NELSON COUNTY, Ky. — On the same week that marks five years since Bardstown's Tommy Ballard was shot and killed, the FBI announced special agents are working with the Nelson County Prosecutor's Office in connection to Crystal Rogers' case.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen said, "they are working with the prosecutor's office to get this to a place where we can have a conclusion."
The last major development from the FBI came in August, when the federal agency spent seven days searching on a property in Bardstown. During that search, agents discovered multiple items of interest which were sent to the FBI lab in Quantico, VA.
The FBI has not released any additional information about those items of interest, but Sherry Ballard told WHAS11 she was given an update on the evidence collected. She said, "I know they're down to last-minute stuff now. They're getting close."
The leader of Louisville's FBI is new to the position but said she was briefed on the Crystal Rogers case not long after starting. She said she sat down with the team that has been assigned to the case.
"They work day and night on this case- it is a priority of theirs. They know the impact of it there in Bardstown and they know the impact in Kentucky. The commitment is strong," Cohen said.
Sherry Ballard said her focus has shifted to Crystal's case since the FBI got involved.
"I kind of put Tommy's to the side right now, not because I want to, but because I think if I focus more on Crystal right now. That's going to give me the answers for Tommy. So I focus on the main one first and then Tommy's is going to fall into place, and I do feel that," she said.
So, how confident is the FBI?
"I would like to say I'll be 99 percent confident that it will be solved," Cohen said. She said investigators are now working with the Nelson County Prosecutor's Office to build a case.
"We'll take all of the facts, put them together the best we can and present it to the prosecutor's office for prosecution," Cohen explained.
Prosecutor involvement could mean criminal charges are on the table, and indictments are on the way.
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