Jail phone calls reveal Brooks Houck’s plans to sell assets. A judge froze them
A Nelson County judge ruled to freeze all of Brooks Houck’s assets after he could be heard on jail phone calls telling his family to “sell it all” the same day he was convicted of killing Bardstown mother Crystal Rogers.
Brooks Houck, 43, was convicted of the murder of Rogers in July after a 10-day jury trial. A jury recommended he be sentenced to life in prison.
Rogers — a mother to five children — went missing in July 2015. Her body has never been found.
Father and son Steven and Joseph Lawson were also convicted for evidence tampering and conspiracy to commit murder in their own trials.
In 2023, Roger’s mother, Sherry Ballard, filed a wrongful death civil suit against Houck and on behalf of Roger’s five children.
After Houck was criminally indicted, the civil case was paused pending the outcome of the criminal cases.
Now that the civil case can proceed, court documents revealed Houck and his family members making plans to sell off assets and properties ahead of any settlement.
Discussions of selling property
The day Houck was convicted of murder, July 8, he could be heard on recorded jail phone calls saying Roger’s family was going to “take all he’s got.”
Houck called Crystal Maupin, his sister Rhonda McIlvoy, his brother Nick Houck and his mom Rosemary Houck to discuss the sale of property, accoridng to court documents.
“It all needs to go,” Houck said. “All of it needs to go.” Houck specifically mentioned the lawsuit, telling his sister, “You know, because we’re on that civil case is what’s coming next. Do you understand? …You know, so they’re going to take everything. They’re going to take everything that I’ve got. So go ahead and try to get what you can for it.”
Attempts to sell 13 properties in Cottage Grove Estates
On July 9, Rosemary Houck, Brook’s Houck’s mother, attempted to sell 13 properties in Cottage Grove Estates owned by Houck Rentals to a man named Luke Raisor, according to court documents.
Raisor testified in a sworn affidavit that Rosemary Houck said she would call him back with a price. Rosemary Houck called Raisor later that day, and two days following.
Raisor never answered or returned Rosemary Houck’s calls, according to his affidavit.
Judge Charles Simms III, who presided over Houck’s trial, ruled Houck could not liquidate any property until a hearing set for October.
