Crystal Rogers trial: Suspect said no one would find body, former coworker testifies

A former coworker of Joseph Lawson, one of two men on trial for the disappearance and presumed death of Bardstown woman Crystal Rogers, testified Monday that Lawson said “no one would ever find” Rogers’ body and he planned to remove her teeth and “let the hogs do the rest.”

The testimony came during the fifth day of a joint trial for Lawson, 34, and Brooks Houck, 43. Houck faces charges of complicity to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in the disappearance of Rogers, 35.

Lawson is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and evidence tampering.

Houck was Rogers’ boyfriend when she disappeared in 2015. Lawson worked for Houck’s construction company at the time — as did Charlie Girdley, prosecutors’ star witness on Monday.

Steven Lawson, Joseph’s father, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder last month in a separate trial.

Girdley testified that Steven Lawson approached Girdley at a job site, told him, “Brooks want(s) to get rid of his old lady,” and said Girdley was the man for the job. Girdley said he did not respond and walked off.

And Girdley said Joseph Lawson called him July 3 — the night Rogers went missing — to ask him to bring a trailer to pick up a broken-down car on Bluegrass Parkway, where Rogers’ car was later found.

Girdley was also the second witness to testify that Joseph Lawson had mentioned moving a body with a skid steer. The first, Heather Snellen, a former girlfriend of Steven Lawson, said the same Friday.

Houck’s lawyer, Steve Schroering, argued Monday that Girdley was an unreliable witness because he is a felon and former drug user, and Girdley did not mention any of the details to which he testified Monday until his fourth interview with police.

Girdley told investigators during his first three interviews with police that he didn’t know anything about Rogers’ disappearance. But his story changed in June 2023, when he was picked up by federal court marshals and interviewed by Kentucky State Police.

Girdley admitted to KSP he was high on methamphetamines and hadn’t slept in five days.

And, Shroering said Monday, detectives and prosecutors offered Girdley “the deal of a lifetime” and help with his probation violation charges if he told them what he knew about Rogers’ disappearance.

Girdley was facing prison time for violating probation, but he instead received a 90-day work release. His testimony to a grand jury helped secure charges against Houck and Joseph Lawson.

Houck and Joseph Lawson’s trial is expected to last about another week.

This story was originally published July 1, 2025 at 5:00 AM.

Taylor Six

Lexington Herald-Leader

Taylor Six is the criminal justice reporter at the Herald-Leader. She was born and raised in Lexington attending Lafayette High School. She graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 2018 with a degree in journalism. She previously worked as the government reporter for the Richmond Register.