Brooks Houck Found Guilty in Crystal Rogers Murder Case

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Brooks Houck, the longtime primary suspect in the disappearance of Bardstown mother Crystal Rogers, was found guilty Tuesday of murder and evidence tampering in a high-profile case that has gripped Kentucky for nearly a decade.

A jury convicted Houck, 43, on charges of murder—either as a principal or accomplice—and tampering with physical evidence following approximately four hours of deliberations. The verdict came after a 10-day trial involving nearly 50 witnesses and extensive testimony dating back to Rogers' 2015 disappearance.

Rogers, a 35-year-old mother of five, vanished on July 3, 2015. She was dating Houck at the time and was last seen alive at his family's farm on Paschal Ballard Lane in Nelson County. Prosecutors argued that Houck lured Rogers to the property under the pretense of a "surprise date night," and she was never seen again.

Nelson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shane Young, who led the prosecution, acknowledged that while the exact details of what happened on the farm remain unknown, Rogers was last seen there. Young laid out a timeline implicating multiple members of Houck’s family, though no other relatives have been formally charged.

Jurors also convicted co-defendant Joseph Lawson, 34, of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence. His father, Steven Lawson, 51, had previously been found guilty on similar charges in an earlier trial.

During closing arguments, Houck’s attorney, Brian Butler, attempted to cast doubt on the prosecution’s case, citing the absence of physical evidence and arguing that the case was based on speculation rather than proof. “Over ten years, with all the resources of law enforcement, they found no hard evidence,” Butler said.

Still, the jury returned a guilty verdict, bringing a long-awaited measure of justice to Rogers' grieving family. As the verdicts were read aloud, Rogers' loved ones—seated together in the courtroom—held hands and wept. Jon Snow, the former lead detective on the case, was seen in tears.

Sentencing for both Houck and Joseph Lawson is scheduled for later Tuesday.