BARDSTOWN, Ky. — A major breakthrough in an unsolved case may be the key to bringing federal investigators one step closer to the truth in the 2015 disappearance of Crystal Rogers.
The 35-year-old mother of five from Bardstown has been missing for nearly a decade now. Crystal's disappearance hangs heavy over the Nelson County community.
Despite numerous search warrants and interviews over the years, there has been little to shed light on the case. That was until a Nelson County man was arrested in connection to Crystal's disappearance last August, then Brooks Houck was arrested in September, and a third suspect was charged just weeks later.
It is the first major development in years. Here's a timeline of everything that has happened throughout the investigation.
Timeline of Crystal's disappearance
July 3, 2015 – Last day Crystal Rogers is seen alive. Two days later, she's reported missing by her parents. Her car was later found along the Bluegrass Parkway with her keys, phone and purse still inside.
July 8, 2015 - Brooks Houck is questioned by Nelson County Sheriff's Office Detective Jon Snow. He calls Steve Lawson, who will later be arrested in the case. Brooks' brother, and Bardstown Police officer, Nick Houck calls him in the middle of the interview advising him to end the interview, which Brooks does. Watch the full interview here.
July 15, 2015 - Kentucky State Police detectives question Nick Houck about Crystal's disappearance and the phone call during his brother's interview. He also agrees to take a polygraph test. Watch the full interview here.
July 24, 2015 - Nick Houck is back in the interrogation room after failing his polygraph test. Watch the full interview here.
Oct. 16, 2015 – Crystal is presumed dead by Ed Mattingly, who is the sheriff at the time. Her ex-boyfriend, Brooks Houck, is named the main suspect. Nick Houck is also fired from the Bardstown Police Department.
Nov. 19, 2016 – Tommy Ballard, Crystal's father, is fatally shot while on a hunting trip with his grandson. Nearly seven years later, his death also remains unsolved.
August 2020 – The FBI steps in and takes over the Crystal Rogers case. Agents executed search warrants at the homes of Brooks Houck and his brother Nick, who was a police officer in Bardstown at the time. The FBI also searched Crystal's storage unit and conducted their first search of the Houck Family Farm.
Aug. 27, 2021 – After another multi-day search, federal agents find "items of interest" under a driveway in the Woodlawn Springs subdivision. Documents showed Houck Rentals LLC, of which Brooks Houck was the registered agent for, owned three homes in Woodlawn, including two on the street blocked off by the FBI.
Oct. 21, 2022 – FBI agents conclude a second search of the 245-acre Houck Family Farm after five days. Evidence collected during the search was sent to the FBI's lab in Quantico to be analyzed.
Jan. 20, 2023 – Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron appoints Hardin County Commonwealth's Attorney Shane Young as special counsel to help in the prosecution of criminal charges in a trio of mysterious deaths in Bardstown. Those include Crystal's case, Tommy Ballard and Jason Ellis, a Bardstown Police officer who was murdered in an ambush in 2013.
June 21, 2023 – A grand jury indicts a Nelson County man, 32-year-old Joseph Lawson, on two charges: conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence. The charges are tied to an incident that took place on the Fourth of July weekend in 2015. That's the same weekend Crystal was reported missing by her family.
Aug. 15, 2023 – Kentucky State Police execute an arrest warrant for Lawson. He is arrested and His attorney confirms the charges are connected to Crystal's disappearance.
Sept. 7, 2023 – Lawson makes his first court appearance from a hospital bed. His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 26, 2023.
Sept. 27, 2023 - The FBI in Louisville arrests Rogers' ex-boyfriend, Brooks Houck. He is charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence. His cash bond is set at $10 million and his arraignment is set for Oct. 5, 2023.
Oct. 5, 2023 - Brooks Houck is arraigned. During the proceedings, the prosecution revealed they believe they are in possession of the firearm used to kill Tommy Ballard.
Oct. 24, 2023 - Attorneys for Houck attempt to get Judge Charles Simms removed from the case due to bias. The claims stem from comments Judge Simms made in 2017 while presiding over a custody case involving Houck's girlfriend at the time.
Nov. 28, 2023 - The Kentucky Supreme Court rules Judge Simms can remain on the bench for the Houck murder case. The court also upheld Houck's $10 million bond, which his defense team argued was "oppressive" and should be lowered.
Dec. 6, 2023 - The FBI and Kentucky State Police conduct a massive dig in Nelson County. The search was tied to at least one of three unsolved homicide cases in Bardstown.
Dec. 8, 2023 - A third man, Steve Lawson, is arrested and charged in the case.
Jan. 9, 2024 - Judge Simms approved a motion to reduce Steve Lawson's bond from $500,000 to $250,000.
Feb. 8, 2024 - All three suspects charged in Crystal's death appear in court together for the first time. A trial date has been set in 2025. The prosecution wants to have all three men tried together, but one attorney doesn't believe that will happen.
Feb. 12, 2024 - Judge Simms rules that Joseph Lawson's bond should be reduced from $500,000 to $250,000.
March 5, 2024 - Steven Lawson's attorney requests judge to dismiss Lawson's charges or have his testimony excluded from evidence.
March 7, 2024 - Brooks Houck is the first suspect to request his trial be moved out of Nelson County.
March 8, 2024 - Steven Lawson follows Houck, requests his trial also be moved to a different county. Court documents once again tie Crystal's case to Tommy Ballard's death investigation.
March 11, 2024 - Kentucky Court of Appeals rejects Brooks Houck's bond appeal, making his $10 million bond final.
March 12, 2024 - Joseph Lawson is the final suspect to ask for his trial to be moved out of Nelson County.
March 14, 2024 - Special Prosecutor Shane Young files motion to consolidate suspects' trials into one.
LISTEN BELOW: New season of the Bardstown podcast follows the latest updates in Crystal Rogers' disappearance.
March 15, 2024 - Houck's attorney objects to Young's motion to combine the trials. Here's why.
March 25, 2024 - Brooks Houck and Steve Lawson appear in court, but no decisions are made. However, all the attorneys agree the Crystal Rogers trial should be moved out of Nelson County. Judge Simms requests attorneys find a courtroom large enough for public viewing and a separate entrance for jurors.
April 25, 2024 - Attorneys select Christian County as a potential location for the trial to be moved to. The Christian County Circuit Court is located in Hopkinsville, which is about two hours from Bardstown.
June 13, 2024 - For the first time, clips of Steve Lawson's interview with police is played in court as attorneys argue whether he was truthful in his testimony in exchange for immunity. The judge does not yet make a decision on whether to dismiss Lawson's charges in Rogers' death.
June 14, 2024 - New court documents in Steve Lawson's argument for promised immunity shed light on a previous search in Nelson County. Detectives were digging on Dec. 6, 2023 because Lawson said he saw Joseph Lawson and another man "burning and digging" on the farm within days of Crystal Rogers' disappearance.
July 3, 2024 - On the nine-year mark since Crystal Rogers' disappearance, Judge Simms denies Steve Lawson's motion to drop his charges.
July 8, 2024 - Brooks Houck is back in court with his attorneys fighting to keep his trial separate from the Lawsons' trials. No decision is made as the judge waits to hear from Joseph Lawson's attorneys. As for the trial's location, attorneys told WHAS11 that Judge Simms isn't keen on it moving to Christian County.
July 18, 2024 - Joseph Lawson appears in court over Zoom for a status conference hearing. He wants to keep his trial separate from his father's but Judge Simms pushes the hearing back to August 8 when both Lawsons will be back in court. Still no decision on the final location for the trial.
August 8, 2024 - Both Lawsons are back in court, but before the hearing can begin, Steve Lawson informs the judge he has fired his attorney, Ted Lavit. He claims that Lavit had been working with attorneys for another suspect charged in Rogers' death. Prosecutors agree with Lawson, saying it doesn't appear he has had conflict-free counsel.
August 22, 2024 - Steve Lawson's new attorneys, Darren Wolff and Zach Buckler, tell the judge they are unsure the trial in Crystal Rogers' death will begin on time.
This story will be updated as new developments are made in the Crystal Rogers case.
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