Brooks Houck appeals his conviction in Crystal Rogers case to KY Supreme Court
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Lawyers for a man recently sentenced to life in prison for the disappearance and presumed death of Bardstown woman Crystal Rogers have requested an appeal to the Kentucky Supreme Court.
Brooks Houck, 43, on Monday filed an appeal to the state’s highest court to reconsider five orders issued by Judge Charles Simms, who presided over Houck’s trial.
Houck was sentenced Sept. 17 to life in prison on charges of murder — principal or accomplice — and evidence tampering in the disappearance of his former girlfriend, Rogers, 35. Her body has never been found.
A jury convicted Houck in July after a 10-day trial.
He was tried alongside Joseph Lawson, 34, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and evidence tampering. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Lawson has filed an appeal.
Lawson’s father, Steven Lawson, 54, was also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and evidence tampering. He received a 17-year prison sentence in August.
Houck’s appeal lists five orders issued by Simms as the grounds for his appeal. Simm’s orders include:
- Sept. 22, 2025: The final judgment order and denial of a directed verdict.
- July 7, 2025: A written order that allowed testimony of Rebecca Greer to be considered by a jury.
- June 30, 2025: A written order that allowed the testimony of Stacie Cranmer to be presented at trial.
- Nov. 5, 2024: An order that ruled Houck and Lawson be tried together.
- Nov. 22, 2023: An order that denied Simms be recused as the judge on the case.
The appeal did not outline the defense’s argument against each order, but previous motions have.
The most recent order denied Houck’s request for a directed verdict after prosecutors made their case at trial. Houck’s lawyers argued that prosecutors did not have sufficient evidence to prove Houck’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, but Simms denied the request.
And before the trial, defense attorneys argued that testimony from Rebecca Greer, Steven Lawson’s ex-wife, should not be considered by a jury.
Greer testified during the trial that she was previously married to Steven Lawson, and her daughter was the former girlfriend of Joseph Lawson. All four lived in the same home for a while.
She told jurors she heard Joseph Lawson discuss moving Lawson’s car for $50,000, and that while Joseph and his father were fighting, Joseph Lawson threatened to tell about Steven Lawson’s “car involvement.”
Judge Simms also allowed the testimony of Stacie Cranmer to continue in front of a jury. Cranmer testified she spoke with Steve Lawson at a jobsite, and he said he rode around with Houck to discuss “taking care of a woman with five kids.” Rogers had five kids.
Last year, Simms ruled that Houck and Joseph Lawson be tried together, going against the request of the defense, which argued doing so violated Houck’s Sixth Amendment rights.
Simms ruled Steven Lawson be tried separately because of statements he made that were not admissable in court.
And lastly, the defense appealed Simms’ first ruling, where he denied to recuse himself from the case.
Simms argued he didn’t have “an appearance of lack of impartiality and antagonism toward Mr. Houck,” as Houck’s lawyers asserted in their main argument for having Simms removed.
Because Houck’s prison sentence is greater than 20 years, his appeal is sent directly to the Supreme Court.
This story was originally published October 7, 2025 at 1:02 PM.
