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KEY FIGURES IN THE CRYSTAL ROGERS CASE: "The main people involved in the case of the 2015 disappearance of Crystal Rogers. Houck will be tried on charges of complicity to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence, and faces up to 25 years to life in prison. Joseph Lawson is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence, facing up to 25 years behind bars. "Complicity to murder does require that a murder actually took place. So, with one of these defendants, the commonwealth should have to prove that there was an agreement, but doesn't need to prove that a murder occurred," Greg Simms, legal expert, said. "But with Brooks Houck, the commonwealth should be required to provide that a murder did in fact happen." While the investigation has mainly focused on Houck for the past decade, very little physical evidence has been made public, if it exists at all — including where her body is, a murder weapon or an eyewitness to the actual slaying. It's rare in Kentucky for murder cases to make it to trial without any of this evidence, attorneys told WDRB News. Also, it's not clear how and when Rogers died and exactly what the motive was, though Houck has admitted they had a "stressful relationship." However, a substantial amount of circumstantial evidence has come out, most recently throughout the May trial of one of Houck's co-defendants, Steve Lawson, who admitted he, at Houck's request, agreed to help his son, Joseph Lawson, move Rogers' vehicle the night she vanished. Steve Lawson, 54, was tried separately on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence. A jury found him guilty May 30, marking the first conviction in the case. The jury recommended 17 years in prison for Steve Lawson, through a judge will have the final say. A formal sentencing date is scheduled for Aug. 6 in Nelson County. Steve Lawson's trial lasted just four days. The trial involving Houck and Joseph Lawson is expected to take longer. The judge has once again banned cameras inside the courtroom during the trial. WDRB will have team coverage on air and online of the Houck/Lawson trial from the Warren County Courthouse in Bowling Green, Kentucky, beginning Tuesday, June 24.
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STORY: 'WAVE now: ‘The Crystal Rogers case,’ by Digital Content Manager Melissa Ratliff, published by WAVE on June 23, 2025;
KENTUCKY: "After nearly a decade, the disappearance of Crystal Rogers may see some answers as two suspects head to trial.
Crystal Rogers was last seen alive on July 3, 2015. Her then-boyfriend, Brooks Houck, is charged in her murder, as are two of his contracted employees, Joseph Lawson and his father, Steve, who was convicted last month.
WAVE 3’s Maira Ansari and Alena Noakes are looking back at the case’s twists and turns in this WAVE No
Here’s a timeline of the case:
July 3, 2015 – Crystal Rogers last seen alive at Houck family farm with Brooks Houck.
July 5, 2015 – Rogers’ car found on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway with a flat tire. Her keys, purse and phone were still inside. Ballard family began combining the area along the BG. Sherry Ballard reports Crystal missing after not being able to reach her. She also missed a Fourth of July Cookout
July 8, 2015 – Brooks Houck questioned by Nelson County detectives. In the middle of the interview, Bardstown Police Officer Nick Houck calls Brooks mid-interview to warn him not to cooperate.
July 15, 2015 – Nick Houck questioned by Nelson County detectives and fails his polygraph test.
Houck sits down for another interview. He denies involvement or knowing where Crystal is.
July 24, 2015 – Nick Houck questioned again by Nelson County detectives.
Late July 2015 – Law enforcement search the Houck family farm.
October 16, 2015 – Rogers presumed dead. Brooks Houck considered the main suspect.
August 2016 – Law enforcement executes another search of the Houck family farm.
November 19, 2016 – Rogers’ father, Tommy Ballard, is shot and killed on family property near Bluegrass Parkway in Bardstown. He has been an outspoken advocate for his daughter and obsessively is documenting the case and talking to people.
August 2020 – FBI takes over the case and begins to execute search warrants at multiple properties, including the Houck family farm, Brooks Houck’s home and Nick Houck’s neighborhood.
August 2021 – FBI searches the Woodlawn Spring subdivision and finds items of interest.
October 2022 – FBI searches Houck family farm again.
January 2023 – Shane Young appointed by KY Attorney General as a special prosecutor for Rogers’ case, along with Tommy Ballard and Jason Ellis.
June 21, 2023 – A grand jury indicts Joseph Lawson with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence.
August 15, 2023 – Joseph Lawson is arrested by KSP.
September 27, 2023 – Brooks Houck is arrested by the FBI and charged with complicity to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence.
December 6, 2023 – FBI and KSP conduct another search in Nelson County.
December 8, 2023 – Steve Lawson arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence.
September 2024 – FBI conducts a three-day search of Cox Creek at Whitesides Road.
May 27, 2025 – Steve Lawson’s trial begins in Bowling Green, Kentucky, following a successful move to separate his trial and change the venue.
May 30, 2025 – Steve Lawson found guilty on both charges. A jury recommended a sentence of 17 years.
June 24, 2025 – Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson go to trial in Bowling Green, Kentucky."
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
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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;
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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;
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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;
