivers who utilize the Uber app. Over the years, we’ve introduced features and policies, designed with safety in mind, like the in-app Safety Toolkit, the ability to freeze rider accounts with fake names and requiring ID from riders in some circumstances,” the Uber spokesperson said. “The safety of drivers is a high priority, and we’ll continue investing in safety features to raise the bar.” The lawsuit seeks a jury trial in the civil case. Mr Crew was arrested several days after the murder of Spicuzza. CBS News reported in March this year that a jury selection is set to begin his trial, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty. Read More Uber raises minimum age for most California drivers to 25, saying insurance costs are too high Woman escapes alleged kidnapper posing as an Uber driver by passing secret note to gas station customer Danelo Cavalcante - live: Homeowner ‘opened fire’ on fugitive after he stole rifle, locals told to lock doors

A homeowner reportedly opened fire on escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante after he broke into his home and stole a .22 caliber rifle. A man fired seven times at Cavalcante after the convicted prisoner broke into his home in East Nantmeal on Monday night, FOX 29 reported. Police have not confirmed the shooting or if Cavalcante was injured. Pennsylvania State Police have been contacted for comment. Cavalcante, 34, escaped from Chester County Prison on 31 August, days after he was sentenced to life without parole for stabbing his ex-girlfriend Deborah Brandao, 33, to death. He is also wanted for a 2017 murder in Brazil. A manhunt was launched by police to find the convicted murderer, who police have described as extremely dangerous. Pennsylvania State Police said its search is now centred on South Coventry Township in Chester County, warning locals that the fugitive is armed and that they should “lock all doors and windows” as a precaution. It comes after police responded to reports of gunshots in Coventryville Road in East Nantmeal Township on Monday night. Philadelphia ABC station WPVI reported a homeowner shot at someone matching Cavalcante’s description. Officers reportedly recovered the green hoodie and shoes the prisoner was pictured wearing over the weekend. Since his escape from prison, there have been almost a dozen sightings of Cavalcante but he has continued to elude a massive manhunt, police said. Police said they believe Cavlcante has changed his appearance since his escape, shaving his beard off to evade police. Cavalcante was spotted near Phoenixville in northern Chester County overnight on Saturday wearing a yellow or green hooded sweatshirt, black baseball cap, green prison pants, and white shoes. He was driving a white 2020 Ford Transit van with a refrigeration unit on top, bearing a Pennsylvania registration plate ZST8818, police said in a statement. Authorities subsequently recovered the van after it was left abandoned and with the keys inside in East Nantmeal. Cavalcante was also spotted twice near Chester County Prison on 8 September, according to police. He was spotted again late on 9 September. Footage released by prison authorities of the convicted murderer’s dramatic escape from prison showed Cavlcante crab-walking up a wall in the prison yard, pushing through razor wire and making a dash across a roof. On Monday, Pennsylvania authorities said they had expanded the search perimeter by 10 miles to Phoenixville in their manhunt for Cavlcante after he stole a transit van and drove to the homes of former associates. A corrections officer who failed to report his escape was fired. Read More Danelo Cavalcante - live: Homeowner ‘opened fire’ on fugitive after he stole rifle, locals told to lock doors Where has Danelo Cavalcante been spotted since his Pennsylvania jailbreak? Police hunting Danelo Cavalcante say it’s ‘advantage law enforcement’ as search zeroes in on township

An Indiana man was jailed for 110 years for gunning down his ex-girlfriend and her grandmother in front of each other in a parking lot. Gary Cecil Ferrell II, 28, will spend the rest of his life in a state correctional facility for the murders of 21-year-old Promise Mays and 62-year-old Pamela Sledd. Prosecutors say that the August 2021 killings were captured by security cameras at an automotive seating factory in Frankfort. Clinton Superior Court Judge Justin Hunter wrote in his sentencing order that the crime had been “brutal and heinous” and it was appalling that the victims had “watched the other being shot.” “With respect to the murder he inflicted upon Pamela Sledd, defendant shot Ms Sledd after she had turned her back and was retreating from the scene of the offense she had witnessed against her granddaughter,” he wrote in the document, reported WISH-TV. “[Ferrell] acted out an entitlement to control and possess Promise Mays, whether in life or in death, even though she had demonstrated only kindness for the many people whom she encountered in her short and precious life.” Both women were killed with a semiautomatic handgun as they had arrived for their work shift at the NHK factory. Police quickly identified Ferrell as the suspect and eventually caught him after he crashed his vehicle in a construction zone. Ferrell was sentenced to serve 45 to 65 years for each count of murder, running consecutively. He must serve at least 80 years before he is eligible for release. Read More Police officer jailed for one year for stomping on handcuffed man’s face during arrest Boy, 5, accidentally kills himself after caretaker with gun falls asleep Prosecutor asks Indiana State Police to investigate dog deaths in uncooled rear of truck

Pennsylvania authorities have been forced to expand the search perimeter in their manhunt for escaped convict Danelo Cavalcante after he stole a transit van and drove to the homes of former associates. Cavalcante, 34, remains on the run more than 10 days after he escaped from Chester County Prison on 31 August. Pennsylvania State Police are facing growing scrutiny after it was confirmed on Sunday that Cavalcante had managed, yet again, to sneak past the search perimeter. Lt Col George Bivens said that the fugitive stole a van from a dairy farm near Longwood Gardens botanical park, where the search was initially focused and a 10-mile perimeter had been established. Cavalcante used the van to travel to Phoenixville, a town roughly 20 miles away from Chester County Prison and 25 miles away from the botanical garden. In Phoenixville, Cavalcante visited the home of two former associates. Around 9.50pm on Saturday, he knocked on the door of a former coworker who was not home and later alerted authorities when he reviewed his doorbell camera footage. Fifteen minutes later, Cavalcante showed up at the home of another individual and law enforcement was eventually notified of the incident. The stolen van was then discovered by law enforcement in a field behind a barn in East Nantmeal Township on Sunday morning. Lt Col Bivens said he believed Cavalcante abandoned the vehicle at least in part because it was low on fuel. Authorities are concerned that he would attempt to obtain another vehicle or has already done so. Doorbell video images showed Cavalcante to be now clean-shaven and wearing a green hooded sweatshirt, black baseball cap, green prison pants and white shoes. The manhunt has been repeatedly expanded as Cavalcante has managed to elude hundreds of law enforcement officers for more than a week. Mr Bivens said that some underground tunnels and “very large drainage ditches” made it very difficult to completely secure the search area. “No perimeter is 100 per cent secure. We do the best we can. Most times we’re able to secure it adequately,” Mr Bivens said on Sunday. “You couple that with weather, aviation being down during the night ... No excuses, we took over the responsibility and we [are giving it] an exceptionally good effort.” Mr Bivens asked Chester County residents to be vigilant and make sure they do not leave their keys inside their vehicles as Cavalcante will “undoubtedly take any opportunity to aid himself”. State police also confirmed on Sunday that Cavalcante’s sister Eleni Cavalcante was arrested by ICE over “some immigration issues”. Mr Bivens refused to comment on whether she is believed to have aided Cavalcante. Police had been planning to use close to 600 personnel Monday for “one massive sweep” of the search area, Mr Bivens said. “He’s very determined, we are even more determined. He will be held to justice and we are going to bring him back into custody,” Mr Bivens added. Cavalcante escaped while awaiting transfer to state prison. Last month, he was convicted for the April 2021 murder of his former girlfriend Deborah Brandao and sentenced to life in prison. US Marshalls, the FBI, and SWAT teams have joined the full-scale search for Cavalcante. Police had been planning to use close to 600 personnel Monday for “one massive sweep” of the search area, Mr Bivens said. Local and federal police and the state’s Crime Stoppers have offered a combined $20,000 reward for information that leads to Cavalcante’s capture. Authorities have warned the public that Cavalcante is believed to be “extremely dangerous” and have asked anyone who comes in contact with him to immediately call 911. Cavalcante climbed up a wall by crab-walking up from the recreation yard, climbing over razor wire and then running across a roof before jumping to the ground — the same method an inmate used in May before he was captured within minutes. Cavalcante’s escape went undetected for more than an hour until guards took a headcount. The jailbreak is being investigated by the state’s attorney’s office and a prison tower guard who failed to report it has already been fired. Anyone with information about Cavalcante’s current whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the US Marshals’ Tipline at 877-WANTED-2. Read More Danelo Cavalcante - live updates: New sightings in prison escape search as stolen van found and sister arrest Danelo Cavalcante’s sister arrested by ICE as police reveal his attempts to contact coworkers Police say Danelo Cavalcante has changed his appearance as escaped killer is spotted again

A security guard is in a critical condition after being shot in the back of the head while attempting to break up a fight at a high school football game. Gunfire erupted just after 4pm on Saturday in a parking lot outside Thomas R. Proctor High School in Utica, the city’s police department said. Police said the game between Proctor High School and Binghamton High School was in its final moments when a fight broke out in the parking lot outside the stadium. Two security guards attempted to break up the fight, police said, before one was struck by a flying bullet. He was rushed to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition. A 16-year-old boy was arrested following the shooting and charged with attempted murder. Police said the suspect is not a current student at Proctor High School, but is enrolled in an alternative educational program. The fight broke out after a security guard turned a group away from the varsity game just moments before the shooting, Utica police chief Mark Williams said. “He suspected that something wasn’t right with this group and he refused to lead into the stadium,” Mr Williams said. The stadium was fitted with metal detectors but the security guard turned the group away before he could be alerted to the firearm. Police believe a lone gunman was responsible for the shooting and have not established a motive, but said it may possibly be gang-related. An investigation is ongoing. School officials cancelled on-campus activities for Sunday and after-school activities on Monday, and said counselling would be available. It comes after 16-year-old was shot dead at an Oklahoma high school football game in August. A 15-year-old boy was arrested, who was not named because he is a juvenile. Choctaw police chief Kelly Marshall said the shooting followed an argument between two males at the game, but she didn’t know what the argument was about. A 15-year-old girl was wounded in the leg during the shooting, while a 42-year-old man was hospitalized in intensive care with a gunshot wound to the chest. Read More Teen arrested in fatal shooting of 16-year-old during Oklahoma high school football game Ten children wounded after shooting at high school football match An off-duty Oklahoma officer fired a shot that wounded a man at a high school football game

Judge Frank Caprio has gone viral after sparing a 96-year-old man from jail after learning the reason for his crime. The man, named only as Mr Coella, appeared in court after he was hit with a school zone violation for speeding while driving with his 63-year-old son in the car. In the clip, Mr Coella explains: “I don’t drive that fast, Judge. I’m 96 years old and I drive slowly. I only drive when I have to.” He then explained he was taking his son to have blood work done at the hospital. “I take him for blood work every two weeks because he’s got cancer,” Mr Coella said. The 96-year-old can then be seen becoming emotional, while Judge Caprio also tears up and dismisses the case. The judge said: “You are a good man. You really are what America is all about. Here you are in your nineties and you’re still taking care of your family. It’s just a wonderful thing for you. “I wish the best for your son and I wish you good health and your case is dismissed. Good luck to you and God bless you.” The clip was shared on TikTok where users were also left in tears by the judge’s kind words. One person commented: “Seeing this old man’s face breaks my heart. Proud dad.” Another person said: “I’m not crying, you are.” Judge Caprio went viral earlier this year after paying off a man’s fine who had walked five miles to court with less than a dollar to his name. Daniel Murray was given five parking tickets and a $250 dollar fine. After hearing about his journey, Judge Caprio told Mr Murray that he would use his fund, the Philomena Fund, named after his mother to pay off the fines. He also handed him $25 so he could get an Uber home. Judge Caprio stars in the TV show Caught in Providence. Read More Police officer killed, another injured in Hartford after their cruiser is struck by a speeding car Man arrested driving to court to be sentenced for the same crime Noel Gallagher handed six-month ban for going 41mph in 30 zone despite not having driving licence

The sister of a dangerous fugitive whose prison escape more than a week ago triggered a full-scale manhunt in Pennsylvania has been arrested by US immigration authorities. Pennsylvania state police provided an update on Sunday afternoon on the ongoing search for 34-year-old Danelo Cavalcante, who escaped from Chester County Prison on 31 August. Cavalcante was last spotted near Phoenixville in northern Chester County overnight on Saturday. A white 2020 Ford Transit van that he stole was recovered by authorities after it was left abandoned in East Nantmeal Township later that day. Lt Col George Biven also revealed that Cavalcante’s sister Eleni Cavalcante was arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement over “some immigration issues. Ms Cavalcante reportedly faces deportation. Mr Bivens didn’t say whether she was suspected to have been contacted by Cavalcante, but confirmed during the press conference that Cavalcante had reached out to former coworkers following his escape. The manhunt has been repeatedly expanded as Cavalcante has managed to sneak past the search perimeter several times. “No perimeter is 100% secure. We do the best we can. Most times we’re able to secure it adequately,” Mr Bivens said on Sunday. Read More Danelo Cavalcante update: Prison officer fired over killer’s escape as manhunt drags on after eight sightings Police say Danelo Cavalcante has changed his appearance as escaped killer is spotted again

YouTube parenting influncer Ruby Franke and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were supposed to appear in court in St George, Utah on Friday afternoon over child abuse charges, but the proceeding was delayed as tech issues plagued the virtual hearing. Both women were ordered to be held without bail; their bond hearings are slated for 21 September. Ms Franke has reportedly been relocated to the medical unit of the jail, but the reasons for her move are unclear. Over 1,000 people tuned into the hearing and after a cacophony of bizarre noises and pleas to be quiet, the court shut down public access. It transpired later the Zoom link had been shared on TikTok. The pair were arrested on 30 August after Ms Franke’s 12-year-old son climbed out of a window and pleaded for neighbors to give him food and water, court documents showed. After a neighbor noticed that duct tape covering the boy’s ankles and wrists, prompting the neighbor to notify law enforcement. In a chilling 911 call, the neighbor can be heard describing the boy: “He is emaciated. He’s got tape around his legs. He’s hungry and he’s thirsty.” Read More Who is Ruby Franke? Everything we know about the family vlogger’s rise to fame before child abuse charges Chilling 911 call that led to Ruby Franke’s arrest revealed Parenting advice YouTuber Ruby Franke and business partner due in court on child abuse charges

The manhunt for convicted killer Danelo Cavalcante continues, with details beginning to emerge about how he managed to escape from Chester County Prison in Pennsylvania. Cavalcante, 34, was spotted twice in the search area near the prison on Friday, according to police. He was seen again late on Saturday. The convict escaped from the facility days after he was sentenced to life without parole for stabbing his ex-girlfriend Deborah Brandao, 33, to death. He is also wanted for a 2017 murder in Brazil. Video of the escape shows Cavalcante crawling up a wall at the prison. He then pushed through razor wire and gained access to the roof before jumping down and fleeing the facility. A tower officer tasked with observing the site failed to report the incident and Cavalcante’s escape was only noticed during a head count. The prison officer was fired on Thursday, a source told CNN. “We can confirm that the corrections officer on duty when Danelo Cavalcante escaped was terminated yesterday afternoon,” the source said in a statement. “He was an 18-year veteran of the prison.” Read More Police say Danelo Cavalcante has changed his appearance as escaped killer is spotted again Danelo Cavalcante killed his girlfriend in front of her children. Now he’s on the run after a prison break How did Danelo Cavalcante manage to slip past Pennsylvania authorities twice?

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Escaped killer Danelo Cavalcante has changed his appearance as he continues to elude a massive manhunt, police say. Pennsylvania State Police said a clean-shaven Cavalcante was spotted near Phoenixville in northern Chester County overnight on Saturday. They released four images of the smirking murderer wearing a yellow or green hooded sweatshirt, black baseball cap, green prison pants, and white shoes. He was driving a white 2020 Ford Transit van with a refrigeration unit on top, bearing a Pennsylvania registration plate ZST8818, police said in a statement. Cavalcante, 34, escaped from Chester County Prison on 31 August, days after he was sentenced to life without parole for stabbing his ex-girlfriend Deborah Brandao, 33, to death. He is also wanted for a 2017 murder in Brazil. Cavalcante was spotted twice near the prison on 8 September, according to police. He was spotted again late on 9 September. The latest sighting comes as the manhunt enters its 11th day. “During the late evening and overnight hours, Cavalcante was reportedly seen in the northern Chester County area near Phoenixville. He changed his appearance,” Pennsylvania State Police said. Phoenixville is about 13 miles (21 kilometers) northeast of Chester County Prison. Footage released by prison authorities showed Cavlcante crab-walking up a wall in the prison yard, pushing through razor wire and making a dash across a roof. A corrections officer who failed to report his escape has since been fired. Authorities have described Cavalcante as extremely dangerous. Police have asked anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact 911 or the tip line at 717 562 2987. Read More Danelo Cavalcante update: Killer spotted again as prison officer fired over escape and manhunt drags on Police announce 2 more confirmed sightings of escaped murderer on the run in Pennsylvania Prison officer who failed to report Danelo Cavalcante’s escape from Pennsylvania jail is fired

On a sweltering summer day in 2015, Crystal Rogers’ car was found abandoned on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway in Bardstown, Kentucky. Her belongings were inside the unlocked vehicle, but the mother-of-five was nowhere to be found. For years, the mystery of what happened to the 35-year-old has puzzled law enforcement, tortured her loved ones and haunted the small town of Bardstown, a place marred by a slew of unsolved killings in recent years. Three months after Ms Rogers’ disappearance, Brooks Houck, her then-boyfriend, was named a suspect in the case. Investigators at the time said they believed she was dead. But her body has never been found. And he has never been charged. Ms Rogers’ family never gave up the search for her and never stopped fighting for justice as her story continued to be shared on true crime podcasts and TV series. Tommy Ballard looked for his daughter every day, never giving up his quest to find her. He created a Facebook page “Team Crystal” to help spread the word. But 16 months later, the dedicated father was preparing to go on a hunting trip when an unknown assailant approached him at his family property and shot jim in the chest, killing him instantly. His case also remains unsolved. Ms Rogers’ mother Sherry Ballard believes he was targeted because he was close to a breakthrough in their daughter’s case. “My husband is dead because he looked for my daughter,” she told The Daily Beast in 2018. The eighth anniversary of Ms Rogers’ disappearance passed in July. There had been no updates, and no arrests. Until now. This week, the investigation took a sudden turn when it was announced a suspect had been charged in connection to the case. His name is Joseph Lawson and he has never been publicly named as a suspect or having any connection to this case. On Thursday, 32-year-old Joseph Lawson was indicted on charges of criminal conspiracy to commit murder and complicity to tampering with physical evidence, according to court records. Kevin Coleman, Mr Lawson’s attorney confirmed to WDRB that the charges are related to the missing woman’s case. The arrest is the first major development in years. So what happened to Crystal Rogers and what led to the first arrest in her case after eight years? Here’s what we know. What happened to Crystal Rogers? Crystal Rogers has not been seen or heard from since the evening of 3 July 2015. Later the same day, her red Chevrolet Impala was found abandoned with a flat tire at mile marker 14 on Bluegrass Parkway. Her keys, phone and purse were inside the car, according to the FBI’s office in Louisville. But she was nowhere to be found. In October of that year, Ms Rogers’ boyfriend at the time Brooks Houck, who is also the father of her youngest child, was named a suspect in the case. It’s believed he was the last person to see Ms Rogers at their Bardstown home where they lived with their son. He had never been charged. Arrest of Joseph Lawson is major breakthrough in 2015 case After eight years, a major breakthrough in the case came when authorities announced on Thursday that an arrest had been made in the case. Joseph Lawson, 32, was charged with criminal conspiracy to commit murder and complicity in tampering with physical evidence. The conspiracy to commit murder charge was filed 24 July and the charge of tampering with evidence was filed in June, according to Nelson County circuit court documents. Mr Lawson has not been charged with Ms Rogers’ murder, but instead faces a conspiracy charge which means prosecutors believe he was involved in some way. The indictment accused Lawson of tampering, saying he “destroyed, mutilated, concealed, removed or altered physical evidence.” On Thursday, he appeared on Zoom as he was arraigned in Nelson Circuit Court. He has not previously been publicly identified as a suspect in Ms Rogers’ case. Ms Rogers was not mentioned by name in the indictment, but Attorney Kevin Coleman, who represents Mr Lawson, acknowledged his client’s case is in relation to the mother’s death, according to WDRB. He declined to comment further. It’s unclear if any other suspects will be arrested in the case. A spokesperson for the FBI declined to comment on the indictment and did not give details or elaborate on whether investigators have arrested or will arrest others. Mr Lawson was being held at the Grayson County Detention Center Friday on a $500,000 bond for the conspiracy to murder charge and a $50,000 bond for the complicity to tampering with physical evidence charge, according to court records. He is due back in court on 26 October. This isn’t Mr Lawson’s first brush with the law. He has a criminal past with charges including for the possession of methamphetamine, burglary, trespassing, and assault, WHAS11 reported. Online sleuths in the Facebook group “Team Crystal” pointed out that one of Mr Houck’s employees Steve Lawson was mentioned in a police interview following Ms Rogers disappearance. In the recording of the interview, Nelson County detective Jon Snow is questioning Mr Houck about a late -night phone call with a specific number on the night that she vanished. He dials the number and as its ringing, tells the detective it’s Steve Lawson. “Who is Steve Lawson?” Snow asked. “That’s somebody who works for me,” he replied. A search of public records by The Independent revealed that Steve Lawson in Bardstown, Kentucky is related to Joseph Lawson, who is the same age as the one who was arrested this week. The call between Mr Houck and Mr Lawson was captured on the recording with Mr Houck asking the man to remind him why he called him late on the night Ms Rogers went missing. Just before that, he can be heard telling Mr Lawson, “It’s a difficult and trying time.” Mr Lawson responded that he had called him about a rental house and that he told him to speak to “Katie” who handles the properties and that she would get back to him. Mr Houck interjects and corrects him by saying it was “Crystal.” After the phone call, Detective Snow asked Mr Houck why he told Steve Lawson that she’d call him back when she apparently had been beside him in his truck at that moment. “She’s not gonna wanna mess with that kind of stuff that late,” Mr Houck replied. Crystal Rogers’ boyfriend was named a suspect in the case in 2015 Brooks Houck, who was Rogers’ boyfriend at the time of her disappearance, was named a suspect in the case in 2015 by the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office. He was believed to be the last person who saw her. Ms Rogers’ parents have said in previous interviews that they believe Mr Houck had something to do with their daughter’s disappearance. But Mr Houck has never been charged with anything in relation to Ms Rogers’ disappearance. When Nelson County Sheriff Ed Mattingly announced that Houck was a suspect, he said he believed Rogers was dead. Her body has not been found. Fatal shooting of Crystal Rogers’ father remains unsolved More than a year after Ms Rogers vanished, her father, Tommy Ballard, was shot and killed by an unknown assailant on his family’s property. It happened in November 2016 as he was preparing to go hunting, according to FBI Louisville. His case remains unsolved. Before his death, the 54-year-old had searched endlessly for his daughter and created a Facebook group called “Team Crystal” to try to find her. Mr Ballard’s father, Till Ballard, said he believes the two deaths were related. He spoke to the Lexington Herald-Leader on Friday and said he hopes the arrest in Ms Rogers’ case will lead to a break in his son’s killing. “Tommy wasn’t going to stop searching ... somebody had to stop him,” Till Ballard said. “I think he knows something about Tommy, too,” he added about Mr Lawson. The FBI, which is investigating both cases, has not commented on the latest in Ms Rogers’ case or Mr Lawson’s arrest. FBI renews investigation in 2020 Crystal Rogers’ case has gone unsolved for years as it was turned over several times between agencies. It was transferred from the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office to Kentucky State Police before the FBI took over in August 2020. In January 2023, Attorney General Daniel Cameron appointed a special prosecutor to investigate Ms Rogers and Mr Ballard’s deaths. On 3 July, the eighth anniversary of her disappearance, FBI Louisville tweeted it made “significant progress in bringing this case to its rightful conclusion” over the past year. “We continue to pursue every available lead until those responsible for Crystal’s disappearance are held accountable,” FBI Louisville said at the time. In October, the FBI searched a farm in Bardstown that was one of the last places Rogers was seen alive before vanishing. It’s a farm that belongs to Mr Houck’s family. The FBI office declined to comment on Mr Lawson’s arrest. Multiple Houck family properties searched Federal authorities announced in August 2020 that they were taking over the investigation in Ms Rogers’ disappearance which led to a slew of searches at properties belonging to the Houck family. One of the properties was the home of Mr Houck and another belonged to his brother, Nick, who in a bizarre twist, was a former police officer who was fired for allegedly interfering in the Rogers investigation. Another search was conducted in 2021 with the FBI Louisville office claiming they had found “multiple items of interest” at one of the Houck properties. And in October 2022, the feds launched a five-day search at Mr Houck’s farm. The FBI says it won’t comment on exactly what was collected. Unsolved killings have haunted Bardstown for years Ms Rogers’ case is not the only unsolved mystery in Bardstown, Kentucky. There are also four unsolved murders that have thrust the small town into the headlines over the past few years. The FBI is investigating all four murders. “Year after year, tragedies struck this small town,” Jessica Noll, journalist and host of the podcast, “Bardstown,” previously told Nancy Grace. Ms Noll created the podcast to attempt to figure out if the crimes are connected and examine how the brutal murders impacted the small town of about 13,000. In May 2013, Bardstown Police officer Jason Ellis was on his way home around 2am when he noticed the road was blocked by freshly cut trees. When he got out of the car to investigate, someone shot and killed Mr Ellis. A year later, in April 2014, mother and daughter, Kathy and Samantha Netherland, were found brutally murdered at their home. Kathy had been shot multiple times and Samantha was found stabbed with her throat slit. The fourth person murdered was Ms Rogers’ father, Tommy Ballard, whose death in November 2016 has been investigated as a murder, according to the Kentucky State Police. The FBI has created a website called crystalrogerstaskforce.com where updates are provided on the cases. 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