When that happened to my husband, wife Sherry Ballard told WDRB, it was no accident. Sherry believes Tommy was getting close to finding out what happened to Rogers before he was killed. But he never reported her missing. Fort Valley State University student Missing Where is Anitra Gunn? They're reportedly searching three properties owned by Rogers' ex-boyfriend, Brooks Houck, in addition to properties owned by his brother, former Bardstown police officer Nick Houck, and their mother, Rosemary Houck. Rogers, a mother of five children, wasnot known to go anywhere without her kids, according to the FBI. While the highest-profile missing person in the area is Crystal Rogers, who went missing in July 2015 and is presumed dead, there are other lesser-known cases of missing persons. On the morning of November 19, 2016, sixteen months after Crystals disappearance, Ballard was preparing for a hunting trip with his 12-year-old grandson on family property next to Bluegrass Parkway in Bardstown, Kentucky. The FBI are in charge of her case and they are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for her disappearance. Agents returned to the Woodlawn Springs neighborhood in Bardstown as they continue to search for clues in the case of missing mother Crystal Rogers. At the time of that call, Nick Houck himself was an officer with the Bardstown Police Department. The FBI took over both cases last summer and has since executed several search warrants and questioned people in Bardstown. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. A Dead Cop Was The First Unsolved Murder. Hill and Unseld are both processing the new development. He was a K-9 handler (narcotics dog) for the police department in addition to his patrol duties. 2023byTango Publishing Corporation All Rights Reserved. BARDSTOWN, Ky. - This week marks six months since a mother and her teenage daughter were murdered in their Kentucky home and still, police are no closer to solving the case than they were on. Mother of five, Crystal Rogers has been missing from Bardstown, KY since July 3, 2015. After family members tried and failed to reach her, she was reported missing on July 5, 2015. Bardstown Fire Chief Billy Mattingly saidthe house may have been set on fire by disgruntled employees who worked for Brooks Houck. So, if youre curious about what happened in this case, weve got you covered. Some reports say it was found on July 4, and others say July 5. Thats the way Tommy was. I knew my mom was proud, but like just wanting her to be there physically, it was very hard to see other moms there, Fenwick said. On the day after Easter 2014, 48-year-old Kathy Netherland and her 16-year-old daughter, Samantha, were brutally murdered inside their home in Botland, just outside the Bardstown city limits.. Ive never denied the animosity but I know people who go through a divorce and they still get to see their children. There were a dozen. Feb 21, 2023. Captain Brandon Bryan is the lead investigator on the case. (Story continues below video) The FBI's. Copyright 2021 WAVE 3 News. According to an anonymous inmate, who spoke with reporter Stephanie Bauer and retired homicide detective Dwayne Stanton about Crystal Rogers disappearance, revealed that he knew something about Ellis murder. Officer Ellis was discovered by a passing motorist. If you have information concerning this case, please call 1-800-CALLFBI. Crystal Rogers was a 35-year-old mother of five who lived in Bardstown. New Details In The Unsolved Murder Of Texas Woman Who Was Set On Fire And Left On Side Of The Road, Who Killed Lonnie Lard Anthony? KSP still believes the person or persons inside a black Chevrolet Impala seen traveling north on U.S. 150 from Botland into Bardstown on the night of the murders knew of something or had something to do with the murders of the Netherlands. Crystal Maupin was charged with theft by unlawful taking. Approximately 150 miles away in a small town similar to many in the Tri-County, five murders are unsolved, one with a connection to the Tri-County. But the Ballards repeatedly said he was the last person to see Rogers alive, and the Nelson County sheriffs office identified him as a suspect. "For those individuals who have information about this incident but who have not yet spoken to law enforcement for whatever reason, please contact us.". - The FBI has found an "item of interest" during a property search for missing Bardstown mother Crystal Rogers. Its so hard.. Her family tried to contact Crystal for two days via text and calling but they were not able to reach her. Curious passersby frequently tried to stop for a peek in the early days of the search and were turned away. New Details On The Unsolved Murder Of The Buffalo Man Who Was Shot Dead In His Car, Woman Gets 'Hate' For Sharing How Her Current Husband Is Supporting Her Ex After He Served 7 Years In Prison, Man Shares Bizarre Story Of Touring A House While The Owner Was 'Tied Up In A CarpetIn the Basement', How The Brutal Murder Of My Father-In-Law Saved My Husband's Life, Who Is Carla Walker? The second search took place in the Woodlawn Springs subdivision, where Brooks Houck's construction company built several houses shortly after the disappearance of Crystal Rogers. Investigators had wanted to ask her about a white car of hers they believed was connected to Rogers disappearance. Bourbon City Kitchen a hidden gem in NC. And it kind of gave us hope that okay they hadn't forgotten and we're heading in the right direction now.. Both are serving life sentences in prison, Till said. Tommy was the second of Till and Betty Ballards children to be murdered. Properties searched Thursday morning included homes belonging to BrooksHouck, his brother and their mother, Rosemary Houck, the FBI confirmed to USA TODAY. The Nelson County Sheriffs Office will continue to be the lead agency on the human remains case. Sherry Ballard said she and Tommy knew they could ask anything of Team Crystal. City officials held an administrative hearing on Nick Houck's actions and fired him a day later. She lived in multiple states and even called Europe home for a bit. The vehicle had a flat tire, but what was more troubling was what they found inside the car. It never gets easier, she said. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. A lie detector test turned out to be inconclusive, but he maintained he had no involvement in the disappearance, saying, Im 100 percent completely innocent in this. Crystals sister thought there was more to it than what was apparent, adding, The stories just dont add up. Compartilhar isto . Rogers, who was 35 when she disappeared, loved to take her children swimming at the Ballard house, Ballard said. . Her mother reported her missing July 5 after she . In 2017, Kentucky State Police hired former troopers to investigate the cases of both Rogers and Jason Ellis, a Bardstown police officer who was ambushed in 2013 and killed by at least two. By Sunday afternoon, the news had spread by word of mouth that the FBI was in town investigating something.. A graduate of the University of Missouri she was ready to get to work telling stories. Rogers'car was found abandoned on the Bluegrass Parkwaywith her keys, phone and purse still inside. According to an arrest warrant, the video shows Maupin getting out of her car and taking the sign., Why wouldnt she help us? I want to get my hopes up, Ballard said of the FBIs latest search. They had taken over the investigation into Crystals disappearance once the human remains were found. It had a flat tire, and Rogers keys, phone and wallet were inside. It wasnt uncommon for someone to stop by during the day with sandwiches, Gatorade and other offerings for Nelson County sheriffs deputies and FBI investigators. Sherry denies the allegation and says she was always careful not to speak about Brooks in front of Eli. Weve searched the rivers, weve searched farms, houses, sinkholes, wells, any place she might be, family member Sammy Johnson said. We want closure., RELATED: Who Killed Lonnie Lard Anthony? "A hallmark of the FBI is we never give up," FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown said in the release. Brooks was questioned early on by Nelson County Sheriffs Office Lead Detective Jon Snow. In November 2020, we got more news about the identity of the human remains. In Bardstown, the FBI has stepped in to help with the Crystal Rogers case and McAlister would like to think that the attention the murders received from the Bardstown podcast along with the determination of Crystal Rogers' family is to credit. The FBI said Rogerss mother, Sherry Ballard, consented to the search. I feel awful for her mother dealing with losing her child, husband and having to fight for custody with that horrible man! Surveillance video captured Brooks vehicle getting there at around 7:20 PM and leaving just before midnight. All of us went to the police station and reported her missing, Till Ballard said. More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. A juror spoke after the verdict was handed down: It was his mistake and their mistake but 80 percent theirs, because the workers, every one of them, has only been there one or 2 months, and that one girl that came up said she lied so she wouldnt have to be a witness on the case, said Peyton Gentry, a juror in the case. In October 2015, Brooks was named the prime suspect in the case but was never arrested. But I feel like well get justice.. She had previously been seeing him every other weekend. In 2019, we brought you the story of five unsolved murders in and around the small, tight-knit town of Bardstown, Kentucky. Around July 5 or 6 (again, this varies depending on which article you read), police held a press conference about the case. Team Crystal was a group of family members and other local residents willing to do anything for Sherry and Tommy to help them determine what happened to Rogers. The FBI, in a show of force, took over the investigation. Sherry spoke to Oxygen in March 2021 and said that shes been denied visitation rights based on a claim made by Houcks camp that the child once heard something negative being said about Houck while visiting Ballard. They said it gives them a bit of hope and closure, but they still have a lot of questions. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. So, if youre curious about what happened in this case, weve got you covered. According to Brooks, he went to bed while she stayed up for a while playing video games. An arrest slip says witnesses told detectives Tate admitted to killing Unseld. The search has focused on homes built and previously owned by Brooks. The keys were in the ignition and her personal belongings (keys, cellphone and purse) were found inside and scattered around the vehicle. The FBI is continuing to investigate the Crystal Rogers case. A few days later on July 15, Brooke Ballard, Crystals sister, spoke to WHAS11 saying boyfriend Brooks Houcks story doesnt add up. Halfway around the ramp, someone had dragged a pile of branches into the roadway. Seeing how important it is to get answers to the family of Crystal Rogers made it equally important to McAlister to help get those answers. All rights reserved. The Ballard family has more than one victim for whom they want answers. All rights reserved. Back then, Sherry. When confronted with the results, Nick denied that he was lying, saying, I dont give a goddam what your fcking computer said Youre calling me a fcking liar [and] I dont like it when people call me a liar.. michael lombard actor obituary; justinas duknauskas biography; organic valley grassmilk yogurt discontinued Sherry Ballard took care of four of her daughters children on her own after Rogers went missing and Tommy died. I believe Brooks and Crystal Lite are still together (based on her social media). An official website of the United States government. Now, McAlister is returning t She doesnt want to be in the way. She also spoke about the day that her mother went missing: I was calling and texting and she wasnt answering, she said. Season three, "Beyond Bardstown: Unsolved," is coming Monday, Oct. 17. Brooks Houck never participated in these searches for Crystal. He said when they got home, he went straight to bed, and Rogers stayed up playing games on her phone. The FBI started its investigation into Rogers disappearance by sending 150 law enforcement officers into Bardstown last year to conduct interviews and execute search warrants. Houck's brother, Nick, was a police officer with the Bardstown Police Department at the time and was fired after interfering in the investigation. He helped form Team Crystal, according to the FBI. She knows now that just because someone is smiling doesn't mean there's not tragedy or grief just beneath that smile. In the days after Crystal vanished, searches conducted by the authorities with the help of volunteers and family didnt turn up anything. The Sheriffs Office had been investigating the remains since at least Friday, and several people reported seeing the FBI vehicle come through Bardstown. 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Her estranged husband, Edsel Barnes, was found guilty of murder by a jury, according to court records. Murder VictimBardstown, KentuckyMay 25, 2013, Share on Twitter Twitter Reporter Shay McAllister spoke to Sherry Ballard once this news broke: Just received this text from Sherry Ballard on news of the human remains: In my heart I truly never felt like this was my daughter. was burned down inwhat city officials said was arson, Jason Ellis, aBardstown police officerwho wasambushed in 2013, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Crystals family also announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to her. These things weren't typical, noted McAlister. @Nelson_Sheriff pic.twitter.com/ghzbYqZ6Mp. We've talked about it at length. My Theories on the Bardstown Murders and the Disappearance of Crystal Rogers I used to believe that the murder of police officer Jason Ellis on May 25, 2013, the Netherland Murders on April 21, 2014, the disappearance of Crystal Rogers on July 3, 2015, and the murder of Tommy Ballard on November 19, 2016 in Bardstown, Kentucky we're all related. Plus, we had a contractor on the jury with us, and he said when they get it, they load it and take it to a site. My whole familys name is trashed for something completely not even tied to me. More than 150 state and federal law enforcement officers on Thursday were executing nine federal search warrants and will be conducting more than 50 interviews in Bardstown, Kentucky, the FBI said in a press release. An arrest slip says an eye witness said Lyons acted with Zachary Tate in the murder.. The sheriffs office hasnt been able to do more than name Houck a suspect years ago. "It was my bosses who told me to stay home as long as I wanted. The Nelson County Coroner's Office said he was shot once in the chest, with the bullet entering his chest and exiting his back,according to WHAS-11. Jeremy Chisenhall covers criminal justice and breaking news for the Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com. NELSON COUNTY, Ky. (WAVE) - It has been seven years since mother and daughter were brutally murdered in Nelson County in the small community of Botland. They were discovered on a farm close to where Rogers car was found. Her estranged husband, Edsel Eddie Barnes, and another man, George Weir, were eventually convicted and sentenced to life in prison for her murder. State investigators initially received dozens of tips, interviewed individuals that Ellis had arrested, and tracked down leads all across the country. She was an excellent mother, Ballard said. In July 2017, Brooks new girlfriend, Crystal Maupin was arrested. The day I reported her missing, I knew that minute that something bad was wrong.. 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