Brooks Houck charged in Crystal Rogers’ murder: What his indictment says
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Crystal Rogers case
See the major developments of the eight-year investigation into the disappearance of Crystal Rogers.
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Brooks Houck, the former boyfriend of Crystal Rogers and the main suspect in her disappearance, has been charged with murder and evidence tampering, according to his indictment.
The indictment, released by Nelson Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon, says he, “acting alone or in complicity with another, committed the offense of murder by intentionally or under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life wantonly causing the death of Crystal Rogers.” Houck was jailed Wednesday and held on a $10 million bond.
Houck, 41, also “destroyed, mutilated, concealed, removed or altered the physical evidence which he believed was about to be produced or used in such official proceeding, with the intent to impair its verity or availability in the official proceeding,” his indictment reads.
A grand jury handed down the indictment Sept. 20 after hearing from Detective Bryan Luckett and FBI Agent Steve Kearny in a grand jury hearing, according to court records.
Houck is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 5, according to court records. If Houck posts his $10 million bond, he’s ordered to have no contact with Rogers’ family.
The FBI announced the arrest of Houck Wednesday morning. He was booked into the Nelson County Detention Center at 10:50 a.m.
“In coordination with the Kentucky State Police, other local and federal law enforcement agencies, FBI Louisville has been laser-focused on our commitment to hold accountable those that were responsible for the disappearance of Crystal Rogers,” the FBI said in a statement Wednesday. “Today, we take a significant step in making good on that promise. FBI Louisville and the Kentucky State Police have arrested Brooks Houck without incident on charges stemming from the Crystal Rogers investigation.
It marks the second arrest made in the Rogers case. Joseph Lawson was previously indicted on charges of conspiracy to murder and complicity to tampering with physical evidence, according to court records. Lawson pleaded not guilty to both charges during an arraignment.
The FBI declined to provide any other information about the arrest or the case. It also declined to answer whether or not more suspects could be arrested or face charges.
This story was originally published September 27, 2023 at 10:43 AM.
