PUBLISHER'S NOTE: This trial may prove to be of interest to the readers of this Blog, such as the tampering with evidence issued he absence of a body. I will be dipping in where warranted from time to time.
Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.
------------------------------------------------------------
PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "The evidence against Lawson is being revealed after he has asked that the charges against him in the Rogers murder case be dismissed — or at least that his statements be thrown out — because he was promised immunity for talking with investigators. But the prosecution said Lawson repeatedly lied during his discussions with investigators, negating any plea deal."
————————————————————————————————
STORY: "1st trial in Crystal Rogers' murder case set to begin 10 years after her disappearance," by Reporter Valerie Chinn, published by WDRB, one May 20, 2025. (Valerie Chinn joined WDRB in 2001. She focuses on investigative journalism and anchors WDRB News at 11:30 and Noon.)
PHOTO CAPTION: "Nearly 10 years after Crystal Rogers vanished without a trace, the first trial in the case connected to the missing Bardstown mother is set to begin."
GIST: "Nearly 10 years after Crystal Rogers vanished without a trace, the first trial in the case connected to the missing Bardstown mother is set to begin.
Steve Lawson, one of three men charged in connection with Rogers' disappearance and presumed death, is scheduled to stand trial May 27 in Warren County. His case was moved out of Nelson County due to intense publicity surrounding the investigation.
Lawson's son, Joseph Lawson, and Rogers' boyfriend at the time of her disappearance, Brooks Houck, are also facing charges and are scheduled for trial in June.
Rogers was last seen alive on July 3, 2015, during the Fourth of July weekend. Her car was later found abandoned, running on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway with her purse still inside. She has never been found but is presumed dead.
Her family is still waiting for answers.
"According to the FBI, I think we'll find her remains," Rogers' grandfather, Till Ballard, said in an interview on Dec. 22, 2023. "... I don't know how many people know where her remains are — probably one, two or three."
Steve Lawson is accused of working with others to kill Rogers and later tampering with physical evidence. His indictment alleges he "agreed to aid one or more persons in the planning or commission" of Rogers' murder and later "destroyed, mutilated, concealed, removed" or altered evidence on July 3 or 4, 2015.
Investigators said Steve Lawson worked for Houck in construction. Lawson "does not dispute" he was at the location where Rogers' vehicle was found, running on the side of Bluegrass Parkway with her purse still inside.
Crystal Rogers Timeline
Key events in the nine-year investigation of Rogers' disappearance
July 3, 2015
Crystal Disappears
Crystal Rogers' car was found abandoned along the Bluegrass Parkway. Her purse, phone and keys were left inside.
July 4, 2015
Investigation Begins
The Nelson County Sheriff's Office said Brooks Houck, Rogers' boyfriend, was the last person to see her alive when they were at his family farm the night of July 3. He was questioned by detectives.
September 2015
Nick Houck Fired
Nick Houck, the Bardstown police officer and Brooks Houck's brother, was fired for interfering with an ongoing investigation into Rogers' disappearance.
October 2015
Crystal Presumed Dead
In October 2015, three months after Rogers disappeared, she was presumed dead by law enforcement.
August 2016
Brooks Houck's Farm Searched
The Nelson County Sheriff's Office, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, FBI and Louisville Metro Police Department searched 300 acres with at least 14 cadaver dogs. Snow said a crime involving Rogers is believed to have happened at the Houck Farm.
Nov. 19, 2016
Tommy Ballard Killed
Tommy Ballard, Rogers' father, was shot in the chest and killed right as he was about to go hunting on family property in Nelson County with his young grandson. The FBI eventually calls his death a homicide.
July 2017
Crystal Maupin Arrested
Brooks Houck's new girlfriend, Crystal Maupin, was arrested. Since Rogers' disappearance and Tommy Ballard's death, signs in support of the family had been scattered all around Bardstown. Maupin stole some of those signs and was court ordered to write an apology to Sherry Ballard.
April 2019
Brooks Houck Acquitted On Theft Charges
After being arrested for stealing more than 200 bundles of roofing shingles from Lowe's, Brooks Houck was found not guilty. The trial was held in Bowling Green, because Houck's attorneys argued they wouldn't get an impartial jury in Nelson County.
August 2020
FBI Takes Over Massive Nelson County Search
The FBI took the lead in the Rogers case, dispatching 150 state and federal law enforcement officers to execute nine federal search warrants. They searched Brooks Houck's home, and members of the IRS left with dozens of boxes, two filing cabinets and much more.
August 2021
FBI Searches Bardstown Neighborhood
After a seven-day search of a Bardstown neighborhood in the case of Rogers' disappearance, FBI agents said "multiple items of interest" had been uncovered. The items were sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for forensic analysis.
Sept. 7, 2023
Joseph Lawson Arrested
Joseph Lawson, a 32-year-old Nelson County man, was charged with criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection with Rogers' death. He pleaded not guilty in Nelson Circuit Court, and his bond was set at $500,000 cash.
Sept. 27, 2023
Brooks Houck Arrested
Brooks Houck was arrested after being charged with complicity to murder and tampering with physical evidence. Houck was escorted into the Nelson County jail in handcuffs. His bond was set at $10 million.
Dec. 8, 2023
Steve Lawson Arrested
Steve Lawson, who talked with Brooks Houck by phone the night after the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, has been indicted on charges of criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in the Rogers case.
September 2024
FBI Searches Properties Once Owned By Houck's Family
Federal agents searched two Nelson County properties on Whitesides Road, both of which once owned by family members of Brooks Houck. Anna Whitesides, Houck's grandmother, and Nick Houck, his brother, owned the properties as recently as 2018.
November 2024
Judge Sets Trial Date for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson
A June 24, 2025, trial date was set in Bowling Green for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson. Houck's indictment accused him of "acting alone or in complicity with another" committing the offense of murder of Rogers. Joseph Lawson pleaded not guilty in September to criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in the Rogers case.
February 2025
Judge Sets Trial Date for Steve Lawson
Steve Lawson's trial date was set for May 27 in Bowling Green. He's charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence in the case.
"Lawson further admitted that Brooks Houck was trying to find someone to get rid of Crystal Rogers," the prosecution said in court records. "Other witnesses have offered evidence indicating that S. Lawson and Houck spend an inordinate amount of time together immediately preceding Rogers's disappearance."
In addition, witnesses came forward saying Lawson told them that Houck was trying to recruit him or someone else "to get rid of Rogers."
The evidence against Lawson is being revealed after he has asked that the charges against him in the Rogers murder case be dismissed — or at least that his statements be thrown out — because he was promised immunity for talking with investigators.
But the prosecution said Lawson repeatedly lied during his discussions with investigators, negating any plea deal.
"Lawson's inability to tell a consistent narrative of what occurred on July 3, 2015 into July 4, 2015, and to explain his answers regarding a call that Brooks Houck made to him from the police station were reasons that Mr. Lawson was denied immunity," prosecutors wrote. "His story regarding those periods of time consistently changed throughout."
Houck also called Steve Lawson during Houck's police interview in July 2015.
"I just want to say I'm sorry for everything that's going on in your life, brother, and I've got you in prayers," Steve Lawson said to Houck during the call. "Certainly, this is a difficult and trying time."
Prosecutors allege the call in the early morning of July 4, 2015, was to tell Brooks, "the job is done ..." of moving Rogers' car.
According to court documents, Lawson and his son allegedly moved Rogers' car after her disappearance. A jailhouse phone call later revealed the vehicle had been picked up from a neighborhood where investigators dug up a driveway in 2021, searching for clues.
"Crystal's car was brought to the Thompson farm by Joey and my client," Lawson's former attorney, Ted Lavit, said on June 9, 2024. "This was late at night. (He) told Joey Mr. Thompson would not appreciate and does not want this car out here."
That's the same farm where Steve Lawson allegedly saw his son and another man digging and burning shortly after Rogers went missing.
Lavit also spoke in December 2023 about his client's version of events.
"He received a phone call from his son that he broke down and he picked him up and there was a flat tire, picked his son up and drove back to Nelson County, Bardstown, dropped his son at Five Star," Lavit said.
Houck, meanwhile, is accused in his indictment of "acting alone or in complicity with another" in committing Rogers' murder. He also faces a charge of tampering with evidence.
Joseph Lawson pleaded not guilty in September 2023 to conspiracy to commit murder and tampering. He is not charged with the murder itself but is believed to have been involved in the planning or aftermath.
Rogers' grandfather has expressed anger and frustration at the lack of justice.
"It's be rough, I tell you," Ballard said. "If I could get close to him, better hold me back because the son of a b**** doesn't need to be on this earth if he had anything to do with Crystal. And I know he did and his son did and Brooks Houck. They don't need to be on this earth. They need to be done away with. I don't want to face him.
"I think Steve Lawson was in the barn with the rest of them when Crystal was murdered — and maybe Joseph too and Brooks. I think they were all in the barn. There's other things that I can't say, that someone else was pretty close by, and I think they'll be indicted too before it's over with."
As the trial date nears, new restrictions are being placed on media coverage inside the courtroom. Nelson Circuit Court Judge Charles Simms III, who is presiding over Lawson's trial, has banned all recording devices — including cameras and cellphones — from the courtroom.
Key figures in the Crystal Rogers case
The main people involved in the case of the 2015 disappearance of Crystal Rogers
"Unfortunately, this case has generated tremendous interest among the news media and the general public, which has resulted in a 'circuslike atmosphere,'" Simms wrote in an order issued Tuesday.
It marks the first time in more than 20 years on the bench that Simms has barred cameras in the courtroom. He said his goal is to preserve a fair and dignified trial.
"This Court finds that the trial proceeding must be conducted in a dignified manner without the distraction of anyone recording this proceeding with any electronic device," Simms wrote. "Unfortunately, this Court believes that it must impose limitations herein to assure a fair trial."
Only those physically present in the courtroom will be allowed to watch the trial, and reporters will only be permitted to report on what happens at the trial during breaks. The court will not provide a media room, and video recordings of the trial will only be available through the court after the fact — often taking several days to obtain.
Simms also prohibited attendees from wearing any clothing or accessories displaying photos, names, or images related to anyone involved in the case.
Steve Lawson faces 10-20 years in prison if convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, and 1-5 years for tampering with physical evidence.
The trial begins May 27. The trial for Joseph Lawson and Brooks Houck is scheduled for June 24 at the same courthouse in Bowling Green."
The entire story can be read at:
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.
SEE BREAKDOWN OF SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG, AT THE LINK BELOW: HL:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985
———————————————————————————————
FINAL WORD: (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases): "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."
Lawyer Radha Natarajan:
Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;
—————————————————————————————————
FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions. They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!
Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;
SEE BREAKDOWN OF SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG, AT THE LINK BELOW: HL:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985
———————————————————————————————
FINAL WORD: (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases): "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."
Lawyer Radha Natarajan:
Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;
—————————————————————————————————
FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions. They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!
Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;
