Suspect Taken Into Custody for Kentucky Cold Case Involving Mother of 5 Who Was Murdered in 2015: Police
Crystal Rogers went missing in 2015. Now her boyfriend, Brooks Houck, has been arrested.
Sep. 28 2023, Published 4:15 p.m. ET
A Kentucky mother of five went missing in 2015 and her body has never been found, but the FBI announced a suspect has been arrested in connection with her disappearance, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The Louisville FBI said Brooks Houck recently was arrested without incident and charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence, as Front Page Detectives reported.
Brooks Houck was arrested in connection with the murder of Crystal Rogers.
Officials noted more details would be released when Houck is arraigned in early October, but he is in custody and being held on a $10 million bond.
Crystal Rogers was 35 when she was last seen, WLKY reported. Her car was found with a flat tire and abandoned on July 5, 2015. Police located her phone, purse and keys still inside the vehicle.
Crystal's car was found abandoned on July 5, 2015.
The Louisville FBI office said they worked with Kentucky State Police to “hold accountable those that were responsible” for Rogers’ disappearance.
Houck was Rogers’ boyfriend at the time of her disappearance. He is also the father of one of her children. While he has been a suspect in the case since 2015, this is the first time he has been charged in connection with the case, WLKY reported.
Houck has been a prime suspect since Rogers went missing, but never been charged with anything.
In a statement to the station, Rogers’ family said, "Brooks Houck was named the number one suspect in Crystal's case in 2015. ... At this time we ask for privacy as this is another step forward for justice for Crystal. Continue to pray that justice is served and we bring Crystal home."
According to WLKY, numerous relatives linked to Houck have been tied to the investigation, including his grandmother and brother. In 2016, the state of Louisiana claimed his grandmother's vehicle was possibly used in the disposal of Rogers' remains, but she declined to testify when summoned to court.
Houck's brother was fired from the police department for interfering with the investigation back in 2016.
Houck’s brother was fired from the Bardstown Police Department for interfering with the investigation within the first year of Rogers’ disappearance, according to WLKY.
Houck’s friend also faced dozens of perjury counts early in the investigation, but pleaded to lesser charges, officials said.
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State and local officials were first in charge of the investigation, but the FBI took the investigation over in 2020. Last year, they searched the farm belonging to Houck’s family, which was the last place Rogers was seen alive, WLKY reported.
Joseph Lawson, 32, was arrested earlier this month in connection with the Rogers’ case. He was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence, WLKY reported.
He pleaded not guilty and is being held on a $500,000 bond, officials said. He is also scheduled to appear in court in October.