Jury deliberations expected in Crystal Rogers trial. Catch up on the case here
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Crystal Rogers trial
A decade after the disappearance and presumed death of Bardstown mother Crystal Rogers, a jury will hear evidence against two men charged with killing her.
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Both the prosecution and defense have presented all evidence in the joint trial against two men charged in connection to the disappearance of missing Bardstown mother, Crystal Rogers.
After eight days of testimony in Bowling Green, the defense teams of Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson rested their case Thursday. Closing statements began Monday morning and are expected to last the day.
Houck, 43, is charged with complicity to commit murder and evidence tampering. Lawson, 34, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and evidence tampering. A third suspect, Steven Lawson, 51, was convicted in a previous trial for conspiracy to commit murder and evidence tampering.
The joint trial of Houck, Rogers’ boyfriend, and Joseph Lawson, Houck’s employee, began June 24. The two men were charged in September 2023 for their alleged part in the disappearance and presumed death of Rogers, 35, who went missing July 3, 2015. Her body has never been found.
A jury is expected to be sent to deliberate beginning Tuesday morning.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Prosecutors’ claims
Prosecutors allege Houck orchestrated Rogers’ murder, enlisting Joseph Lawson, Steven Lawson (Joseph’s father) and members of his family, including his mother and brother. The prosecution claims Houck lured Rogers with the promise of a romantic evening, which was instead a setup for her murder.
Opening statements revealed a proposed timeline of events and introduced evidence such as cellphone data, surveillance footage and witness testimony. Prosecutors argue a conspiracy began weeks before Rogers vanished and included a conversation in which Houck’s mother allegedly sought help to “get rid of Crystal.” His mother, Rosemary, has not been charged with any crimes related to Rogers’ disappearance.
Much of the prosecutors evidence is circumstantial. However, phone records show Rogers’ phone was turned off at 9:23 p.m. July 3, the last night she was seen alive. This data contradicts Houck’s statements that Rogers was playing games on her phone around midnight.
Houck alleged he was working and running errands the day of July 3. But seven witnesses Houck said he saw that day testified that was not true. Phone data placed him at the Houck family farm from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., which he never disclosed to police.
Two “coon hunters” testified they found a white Buick, registered to Houck’s grandmother, on a gravel path near the Houck family farm the night of July 3, 2015. The car would be sold by Nick Houck, Brooks Houck’s brother, a year later. Experts testified a hair was found in the vehicle’s trunk was a positive match to Rogers’ hair profile. A search and rescue K9 alerted to positive human remains on the vehicle of the trunk.
Defense claims
The defense countered that the case is built on assumptions and lacks direct evidence. Houck’s attorney, Steve Schroering argued law enforcement was influenced by public and media pressure, and items such as a blanket found in Nick Houck’s police car had no direct link to Rogers.
Joseph Lawson’s attorney, Kevin Coleman, emphasized the lack of forensic evidence connecting Lawson to Rogers’ car or phone, arguing his client is being targeted as “collateral damage” in the effort to prosecute Houck. No DNA or trace evidence presented tied Lawson to the crime scene, and a fingerprint found on Rogers’ phone was not his.
A major argument for the defense is Steven Lawson did not drive Rogers’ car, despite cell phone records showing his location driving along the Bluegrass Parkway. The defense claims Steven Lawson was driving on Boston Road to recover his stolen vehicle.
As far as a “family conspiracy,” Houck’s attorney Brian Butler said the family became suspects immediately, which made them paranoid. He justified the family’s recording of secret grand jury testimony and other interviews with police. Rhonda McIlvoy, Houck’s sister, testified she recorded the meetings because she wanted proof of what she did and did not say with investigators.
Houck paid nearly $40,000 for his expert testimony. These experts testified on cellphone data, cognitive therapy, police searches and K9 rescues.
Disclaimer: This story used AI to help aggregate important case updates from previous Herald-Leader reports. This work was checked by a Herald-Leader reporter and editor for accuracy in accordance with our AI policy.
This story was originally published July 7, 2025 at 11:36 AM.
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