NELSON COUNTY, KENTUCKY: Crystal Rogers’ alleged murderer may have killed her missing father too. As per prosecutors, they are looking into an angle which points at the possible connection between the deaths of the daughter and father.
An arrest has been made after almost eight years since Rogers was last seen by her boyfriend Brooks Houck on July 3, 2015.
In September, the latter was arrested on “charges stemming from the Crystal Rogers investigation,” the FBI Louisville office wrote in a September 27 post on X (formerly known as Twitter.)
Who is Joseph Lawson?
Before Houck was booked, authorities charged Joseph Lawson, 32, with ‘conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence,’ according to court records.
Lawson pleaded not guilty to the charges and received a bond set at $500,000, the media outlets reported. There’s no information on Houck and Lawson’s possible connection in the case.
Rogers family had thanked the local police and Federal authorities for the arrest of Houck. "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," reported WLKY.
What did authorities say about Brooks Houck's arrest?
"In coordination with the Kentucky State Police, other local and federal law enforcement partners, FBI Louisville has been laser-focused on our commitment to hold accountable those that were responsible for the disappearance of Crystal Rodgers," it said in a statement.
"Today, we take a significant step in making good on that promise," the statement added.
In an interview given by Tommy Ballard, the father kept looking for her missing daughter.
"Every year for Christmas, I always get them gifts but this year I'm wrapping them gifts especially from their mom," Sherry Ballard told People.
"I don't usually do that but this year, I am. I mean, I don't want to ruin the day for them, but this year I want them to have something a little extra special from their mom," Ballard daid.
Three of Rogers' five children, aged 15, 17, and 19, have lived with their grandmother since their mother’s disappearance in July 2015.
"It’s just, it's always a hard time of year for us. I know people say it gets earlier, [but] it doesn't get easier," an emotional Ballard said, adding "I don't know where people get that idea...it’s still very hard."
Rogers and Houck share a child together.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
