FBI searches 3 properties owned by Crystal Rogers’ former boyfriend

By Web Staff

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    BARDSTOWN, Kentucky (WLKY) — The FBI was back in Bardstown to once again looks for answers in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, and this time, they’re targeting three locations — all of which belong to her former boyfriend.

FBI Louisville tweeted around 8 a.m. Tuesday saying their team would be conducting several searches in a Bardstown subdivision called Woodlawn Springs.

The tweet said this search comes from information collected over the last year during a federal investigation, which started almost exactly a year ago.

Rogers, 35, was reported missing by her mother several years ago. She hasn’t been heard from since July 3, 2015. Two days later, her car was found abandoned with a flat tire on the Bluegrass Parkway with her keys, phone and purse still inside.

Since the mother of five disappeared, the only suspect ever named has been her boyfriend at the time, Brooks Houck, with whom she shares a child. He has never been charged.

But on Tuesday, three of Houck’s properties were thoroughly investigated and WLKY observed excavation efforts. The Nelson County Sheriff’s Office said those living at the properties being searched on Tuesday are not considered suspects.

WLKY observed investigators with shovels and cadaver dogs. The efforts continued into the evening hours Tuesday, but no other details were shared.

In all, the teams spent close to 14 hours searching the properties.

Sherry Ballard, Crystal’s mother, said she and her late husband targeted that area early on. She said the homes were being built around the time Rogers went missing.

Ballard said back then, a cadaver dog hit on a mound of dirt.

“But we didn’t find anything. We just assumed, sometimes they’ll hit on certain tree roots, stuff like that, so we just assumed maybe it was something like that,” Ballard said.

In August 2020, the case gained momentum again when more than 150 state and federal law enforcement officers were deployed to Bardstown to start their investigation. The first day, they executed at least nine federal search warrants and conducted more than 50 interviews.

One of the searches was at Houck’s home. They also searched his brother’s home and family farm.

Agents say the information collected since then led them to the Woodlawn Subdivision. It’s unclear if investigators will be back on Wednesday.

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