KY KY - Crystal Rogers Media Thread *NO DISCUSSION*
- Thread starter los2188
- Start date
Emi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2012
- Messages
- 10,533
- Reaction score
- 48,105
FBI Louisville Now Leads Search for Crystal Rogers — FBI
On July 5, 2015, Crystal Marie Rogers was reported missing by her mother. She had not been seen or heard from since the evening of July 3, 2015. The same day Crystal was reported missing, her car was found abandoned with a flat tire at mile marker 14 on the Bluegrass Parkway. Crystal’s keys, phone, and purse were still inside her red Chevrolet Impala. Sadly, while most families were enjoying the Fourth of July celebrations over that weekend, Crystal’s family was instead left wondering as to her whereabouts. While a missing person investigation has been ongoing for the last five years, Crystal’s family and the community of Bardstown, Kentucky, still seek answers.
Today, FBI Louisville announces it is now the lead investigative agency on the Crystal Rogers case and is working with several federal, state, and local partners to include the Internal Revenue Service, the Kentucky State Police, and the United States Attorney’s Office (WDKY). By utilizing federal resources and expertise and by bringing a fresh perspective to the case, those responsible for Crystal’s disappearance will be brought to justice.
“I have committed publicly and privately that delivering long-sought justice in Nelson County is the highest priority case of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Today’s efforts by our stalwart FBI, IRS, and KSP partners is a major step in honoring that promise.”
As part of this effort, this morning, more than 150 state and federal law enforcement officers began executing nine federal search warrants and will be conducting more than 50 interviews in Bardstown, Kentucky.
CRYSTAL ROGERS
View missing person poster
In addition, the FBI launched a website dedicated to sharing information regarding Crystal’s case. Visit crystalrogerstaskforce.com and review the information contained on the website. It will serve as the official source of information from law enforcement. The website allows the investigative team to refresh this investigation by creating a venue to share developing information, photos, and maps with the community. Communication from this site paired with the release of previously withheld, new, and unique details will lead us to the last piece of the puzzle.
“I ask that members of the community think back to July 3rd and 4th of 2015. For those individuals who have information about this incident but who have not yet spoken to law enforcement for whatever reason, please contact us. A hallmark of the FBI is we never give up. The FBI is committed to bringing those responsible to justice, but we are going to need the community’s assistance,” said FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown.
“The Kentucky State Police continue to work tirelessly to bring about a successful resolve to several cases in Nelson County,” said Commissioner Rodney Brewer. “We have followed up on hundreds of tips from the public and logged thousands of investigative hours towards this endeavor. We will continue our efforts until justice is served and welcome the assistance of our federal partners.”
Please share the website with others in the community and on your social media accounts by encouraging them to visit crystalrogerstaskforce.com. A $25,000 reward has been established for information leading to the current whereabouts of Crystal.
The law enforcement community understands Bardstown is a small, tight-knit community. As such, we have discussed ways in which we can better facilitate an information exchange with the community as well as share some of our progress. By launching crystalrogerstaskforce.com, the FBI and our partners aim to do just that.
On July 5, 2015, Crystal Marie Rogers was reported missing by her mother. She had not been seen or heard from since the evening of July 3, 2015. The same day Crystal was reported missing, her car was found abandoned with a flat tire at mile marker 14 on the Bluegrass Parkway. Crystal’s keys, phone, and purse were still inside her red Chevrolet Impala. Sadly, while most families were enjoying the Fourth of July celebrations over that weekend, Crystal’s family was instead left wondering as to her whereabouts. While a missing person investigation has been ongoing for the last five years, Crystal’s family and the community of Bardstown, Kentucky, still seek answers.
Today, FBI Louisville announces it is now the lead investigative agency on the Crystal Rogers case and is working with several federal, state, and local partners to include the Internal Revenue Service, the Kentucky State Police, and the United States Attorney’s Office (WDKY). By utilizing federal resources and expertise and by bringing a fresh perspective to the case, those responsible for Crystal’s disappearance will be brought to justice.
“I have committed publicly and privately that delivering long-sought justice in Nelson County is the highest priority case of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Today’s efforts by our stalwart FBI, IRS, and KSP partners is a major step in honoring that promise.”
As part of this effort, this morning, more than 150 state and federal law enforcement officers began executing nine federal search warrants and will be conducting more than 50 interviews in Bardstown, Kentucky.
CRYSTAL ROGERS
View missing person poster
In addition, the FBI launched a website dedicated to sharing information regarding Crystal’s case. Visit crystalrogerstaskforce.com and review the information contained on the website. It will serve as the official source of information from law enforcement. The website allows the investigative team to refresh this investigation by creating a venue to share developing information, photos, and maps with the community. Communication from this site paired with the release of previously withheld, new, and unique details will lead us to the last piece of the puzzle.
“I ask that members of the community think back to July 3rd and 4th of 2015. For those individuals who have information about this incident but who have not yet spoken to law enforcement for whatever reason, please contact us. A hallmark of the FBI is we never give up. The FBI is committed to bringing those responsible to justice, but we are going to need the community’s assistance,” said FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown.
“The Kentucky State Police continue to work tirelessly to bring about a successful resolve to several cases in Nelson County,” said Commissioner Rodney Brewer. “We have followed up on hundreds of tips from the public and logged thousands of investigative hours towards this endeavor. We will continue our efforts until justice is served and welcome the assistance of our federal partners.”
Please share the website with others in the community and on your social media accounts by encouraging them to visit crystalrogerstaskforce.com. A $25,000 reward has been established for information leading to the current whereabouts of Crystal.
The law enforcement community understands Bardstown is a small, tight-knit community. As such, we have discussed ways in which we can better facilitate an information exchange with the community as well as share some of our progress. By launching crystalrogerstaskforce.com, the FBI and our partners aim to do just that.
Emi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2012
- Messages
- 10,533
- Reaction score
- 48,105
Crystal Rogers: Bones found last month were located four miles from ex-boyfriend’s family farm [Reports]
Human remains discovered late last month in Kentucky were reportedly located four miles from a family farm belonging to the ex-boyfriend of a woman who vanished in 2015.
The Kentucky Standard reported that on July 23, a landowner discovered bones on the Washington-Nelson County line, in a washed-out creek bank in a tributary to the Beech Fork River. The remains were reportedly exposed from the side and were located in a bank that was eroded by elevated waters over the years.
The bones were reportedly located four miles from a Bardstown farm owned by Crystal Rogers’ ex-boyfriend’s family — where the 35-year-old is believed to have last been seen alive. Despite this, authorities have not confirmed whether the remains belong to missing mom.
The Standard explained that they waited weeks to disclose the location of the remains at the request of law enforcement, who said the information could hinder their ongoing investigation.
Human remains discovered late last month in Kentucky were reportedly located four miles from a family farm belonging to the ex-boyfriend of a woman who vanished in 2015.
The Kentucky Standard reported that on July 23, a landowner discovered bones on the Washington-Nelson County line, in a washed-out creek bank in a tributary to the Beech Fork River. The remains were reportedly exposed from the side and were located in a bank that was eroded by elevated waters over the years.
The bones were reportedly located four miles from a Bardstown farm owned by Crystal Rogers’ ex-boyfriend’s family — where the 35-year-old is believed to have last been seen alive. Despite this, authorities have not confirmed whether the remains belong to missing mom.
The Standard explained that they waited weeks to disclose the location of the remains at the request of law enforcement, who said the information could hinder their ongoing investigation.
Emi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2012
- Messages
- 10,533
- Reaction score
- 48,105
FBI takes lead on Crystal Rogers case, searches properties connected to her boyfriend
Five years after Crystal Rogers disappeared from her home in Bardstown, Kentucky, the FBI has taken over as the lead agency in the investigation are executing new search warrants at several properties connected to her boyfriend.
On Thursday, more than 150 state and federal law enforcement officers arrived in Bardstown, where they began executing nine federal search warrants and will be conducting more than 50 interviews, the FBI said in a press release. Federal officers returned to the area on Friday.
FBI Louisville officials said they are working with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Kentucky State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring a "fresh perspective" to the case, which has gained national attention over the years.
“A hallmark of the FBI is we never give up,” FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown stated in the release. “The FBI is committed to bringing those responsible to justice, but we are going to need the community’s assistance.”
Crystal Rogers, who was featured in Dateline’s “Missing in America” series shortly after she disappeared, was last seen by her boyfriend, Brooks Houck, on the evening of July 3, 2015, at their home in Bardstown, Kentucky, where they lived with their young son.
Two days later, on July 5, Crystal's unlocked, maroon 2007 Chevy Impala was found abandoned along Kentucky's Bluegrass Parkway with a flat tire -- her keys were still in the ignition and her purse and cell phone were found inside, police said.
The same day, Crystal’s mother reported her missing to the police. For days and weeks and months, her family, friends and the community searched tirelessly in and around Bardstown.
In October 2015, three months after Crystal vanished, officials with the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office named Houck a suspect in her disappearance. Nelson County Sheriff Ed Mattingly also said at the time that he believed Crystal was dead.
In a bizarre twist, on the same day Houck was named a suspect, his brother Nick Houck, who worked as a Bardstown City police officer, was terminated from the department after officials say he interfered with the investigation of Crystal’s disappearance.
According to an order from Mayor John Royalty, Nick Houck called his brother during an interview with the Nelson County Sheriff's Department. He then told the Kentucky State Police that he told his brother "he should protect himself" and that "they might be trying to trip him up."
At the time, the family was content with the information and felt it meant their hard work was paying off.
"Since they named him a suspect, I feel like they're working now, which I always thought the Sheriff Department was doing a good job, but it makes me feel a lot better," Tommy Ballard, Crystal’s father, told WDRB in October 2015.
Crystal’s father, Tommy Ballard, was shot and killed by an unknown assailant on his family’s property in November 2016 as he was preparing to go hunting, according to FBI Louisville. His case also remains unsolved.
Several Julys passed before the next big update in Crystal’s case.
On July 23, 2020, investigators with the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office learned human remains had been discovered in a remote area near the Washington County line.
Investigators worked with the FBI to recover the remains, which were sent to the FBI lab in Quantico, Va., for analysis. The identity of the remains has still not been released.
Crystal’s case is not the only unsolved mystery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Along with Crystal’s disappearance, four unsolved murders have pushed the small town into the headlines over the past few years. The FBI is investigating all four murders.
“Year after year, tragedies struck this small town,” Jessica Noll, journalist and host of the podcast, “Bardstown,” previously told Nancy Grace. Noll created the podcast to attempt to figure out if the crimes are connected and examine how the brutal murders impacted the small town of about 13,000.
In May 2013, Bardstown Police officer Jason Ellis was on his way home around 2 a.m. when he noticed the road was blocked by freshly cut trees. When he got out of the car to investigate, someone shot and killed Ellis.
Just a year later, in April 2014, mother and daughter, Kathy and Samantha Netherland, were found brutally murdered at their home. Kathy had been shot multiple times and Samantha had was found stabbed and her throat was slit.
The fourth person murdered was Crystal’s father, Tommy Ballard, whose death in November 2016 has been investigated as a murder, according to the Kentucky State Police, but there have been no updates in his case.
On August 6, 2020, FBI Louisville announced that it is now the lead agency in the case working with the IRS, KSP and the US Attorney’s office. The agency executed nine federal search warrants and conducted multiple interviews in Nelson County.
“I have committed publicly and privately that delivering long-sought justice in Nelson County is the highest priority case of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Today’s efforts by our stalwart FBI, IRS, and KSP partners is a major step in honoring that promise.”
As an additional effort to help Crystal and her family, the FBI launched a website called crystalrogerstaskforce.com, dedicated to sharing information about her case. The FBI said the site will serve as the official source of information from law enforcement.
“Communication from this site paired with the release of previously withheld, new, and unique details will lead us to the last piece of the puzzle,” the press release stated.
FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown also asked for the public to think about that Fourth of July weekend and any possible information that could help solve Crystal’s case.
“I ask that members of the community think back to July 3rd and 4th of 2015,” Agent Brown said. “For those individuals who have information about this incident but who have not yet spoken to law enforcement for whatever reason, please contact us.”
A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the whereabouts of Crystal Rogers.
“The Kentucky State Police continue to work tirelessly to bring about a successful resolve to several cases in Nelson County,” said Commissioner Rodney Brewer. “We have followed up on hundreds of tips from the public and logged thousands of investigative hours towards this endeavor. We will continue our efforts until justice is served and welcome the assistance of our federal partners.”
Five years after Crystal Rogers disappeared from her home in Bardstown, Kentucky, the FBI has taken over as the lead agency in the investigation are executing new search warrants at several properties connected to her boyfriend.
On Thursday, more than 150 state and federal law enforcement officers arrived in Bardstown, where they began executing nine federal search warrants and will be conducting more than 50 interviews, the FBI said in a press release. Federal officers returned to the area on Friday.
FBI Louisville officials said they are working with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Kentucky State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring a "fresh perspective" to the case, which has gained national attention over the years.
“A hallmark of the FBI is we never give up,” FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown stated in the release. “The FBI is committed to bringing those responsible to justice, but we are going to need the community’s assistance.”
Crystal Rogers, who was featured in Dateline’s “Missing in America” series shortly after she disappeared, was last seen by her boyfriend, Brooks Houck, on the evening of July 3, 2015, at their home in Bardstown, Kentucky, where they lived with their young son.
Two days later, on July 5, Crystal's unlocked, maroon 2007 Chevy Impala was found abandoned along Kentucky's Bluegrass Parkway with a flat tire -- her keys were still in the ignition and her purse and cell phone were found inside, police said.
The same day, Crystal’s mother reported her missing to the police. For days and weeks and months, her family, friends and the community searched tirelessly in and around Bardstown.
In October 2015, three months after Crystal vanished, officials with the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office named Houck a suspect in her disappearance. Nelson County Sheriff Ed Mattingly also said at the time that he believed Crystal was dead.
In a bizarre twist, on the same day Houck was named a suspect, his brother Nick Houck, who worked as a Bardstown City police officer, was terminated from the department after officials say he interfered with the investigation of Crystal’s disappearance.
According to an order from Mayor John Royalty, Nick Houck called his brother during an interview with the Nelson County Sheriff's Department. He then told the Kentucky State Police that he told his brother "he should protect himself" and that "they might be trying to trip him up."
At the time, the family was content with the information and felt it meant their hard work was paying off.
"Since they named him a suspect, I feel like they're working now, which I always thought the Sheriff Department was doing a good job, but it makes me feel a lot better," Tommy Ballard, Crystal’s father, told WDRB in October 2015.
Crystal’s father, Tommy Ballard, was shot and killed by an unknown assailant on his family’s property in November 2016 as he was preparing to go hunting, according to FBI Louisville. His case also remains unsolved.
Several Julys passed before the next big update in Crystal’s case.
On July 23, 2020, investigators with the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office learned human remains had been discovered in a remote area near the Washington County line.
Investigators worked with the FBI to recover the remains, which were sent to the FBI lab in Quantico, Va., for analysis. The identity of the remains has still not been released.
Crystal’s case is not the only unsolved mystery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Along with Crystal’s disappearance, four unsolved murders have pushed the small town into the headlines over the past few years. The FBI is investigating all four murders.
“Year after year, tragedies struck this small town,” Jessica Noll, journalist and host of the podcast, “Bardstown,” previously told Nancy Grace. Noll created the podcast to attempt to figure out if the crimes are connected and examine how the brutal murders impacted the small town of about 13,000.
In May 2013, Bardstown Police officer Jason Ellis was on his way home around 2 a.m. when he noticed the road was blocked by freshly cut trees. When he got out of the car to investigate, someone shot and killed Ellis.
Just a year later, in April 2014, mother and daughter, Kathy and Samantha Netherland, were found brutally murdered at their home. Kathy had been shot multiple times and Samantha had was found stabbed and her throat was slit.
The fourth person murdered was Crystal’s father, Tommy Ballard, whose death in November 2016 has been investigated as a murder, according to the Kentucky State Police, but there have been no updates in his case.
On August 6, 2020, FBI Louisville announced that it is now the lead agency in the case working with the IRS, KSP and the US Attorney’s office. The agency executed nine federal search warrants and conducted multiple interviews in Nelson County.
“I have committed publicly and privately that delivering long-sought justice in Nelson County is the highest priority case of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Today’s efforts by our stalwart FBI, IRS, and KSP partners is a major step in honoring that promise.”
As an additional effort to help Crystal and her family, the FBI launched a website called crystalrogerstaskforce.com, dedicated to sharing information about her case. The FBI said the site will serve as the official source of information from law enforcement.
“Communication from this site paired with the release of previously withheld, new, and unique details will lead us to the last piece of the puzzle,” the press release stated.
FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown also asked for the public to think about that Fourth of July weekend and any possible information that could help solve Crystal’s case.
“I ask that members of the community think back to July 3rd and 4th of 2015,” Agent Brown said. “For those individuals who have information about this incident but who have not yet spoken to law enforcement for whatever reason, please contact us.”
A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the whereabouts of Crystal Rogers.
“The Kentucky State Police continue to work tirelessly to bring about a successful resolve to several cases in Nelson County,” said Commissioner Rodney Brewer. “We have followed up on hundreds of tips from the public and logged thousands of investigative hours towards this endeavor. We will continue our efforts until justice is served and welcome the assistance of our federal partners.”
Emi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2012
- Messages
- 10,533
- Reaction score
- 48,105
FBI takes Crystal Rogers' car, found years ago with keys inside, on day 2 of investigation
FBI takes Crystal Rogers' car, found years ago with keys inside, on day 2 of investigation
BARDSTOWN, Ky. —
One day after the FBI announced it was taking the lead on the Crystal Rogers case, the investigation continues.
Search warrants wrapped up at two of the three locations being searched Thursday, but the FBI continued to have a heavy presence at the Houck Family Farm on Paschal Ballard Lane on Friday.
The FBI is remaining tight-lipped about their investigation, but there was plenty of activity for a second consecutive day. WLKY has seen multiple agents and on the other side of the farm, several tents have been set up.
The location has been searched before in connection to the 2015 disappearance of Bardstown mother of five Crystal Rogers. It’s the area where she’s last thought to have been seen alive.
Later in the day, the FBI took Rogers' car, which was found abandoned five years ago by the Bluegrass Parkway with keys still in the ignition and a flat tire.
WLKY
Crystal Rogers’ car
On Thursday, crews worked all day on land and in the water. We watched crews at Brooks Houck’s home and his brother’s home. Houck is the only suspect to be named in the case and IRS agents spent about 10 hours at his home, leaving the residence with boxes, hard drives and guns.
Meanwhile at Nick Houck’s home, a pickup truck became a main point of interest for much of the day.
The FBI have not commented on — and we don’t expect them to — what was collected, what it could mean to the case or even how long they’ll be out here. But the family of Crystal Rogers says they’re grateful for the continued efforts of law enforcement and felt confident there will be justice.
Crystal Rogers investigation: Where feds searched and why
On Thursday, the FBI launched a website to help get more tips in Rogers' case. They said since then, it has received several tips about other unsolved deaths in Bardstown: Tommy Ballard (Crystal’s father), Jason Ellis and Kathy and Samantha Netherland.
Their names have since been added to the site.
FBI takes Crystal Rogers' car, found years ago with keys inside, on day 2 of investigation
BARDSTOWN, Ky. —
One day after the FBI announced it was taking the lead on the Crystal Rogers case, the investigation continues.
Search warrants wrapped up at two of the three locations being searched Thursday, but the FBI continued to have a heavy presence at the Houck Family Farm on Paschal Ballard Lane on Friday.
The FBI is remaining tight-lipped about their investigation, but there was plenty of activity for a second consecutive day. WLKY has seen multiple agents and on the other side of the farm, several tents have been set up.
The location has been searched before in connection to the 2015 disappearance of Bardstown mother of five Crystal Rogers. It’s the area where she’s last thought to have been seen alive.
Later in the day, the FBI took Rogers' car, which was found abandoned five years ago by the Bluegrass Parkway with keys still in the ignition and a flat tire.
WLKY
Crystal Rogers’ car
On Thursday, crews worked all day on land and in the water. We watched crews at Brooks Houck’s home and his brother’s home. Houck is the only suspect to be named in the case and IRS agents spent about 10 hours at his home, leaving the residence with boxes, hard drives and guns.
Meanwhile at Nick Houck’s home, a pickup truck became a main point of interest for much of the day.
The FBI have not commented on — and we don’t expect them to — what was collected, what it could mean to the case or even how long they’ll be out here. But the family of Crystal Rogers says they’re grateful for the continued efforts of law enforcement and felt confident there will be justice.
Crystal Rogers investigation: Where feds searched and why
On Thursday, the FBI launched a website to help get more tips in Rogers' case. They said since then, it has received several tips about other unsolved deaths in Bardstown: Tommy Ballard (Crystal’s father), Jason Ellis and Kathy and Samantha Netherland.
Their names have since been added to the site.
IHAVENOCLUE
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2011
- Messages
- 22,376
- Reaction score
- 4,940
I stumbled across this article...
It is from Oct. 20, 2015...
But has interesting information... IMO...
**********************************************
Detectives say Brooks Houck killed Rogers | KYStandard.com
DETECTIVES SAY BROOKS HOUCK KILLED ROGERS
(More at link above...)
It is from Oct. 20, 2015...
But has interesting information... IMO...
**********************************************
Detectives say Brooks Houck killed Rogers | KYStandard.com
DETECTIVES SAY BROOKS HOUCK KILLED ROGERS
(More at link above...)
Emi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2012
- Messages
- 10,533
- Reaction score
- 48,105
Media Coverage – Crystal Rogers Task Force
the update where all of the media updates are
the update where all of the media updates are
Emi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2012
- Messages
- 10,533
- Reaction score
- 48,105
Dateline NBC @DatelineNBC
Five years after 35-year-old mother Crystal Rogers disappeared, the FBI has taken over the investigation and are in Bardstown, Kentucky searching properties connected to her boyfriend. #Dateline
https://nbcnews.com/dateline/fbi-searches-properties-connected-boyfriend-crystal-rogers-five-years-after-n1236180…
Five years after 35-year-old mother Crystal Rogers disappeared, the FBI has taken over the investigation and are in Bardstown, Kentucky searching properties connected to her boyfriend. #Dateline
https://nbcnews.com/dateline/fbi-searches-properties-connected-boyfriend-crystal-rogers-five-years-after-n1236180…
Tracey4AU
Just Here For an Alibi
- Joined
- May 9, 2012
- Messages
- 2,262
- Reaction score
- 12,286
Emi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2012
- Messages
- 10,533
- Reaction score
- 48,105
PICTURED: FBI releases new surveillance images related to Crystal Rogers’ disappearance
The FBI has released new surveillance images showing several vehicles located at points of interest in the ongoing investigation of missing Kentucky woman, Crystal Rogers.
FBI spokesperson Timothy Beam told the Lexington Herald-Leader that the agency needs help identifying the drivers of the vehicles seen in the two photos. Beam said these drivers may have information about Rogers’ 2015 disappearance in Nelson County.
Rogers was reported missing by her mother on July 3, 2015. Two days later, her car was found abandoned with a flat tire on the Bluegrass Parkway. Her keys, phone, and purse were inside the vehicle.
The first image apparently shows a white SUV and a red SUV driving near the My Old Kentucky Home campground in Bardstown. The second photo, taken at 3:45 a.m. on July 4, 2015, shows an unidentified vehicle on Balltown Road, located near the Paschal Ballard Road intersection.
[Photos via FBI]
The FBI took over the investigation following news that human remains were found on the Washington-Nelson County line on July 23. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the human remains belong to Rogers.
Rogers’ ex-boyfriend, Brooks Houck, was reportedly the last person to see her alive. A year after Rogers’ disappearance, her ex-boyfriend’s brother, Nick Houck, was fired from the Bardstown Police Department for allegedly interfering with the investigation.
Last week, the agency executed search warrants at Brooks Houck’s home, in addition to Nick Houck’s residence and their family farm. All three locations are located in Bardstown.
Reports indicated that the remains discovered late last month were located four miles from the Houcks family farm — where authorities believe the missing mother-of-five was last seen alive.
The FBI has released new surveillance images showing several vehicles located at points of interest in the ongoing investigation of missing Kentucky woman, Crystal Rogers.
FBI spokesperson Timothy Beam told the Lexington Herald-Leader that the agency needs help identifying the drivers of the vehicles seen in the two photos. Beam said these drivers may have information about Rogers’ 2015 disappearance in Nelson County.
Rogers was reported missing by her mother on July 3, 2015. Two days later, her car was found abandoned with a flat tire on the Bluegrass Parkway. Her keys, phone, and purse were inside the vehicle.
The first image apparently shows a white SUV and a red SUV driving near the My Old Kentucky Home campground in Bardstown. The second photo, taken at 3:45 a.m. on July 4, 2015, shows an unidentified vehicle on Balltown Road, located near the Paschal Ballard Road intersection.
[Photos via FBI]
The FBI took over the investigation following news that human remains were found on the Washington-Nelson County line on July 23. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the human remains belong to Rogers.
Rogers’ ex-boyfriend, Brooks Houck, was reportedly the last person to see her alive. A year after Rogers’ disappearance, her ex-boyfriend’s brother, Nick Houck, was fired from the Bardstown Police Department for allegedly interfering with the investigation.
Last week, the agency executed search warrants at Brooks Houck’s home, in addition to Nick Houck’s residence and their family farm. All three locations are located in Bardstown.
Reports indicated that the remains discovered late last month were located four miles from the Houcks family farm — where authorities believe the missing mother-of-five was last seen alive.
Emi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2012
- Messages
- 10,533
- Reaction score
- 48,105
FBI actions indicate fresh developments, planning | KYStandard.com
Several factors prior to last Thursday’s raid by federal agents indicate that the human remains discovered 14 days prior did not play a significant role in the timing or decision of the FBI to take the lead in the five-year-old Crystal Rogers investigation.
FORREST BERKSHIRE/The Kentucky Standard
Crystal Rogers’ car is taken Friday by FBI investigators from the storage facility where the family has stored it since sheriff’s detectives released it to them. The car has been processed at least twice, once by law enforcement and also by a private investigator hired by a TV documentary crew.
The most notable clue to how long such an operation had been planned is the website the FBI established as part of the investigation.
The FBI announced CrystalRogersTaskForce.com at the same time it publicly took the lead in the case, which coincided with early-morning raids on three properties owned by the family of Brooks Houck, the named suspect in Rogers’ disappearance.
But that website had been planned at least six months before the operation. The FBI on Feb. 7 registered the URL through the internet registrar GoDaddy, according to a Whois query of internet records. While the website’s address was registered six months before the raids hit Bardstown, the Internet Archive Wayback Machine did not register its presence until Aug. 6.
The raids came almost exactly two weeks after human remains were found partially exposed by an eroded creek bank along the Nelson-Washington county line, and led to widespread speculation that the timing must be linked.
The remains were recovered by an FBI evidence recovery team and sent to its labs for forensic analysis. But as of Tuesday morning, the FBI had not disclosed if its technicians had determined whether the remains are those of the missing Bardstown mother of five.
The FBI directed all inquiries about the investigation to a spokesman at its Louisville office, but he had not returned repeated calls from The Standard as of Tuesday morning seeking clarification to several questions.
Retired agent on the outside looking in
But The Standard spoke with a retired FBI agent Monday, who offered some insight into how the Bureau handles such cases.
“Any investigation involving 150 federal and state investigators, 50 witness interviews, and a $25,000 reward is a notable commitment of resources, whether the case is in Bardstown, Chicago, or Houston,” said Keith Byers.
FBI Louisville said last week’s operation involved 150 state and federal law enforcement, nine federal search warrants and plans for at least 50 interviews.
Byers is a retired FBI assistant special agent in charge, a Kentucky attorney and graduate of the University of Kentucky residing outside of Houston, Texas. He has more than 21 years of investigative experience leading and supervising complex and high-profile corruption, civil rights and violent crime matters in such places as San Diego, Chicago, San Antonio and El Paso. While he was with the FBI, he had no connection to any of the Nelson County cases, but has followed recent public developments in the media.
Another clue as to what federal investigators might know comes from its public announcement.
“I have committed publicly and privately that delivering long-sought justice in Nelson County is the highest priority case of the United States Attorney’s Office,” U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman said in the announcement.
That language conveys a certain level of confidence, Byers said, which federal agencies rarely show unless they have a strong case.
He said the FBI is usually reluctant to publicly announce they are taking the lead from local law enforcement because it can be a sensitive issue that can cause friction with agencies that they might rely on for local support.
“Despite Hollywood’s fictitious portrayals of the FBI, it is rare for the FBI to actually ‘take over’ and become the lead investigative agency in a traditional local investigation,” he said. “It would be even more rare for the FBI to assume the lead in a five-year-old missing person case in a small rural town without the FBI suspecting a significant federal crime has taken place.”
Murder is normally a crime prosecuted by a state agency, and the FBI and other agencies have federal jurisdiction. But those can overlap in some cases and even cross federal agencies’ interests.
“If a police officer were suspected of being involved in criminal activity related to the disappearance or death of Crystal Rogers, the FBI actually might be investigating federal corruption or civil rights violations,” Byers said. “Although no other publicly available information supports this, federal money laundering violations also might be suspected based upon the involvement of the IRS.”
On Thursday, the majority of officers at Brooks’ home were identified as IRS agents. Nick Houck’s home seemed to be the focus of FBI personnel. Nick was fired as a Bardstown Police officer for allegedly interfering with the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office’s investigation into Rogers’ disappearance.
Obtaining new search warrants also suggests recent new information. All three locations have been searched over the years, some of them repeatedly. The search warrants are sealed, so there is no way to tell what the FBI has learned, but it is likely something since the last search.
“In order for the FBI to have obtained any federal search warrants in this case, a U.S. magistrate judge must have determined there was probable cause to believe evidence of a federal crime still existed at the locations being searched, even five years after the disappearance of Crystal Rogers,” Byers said. “Because search warrants typically cannot rely on stale information, it is very likely the FBI recently developed new or ‘fresh’ information supporting the search warrant applications.”
At least three separate sites were searched: The home of Rogers’ former boyfriend and named suspect in her disappearance, Brooks Houck; Brooks’ brother and former Bardstown Police Officer Nick Houck; and the family farm on Paschal Ballard Road where Crystal was last believed to have been alive. The FBI has not identified any other locations, but Byers said it is not uncommon to have several warrants for one location.
“The FBI routinely obtains search warrants for cellular telephones, e-mail accounts, text records, iCloud data, computers, storage units, and bank accounts, in addition to searching residences and vehicles.”
Several factors prior to last Thursday’s raid by federal agents indicate that the human remains discovered 14 days prior did not play a significant role in the timing or decision of the FBI to take the lead in the five-year-old Crystal Rogers investigation.
FORREST BERKSHIRE/The Kentucky Standard
Crystal Rogers’ car is taken Friday by FBI investigators from the storage facility where the family has stored it since sheriff’s detectives released it to them. The car has been processed at least twice, once by law enforcement and also by a private investigator hired by a TV documentary crew.
The most notable clue to how long such an operation had been planned is the website the FBI established as part of the investigation.
The FBI announced CrystalRogersTaskForce.com at the same time it publicly took the lead in the case, which coincided with early-morning raids on three properties owned by the family of Brooks Houck, the named suspect in Rogers’ disappearance.
But that website had been planned at least six months before the operation. The FBI on Feb. 7 registered the URL through the internet registrar GoDaddy, according to a Whois query of internet records. While the website’s address was registered six months before the raids hit Bardstown, the Internet Archive Wayback Machine did not register its presence until Aug. 6.
The raids came almost exactly two weeks after human remains were found partially exposed by an eroded creek bank along the Nelson-Washington county line, and led to widespread speculation that the timing must be linked.
The remains were recovered by an FBI evidence recovery team and sent to its labs for forensic analysis. But as of Tuesday morning, the FBI had not disclosed if its technicians had determined whether the remains are those of the missing Bardstown mother of five.
The FBI directed all inquiries about the investigation to a spokesman at its Louisville office, but he had not returned repeated calls from The Standard as of Tuesday morning seeking clarification to several questions.
Retired agent on the outside looking in
But The Standard spoke with a retired FBI agent Monday, who offered some insight into how the Bureau handles such cases.
“Any investigation involving 150 federal and state investigators, 50 witness interviews, and a $25,000 reward is a notable commitment of resources, whether the case is in Bardstown, Chicago, or Houston,” said Keith Byers.
FBI Louisville said last week’s operation involved 150 state and federal law enforcement, nine federal search warrants and plans for at least 50 interviews.
Byers is a retired FBI assistant special agent in charge, a Kentucky attorney and graduate of the University of Kentucky residing outside of Houston, Texas. He has more than 21 years of investigative experience leading and supervising complex and high-profile corruption, civil rights and violent crime matters in such places as San Diego, Chicago, San Antonio and El Paso. While he was with the FBI, he had no connection to any of the Nelson County cases, but has followed recent public developments in the media.
Another clue as to what federal investigators might know comes from its public announcement.
“I have committed publicly and privately that delivering long-sought justice in Nelson County is the highest priority case of the United States Attorney’s Office,” U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman said in the announcement.
That language conveys a certain level of confidence, Byers said, which federal agencies rarely show unless they have a strong case.
He said the FBI is usually reluctant to publicly announce they are taking the lead from local law enforcement because it can be a sensitive issue that can cause friction with agencies that they might rely on for local support.
“Despite Hollywood’s fictitious portrayals of the FBI, it is rare for the FBI to actually ‘take over’ and become the lead investigative agency in a traditional local investigation,” he said. “It would be even more rare for the FBI to assume the lead in a five-year-old missing person case in a small rural town without the FBI suspecting a significant federal crime has taken place.”
Murder is normally a crime prosecuted by a state agency, and the FBI and other agencies have federal jurisdiction. But those can overlap in some cases and even cross federal agencies’ interests.
“If a police officer were suspected of being involved in criminal activity related to the disappearance or death of Crystal Rogers, the FBI actually might be investigating federal corruption or civil rights violations,” Byers said. “Although no other publicly available information supports this, federal money laundering violations also might be suspected based upon the involvement of the IRS.”
On Thursday, the majority of officers at Brooks’ home were identified as IRS agents. Nick Houck’s home seemed to be the focus of FBI personnel. Nick was fired as a Bardstown Police officer for allegedly interfering with the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office’s investigation into Rogers’ disappearance.
Obtaining new search warrants also suggests recent new information. All three locations have been searched over the years, some of them repeatedly. The search warrants are sealed, so there is no way to tell what the FBI has learned, but it is likely something since the last search.
“In order for the FBI to have obtained any federal search warrants in this case, a U.S. magistrate judge must have determined there was probable cause to believe evidence of a federal crime still existed at the locations being searched, even five years after the disappearance of Crystal Rogers,” Byers said. “Because search warrants typically cannot rely on stale information, it is very likely the FBI recently developed new or ‘fresh’ information supporting the search warrant applications.”
At least three separate sites were searched: The home of Rogers’ former boyfriend and named suspect in her disappearance, Brooks Houck; Brooks’ brother and former Bardstown Police Officer Nick Houck; and the family farm on Paschal Ballard Road where Crystal was last believed to have been alive. The FBI has not identified any other locations, but Byers said it is not uncommon to have several warrants for one location.
“The FBI routinely obtains search warrants for cellular telephones, e-mail accounts, text records, iCloud data, computers, storage units, and bank accounts, in addition to searching residences and vehicles.”
Emi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2012
- Messages
- 10,533
- Reaction score
- 48,105
Crystal Rogers: FBI searches missing mom’s storage unit in Kentucky
Federal agents were seen Wednesday morning sifting through a Kentucky storage unit belonging to Crystal Rogers, the Bardstown mother of five who vanished in July 2015, according to WLKY.
The FBI took over the investigation into Rogers’s disappearance after human remains were found on the Washington-Nelson County line — a few miles east of Bardstown — on July 23. Authorities have not yet confirmed the identity of the remains.
Agents from the FBI and the IRS combed through boxes of belongings at the storage unit, piling items outside, including clothes, toys, diapers, TVs and furniture. The FBI said Rogers’s mother, Sherry Ballard, consented to the search.
Ballard reported Rogers missing on July 3, 2015, and her car was found with a flat tire — and her keys, phone and purse inside — on the nearby Bluegrass Parkway two days later, as CrimeOnline previously reported. Earlier this month, the FBI towed Rogers’s car from a separate storage shed for processing.
Federal agents were seen Wednesday morning sifting through a Kentucky storage unit belonging to Crystal Rogers, the Bardstown mother of five who vanished in July 2015, according to WLKY.
The FBI took over the investigation into Rogers’s disappearance after human remains were found on the Washington-Nelson County line — a few miles east of Bardstown — on July 23. Authorities have not yet confirmed the identity of the remains.
Agents from the FBI and the IRS combed through boxes of belongings at the storage unit, piling items outside, including clothes, toys, diapers, TVs and furniture. The FBI said Rogers’s mother, Sherry Ballard, consented to the search.
Ballard reported Rogers missing on July 3, 2015, and her car was found with a flat tire — and her keys, phone and purse inside — on the nearby Bluegrass Parkway two days later, as CrimeOnline previously reported. Earlier this month, the FBI towed Rogers’s car from a separate storage shed for processing.
Emi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2012
- Messages
- 10,533
- Reaction score
- 48,105
FBI releases new details on Nelson County remains | whas11.com
BARDSTOWN, Ky. — A forensic anthropologist has completed a review of human remains found in Nelson County nearly one month ago, the FBI confirmed to WHAS11.
The review gives new details on the remains found near the border of Washington County, close to where Crystal Rogers was last seen alive in July 2015.
According to the report, the remains likely belong to a female estimated between 24 and 82 years old, with height between 62.6 and 70.9 inches. The FBI said it is still waiting for DNA analysis to positively identify the person.
"We have taken those remains and we have sent them to the FBI laboratory where they are working to identify those remains as quickly as they can," said Brian Jones, FBI Louisville's assistant special agent in charge.
While Rogers' family was notified of the remains, and she is the only person reported missing from Nelson County, officials said there are people missing from Marion County and other nearby areas.
BARDSTOWN, Ky. — A forensic anthropologist has completed a review of human remains found in Nelson County nearly one month ago, the FBI confirmed to WHAS11.
The review gives new details on the remains found near the border of Washington County, close to where Crystal Rogers was last seen alive in July 2015.
According to the report, the remains likely belong to a female estimated between 24 and 82 years old, with height between 62.6 and 70.9 inches. The FBI said it is still waiting for DNA analysis to positively identify the person.
"We have taken those remains and we have sent them to the FBI laboratory where they are working to identify those remains as quickly as they can," said Brian Jones, FBI Louisville's assistant special agent in charge.
While Rogers' family was notified of the remains, and she is the only person reported missing from Nelson County, officials said there are people missing from Marion County and other nearby areas.
Last edited:
oviedo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2008
- Messages
- 17,596
- Reaction score
- 167,191
"I'm praying so hard that they actually find Crystal," Ballard said. "I don't know what I'm going to do if they do...but I have to know where my daughter is."
Crystal Rogers' mother hopeful amid FBI search | whas11.com
Crystal Rogers' mother hopeful amid FBI search | whas11.com
oviedo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2008
- Messages
- 17,596
- Reaction score
- 167,191
Monica Harkins WDRB @MonicaHarkinstv 5h
This is the closest we are able to look at the actual houses…FBI says it’s the houses with the tents in front - and at this time - the search includes only 2 homes, not 3. @WDRBNews #CrystalRogers
https://twitter.com/MonicaHarkinstv/status/1430216071013879813/photo/1
Nancy Grace @NancyGrace 6h
The latest: #CrystalRogers
Missing Crystal Rogers: Boyfriend Owns Rental Properties at Subdivision Being Searched by FBI
The boyfriend of a missing Kentucky woman owns multiple rental properties at a subdivision that is the site of an FBI search Tuesday. As CrimeOnline previously reported, FBI agents and cadaver dogs...
crimeonline.com
This is the closest we are able to look at the actual houses…FBI says it’s the houses with the tents in front - and at this time - the search includes only 2 homes, not 3. @WDRBNews #CrystalRogers
https://twitter.com/MonicaHarkinstv/status/1430216071013879813/photo/1
Nancy Grace @NancyGrace 6h
The latest: #CrystalRogers
Missing Crystal Rogers: Boyfriend Owns Rental Properties at Subdivision Being Searched by FBI
The boyfriend of a missing Kentucky woman owns multiple rental properties at a subdivision that is the site of an FBI search Tuesday. As CrimeOnline previously reported, FBI agents and cadaver dogs...
crimeonline.com
oviedo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2008
- Messages
- 17,596
- Reaction score
- 167,191
FBI conducts searches in Bardstown connected to Crystal Rogers investigation
snipped
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Federal investigators conducted several searches in Bardstown, Kentucky, connected to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers.
The FBI said on social media Tuesday morning that based on information collected over the last year in the federal investigation, it is conducting searches in the Woodlawn Springs subdivision of Bardstown.
FBI agents, along with the Nelson County Sheriff's Department, started the search early Tuesday, and have been stopping cars that enter or leave the neighborhood. The FBI told WDRB News that agents focused on three homes on Howard Street.
Rogers, a mother of five, went missing on July 3, 2015. Rogers' car was found abandoned with a flat tire on the Bluegrass Parkway in Bardstown with her phone, purse and keys still inside.
The man she was dating at the time, Brooks Houck, was the last person to see her alive. Houck has been named a main suspect in the case by the Nelson County Sheriff's Office, but has never faced any charges. Property records show a company owned by Houck built the homes that the FBI targeted in its search on Tuesday.
snipped
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Federal investigators conducted several searches in Bardstown, Kentucky, connected to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers.
The FBI said on social media Tuesday morning that based on information collected over the last year in the federal investigation, it is conducting searches in the Woodlawn Springs subdivision of Bardstown.
FBI agents, along with the Nelson County Sheriff's Department, started the search early Tuesday, and have been stopping cars that enter or leave the neighborhood. The FBI told WDRB News that agents focused on three homes on Howard Street.
Rogers, a mother of five, went missing on July 3, 2015. Rogers' car was found abandoned with a flat tire on the Bluegrass Parkway in Bardstown with her phone, purse and keys still inside.
The man she was dating at the time, Brooks Houck, was the last person to see her alive. Houck has been named a main suspect in the case by the Nelson County Sheriff's Office, but has never faced any charges. Property records show a company owned by Houck built the homes that the FBI targeted in its search on Tuesday.
oviedo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2008
- Messages
- 17,596
- Reaction score
- 167,191
Crystal Rogers case: Answering your top 5 questions | whas11.com
—-
WHAS11 News @WHAS11 25m
Has anyone previously searched the subdivision? Will we know what evidence the FBI finds? We're breaking down your top questions about the FBI search connected to the Crystal Rogers case
Answering your top questions on the Crystal Rogers case
Breaking down the latest information from the FBI's search in one Bardstown subdivision related to the Crystal Rogers investigation.
whas11.com
—-
WHAS11 News @WHAS11 25m
Has anyone previously searched the subdivision? Will we know what evidence the FBI finds? We're breaking down your top questions about the FBI search connected to the Crystal Rogers case
Answering your top questions on the Crystal Rogers case
Breaking down the latest information from the FBI's search in one Bardstown subdivision related to the Crystal Rogers investigation.
whas11.com
oviedo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2008
- Messages
- 17,596
- Reaction score
- 167,191
Shay McAlister @ShayMcAlisterTV 1m
Back in Bardstown for day #3 of the #CrystalRogers FBI search. No updates from the federal agency this morning but the sheriff tells us special agents started arriving at 7 and appear to be continuing work on the same property.
August 26, 2021
Back in Bardstown for day #3 of the #CrystalRogers FBI search. No updates from the federal agency this morning but the sheriff tells us special agents started arriving at 7 and appear to be continuing work on the same property.
August 26, 2021
oviedo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2008
- Messages
- 17,596
- Reaction score
- 167,191
Shay McAlister @ShayMcAlisterTV 3m
I’m done in Bardstown for tonight- @isaiah_km is taking over. He says the FBI does have security at the search site tonight- unlike last night when it was left unattended. I’ll be back for day #4 of the #CrystalRogers search first thing Friday morning.
I’m done in Bardstown for tonight- @isaiah_km is taking over. He says the FBI does have security at the search site tonight- unlike last night when it was left unattended. I’ll be back for day #4 of the #CrystalRogers search first thing Friday morning.