They just ripped that baby away from me because they said theres too much animosity between the families, Ballard told Oxygen.com. He joined the paper in 2020, and is originally from Erlanger, Ky. A lie detector test turned out to be inconclusive, but he maintained he had no involvement in the disappearance, saying, Im 100 percent completely innocent in this. Crystals sister thought there was more to it than what was apparent, adding, The stories just dont add up. In November 2020, we got more news about the identity of the human remains. On Friday August 16, 2019, Bardstown police arrested Robert Tate, 26, and charged him with murder. Investigators had conducted numerous searches on Houck family property, including the home of Anna Whitesides, the grandmother of Brooks Houck. Brandon Lawson The 911 call that led to a mysterious disappearance. The agency planned to resume the search once the weather improved. The Bardstown, Kentucky, woman's maroon Chevrolet Impala was later found on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway with a flat tire. "When we got the interview with the FBI, they told us there was a probability that the five unsolved cases, including Jason Ellis were connected and it was so much new information," said McAlister. Buy HD $2.99 More purchase options 3. Could the Cats still play in Louisville? The remains were processed through CODIS, which stands for the Combined DNA Index System. Sherry has not seen Eli in two years minus one chance run-in at the local Walmart. Houck said Rogers was still up on the night of July 3 when he went to bed. On the morning of November 19, 2016, sixteen months after Crystals disappearance, Ballard was preparing for a hunting trip with his 12-year-old grandson on family property next to Bluegrass Parkway in Bardstown, Kentucky. The FBI returned to the subdivision every day before suspending the search on Monday due to bad weather. Seeking Information in Murder of Police Officer, FBI.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice. Scotty Sharp, a spokesman for the police, said they continue to receive tips, but Our main focus is Officer Ellis family. When he answered it, it was his brother, Nick Houck, telling him not to talk to investigators. Rogers had been datingBrooks Houck, an initial suspect, who is the father of one of her sons. BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WAVE) - In a matter of five days, there were some big development in connection to a 2016 Bardstown murder. And while she thought she knew what grief was like, she had no idea. Read More: How Did Taylor Robinson Die? In the days after Crystal vanished, searches conducted by the authorities with the help of volunteers and family didnt turn up anything. "The memory that will forever be in my heart is going to DQ and buying my momma lunch. . There is no sibling rights so they cant do anything about not seeing their brother. Crystals mother Sherry Ballard said at the time We love her and were trying to find her and we just want her to come home.. "As humans we don't have enough kindness and compassion for strangers," added McAlister. There is a great post on reddit about Crystals case and this information comes from there:In December 2015, Louisvilles WDRB reported the arrest of Danny Singleton on 38 counts of false swearing after he allegedly lied under oath to a grand jury in relation to the investigation of Crystal Rogers disappearance. Brooks admitted he and Crystal had a stressed relationship at times, but he emphatically denied having anything to do with her disappearance. "Out of respect for family members of multiple missing persons in these areas, we will not be commenting on this until we have more information from the lab," the office said in a statement. On May 25, Ellis, a husband and father of two young boys, clocked out of his shift at 2 a.m. and started his normal, 15-mile drive home on the Bluegrass Parkway. I don't know which one was worse: not knowing who it was or having suspects and not knowing why or any other answers, Hill said. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. A graduate of the University of Missouri she was ready to get to work telling stories. Feb 21, 2023. McAlister, who continues to cover the Rogers' case and would later come to learn, investigate and follow all the unsolved cases in Bardstown, talked with the Times-Tribune about what it's been like trying to uncover the truth and juggling the lines between professional and personal as a journalist. But Tommy never said what type of vehicle it was that had been tailing him. Over the past five years, McAlister has spent dozens of hours investigating these cases and part of that includes getting to know friends and families of the victims. I believe Brooks and Crystal Lite are still together (based on her social media). Were glad the FBI finally has took over the case, Ballard said. Just like our community we were hopeful it would assist in answers and closure in Crystal Rogers case. They cant hold it against me that my daughter was murdered and just assume that Im going to speak badly of the father. 4. Devoted and committed, Crystal worked two jobs to take care of her children. Sherry Ballard took care of four of her daughters children on her own after Rogers went missing and Tommy died. "It was my bosses who told me to stay home as long as I wanted. Just last year, state police hired two retired officers to focus on the case full-time, as well as some other unsolved cases in the area. who owns 10711 strait lane dallas, tx; thames valley police firearms department kidlington Precautionary boil advisory issued for water customers in east Jefferson County, Police: Woman accused of buying nearly $9K in clothes with stolen credit card, WAVE Weather Now Syncbak Channel Embed for PBE Page, Christina Applegate attends last awards show as an actress, 15-year-old shot, killed in Smoketown neighborhood identified, LMPD: Man in hospital after shooting in St. Denis nieghborhood, Man in hospital after shooting in Russell neighborhood. She sees it both ways but makes the comparison to teachers. Kathy Netherland taught special education at Bardstown Elementary School. Brooks was questioned early on by Nelson County Sheriffs Office Lead Detective Jon Snow. BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WAVE) - In a matter of five days, there were some big development in connection to a 2016 Bardstown murder. Walden said the FBIs involvement brought hope again. Till Ballard echoed that confidence in the FBI. Last year McAlister and a team of producers took a deep dive into the tragedies in Bardstown including Jason Ellis's death as they worked on a hit podcast centered around all five unsolved murders in Bardstown. One of the photos is of a smiling Ellis in his uniform, a photo that has been printed onto cards that Medley carries with him and hands out to people who may have information. According to the show, Crystal mentioned to her friends about having a date night with Brooks, and after dinner, they drove to Brooks family farm in the area. It is thought to be cyanobacteria, which is a gelatin-like substance. Kathy Netherland, 48, and her daughter, Samantha, 16, were killed inside their home on April 21, 2014. In June, Whitesides was served with a subpoena to testify before a Nelson County Grand Jury, but she invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to talk. Tommy was a kind of quiet man who built houses for a living, Sherry Ballard said. The vehicle had a flat tire, but what was more troubling was what they found inside the car. His murder would be the first. It never gets easier, she said. Eventually, Nick was fired for interfering with the investigation. New Details On The Unsolved Murder Of The Buffalo Man Who Was Shot Dead In His Car. The Bardstown Murders are a series of 5 unsolved deaths over 3 years starting in 2013. Shes spent the night there on several occasions.. Tommy, a skilled handyman from the age of 15, once put up a dog fence for a woman battling cancer and didnt charge her anything for it, Till Ballard said. But as the years rolled on, the case didnt see a lot of developments. "You hope it gets solved," Bardstown resident Paul Monin told the station of the six-year missing-person probe. Now, McAlister is returning t KSP still believes the person or persons inside a black Chevrolet Impala seen traveling north on U.S. 150 from Botland into Bardstown on the night of the murders knew of something or had something to do with the murders of the Netherlands. said Sherry Ballard, Crystal Rogers mother. We have had a stressed relationship at times, and one of the ways that Crystal has always chose to deal with that is by going to her cousin whom shes very close to, Houck told Grace in a phone interview. Share on Facebook Facebook Still a Mystery: She Gave No Warning shines a light on Crystals puzzling vanishing and the events leading up to it. Residents on North and South Howard streets had to go through the checkpoint to get to their homes. That included searches for Rogers body and any evidence they could find. An unknown subject fired one shot and hit Ballard in the chest and instantly killed him. Kyleigh Fenwick was 14 when Crystal disappeared and was 19 at the time of the anniversary. It wasn't until Tommy Ballard, Crystal Rogers' father, was shot and killed that McAlister really even learned about all the loss in Bardstown. . Very nervous.. Kathy Netherland, 48, and her . Compartilhar isto . The city is famed for its brilliantly brewed bourbon and hence has earned the nickname "Bourbon Capital of the World." In 2019, we brought you the story of five unsolved murders in and around the small, tight-knit town of Bardstown, Kentucky. When confronted with the results, Nick denied that he was lying, saying, I dont give a goddam what your fcking computer said Youre calling me a fcking liar [and] I dont like it when people call me a liar.. Nobody could get a hold of her.. "It's definitely put me in a different position to cover tragedy - I think in a way with more empathy and compassion.". More than 150 state and federal law enforcement officers on Thursday were executing nine federal search warrants and will be conducting more than 50 interviews in Bardstown, Kentucky, the FBI said in a press release. Shay (in the middle) is standing in the heart of downtown Bardstown. Waking up every day and not being able to wake up and be like Hey mom and What are you going to do today? Just like normal little things. They held vigils and fundraisers and raised tens of thousands of dollars for rewards and to assist Crystals children. The FBI are in charge of her case and they are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for her disappearance. She doesnt want to be in the way. There are always flowers at the exit ramp, laminated photos of Ellis on the front doors of the Bardstown Police Department, his uniform lays on a black bourbon barrel, and a long corridor wall was dedicated to him, which includes photos. Introducing herself and asking questions of others made journalism a natural fit. He pleaded not guilty to a handful of felony theft charges. I hope it gives hope to everybody else thats got to deal with what were going through.. The Nelson County Sheriff released this statement: Today, we received word from the FBI that the human remains, which were located at the Washington County/Nelson County line were not those of Crystal Rogers. When I graduated high school, seeing all the kids with their moms and they were like so proud. After Tommy Ballard was killed people started to wonder if the unsolved cases of Jason Ellis, Kathy and Samantha Netherland and Crystal Rogers along with Tommy Ballard were all somehow connected. As an aside, and perhaps strangely for such a small town (13,094 in 2019), there are other unsolved murders in Bardstown. Ellis funeral was attended by more than 1,000 law enforcement members and people in the community. Crystal's maroon 2007 four-door Chevrolet was . A team of investigative journalists are sharing interviews and evidence related to unsolved cases in Bardstown, Kentucky. Ballard's death adds to a tally of unsolved murders around Bardstown, a city of 12,800 about 40 miles south of Louisville. My whole familys name is trashed for something completely not even tied to me. Best known for the 2012 Sandy Hook school shootings, a perfectly solved crime, but there's also the subsequent disappearance of Robert Hoagland, and the prior Newtown Wives trilogy: the Helle Craft woodchipper murders, the other woman whose husband wasn't prosecuted until they found her body a few years ago, and Regina Brown, still . "The FBI is committed to bringing those responsible to justice, but we are going to need the communitys assistance.". tobi brown girlfriend; ancient map of sarkoris pathfinder; reno sparks nv obituaries; como sacar una culebra de su escondite When he stopped to pick up debris in the road (that is said to have been intentionally put there,) a gunman shot and killed him. Her remains were found buried in the woods in 1983. He was also operating a pool car, which did not have a dash camera to record the incident. I have eight pages of circumstances that lead me to look in their direction, Mattingly said. Missing Florida mother found deceased in Alabama, Where is 4-year-old Codi Bigsby, missing from Hampton, VA, Ill either see you again or never see you again The Disappearance of Daniel Robinson, Destiny Jacksons body was found in the Las Vegas desert after she was killed during a car jacking, Spooky Houses youll be DYING to stay far away from, Suzanne Morphew (49) has been missing since May 10th, 2020 her husband has been arrested, FOUND SAFE- Laura Lacie Read- missing from Midtown, Houston, after her child is found alone, Dr. Beth Potter, her husband, Robin Carre were killed and found in a ditch, Missing Child Alert: Taylor Rose Williams (5) is missing from Jacksonville, Florida. BARDSTOWN, Ky. - This week marks six months since a mother and her teenage daughter were murdered in their Kentucky home and still, police are no closer to solving the case than they were on. RELATED: Who Killed Cordy Simmons? In Bardstown, the FBI has stepped in to help with the Crystal Rogers case and McAlister would like to think that the attention the murders received from the Bardstown podcast along with the determination of Crystal Rogers' family is to credit. With a new crew asking different questions that she hadn't thought of, it set forth the perfect combination for a podcast to really work. ), Lindsay Clancy strangled her three children with exercise bands, The mysterious vanishing of Nicola Bulley, Murder by Neglect - the deaths of Lacey Fletcher and Valerie Wallach, Missing men - Bryce Borca, Dr Bolek Payan, George Musser and Teddy Egge, The Missing, Murdered and Reunited of Runaway Train, Jennifer Fairgate and her briefcase of bullets, An Instagram murder - Brandon Clark and Bianca Devins. If a teacher sees something concerning going on with one of their students, they naturally want to get involved for the wellbeing of that child. When murders go unsolved for long periods of time months, years, sometimes even decades it leaves communities in shambles, particularly investigators and the family of the victim. She would do anything she wasnt the type to look at people different.. 7 talking about this. Im not worried about nobody but my grandson and my daughter., This was a fight that would be drawn out for years. Bardstown is at the center of five unsolved deaths and disappearances, including that of Crystal Rogers, and they continue to inspire speculation, gossip and intrigue far beyond the county line. The Ballards are currently caring for Crystals four other children full-time. "My mom is a very special woman," Rogers' daughter, K., wrote on a new website dedicated to the investigation. The custody dispute between Sherry and Brooks over Eli is still ongoing. The Sheriffs Office had been investigating the remains since at least Friday, and several people reported seeing the FBI vehicle come through Bardstown. They had taken over the investigation into Crystals disappearance once the human remains were found. In August 2021, the FBI initiated a new search in the Woodlawn Springs subdivision of Bardstown. On May 25, 2013, Bardstown police officer Jason Ellis was ambushed and killed on his way home after signing off for the night by someone lying in wait for him near Exit 34 at 2 a.m. In 1997, Erica Lee Fraysure's car was found in a remote area of Brooksville, Kentucky. You hope this is the year, and then you get no answers.. Just 16 months later, while searching for answers, Crystal's father is murdered in cold blood. Sixteen months after Rogers disappearance in July 2015, her father was killed while he was hunting with his 12-year-old grandson. He drove to the Exit 24 ramp and was one of the first responding officers to see Ellis lying dead in the road. Crystal Rogers disappeared on July 3, 2015 and weeks later McAlister would begin to cover the case. I want to get my hopes up, Ballard said of the FBIs latest search. Get FBI email alerts We will continue to work with the FBI and assist with anything that is needed. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. In November 2017, on the one year anniversary of Tommy Ballards death, signs appeared around Bardstown, implicating Brooks in Crystals disappearance and death. Toensurethe safety of the public, he got out of his vehicle to clear the branches. Properties searched Thursday morning included homes belonging to BrooksHouck, his brother and their mother, Rosemary Houck, the FBI confirmed to USA TODAY. She hadnt been seen or heard from since July 3, according to the FBI. State investigators initially received dozens of tips, interviewed individuals that Ellis had arrested, and tracked down leads all across the country. The motive and the person behind his murder remain a mystery to this day. About a year later, his grandmother refused to testify in relation to a vehicle that the authorities believed was hers and may have been used to dispose of a body. In 2020, more than 150 state and federal law enforcement officers were deployed to Bardstown and on the first day, they executed at least nine federal search warrants and conducted more than 50. Bardstown Fire Chief Billy Mattingly saidthe house may have been set on fire by disgruntled employees who worked for Brooks Houck. She also spoke about the day that her mother went missing: I was calling and texting and she wasnt answering, she said. Out of respect for multiple families, we will not be commenting until we have results, Pineiroa said. Although she was brand new to the job, McAlister said the Rogers case immediately stood out. He wouldnt take a dime from her, Ballard said. Houck has full custody of the child he had with Rogers. This was my hope though of finally bringing my daughter home and now i am back to square one. In May 2013, Officer Jason Ellis was ambushed on his way home from work, and shot multiple times. Her boyfriend, Brooks Houck, who lived with her, claimed innocence and said he had no clue what happened to Crystal. A few days later on July 15, Brooke Ballard, Crystals sister, spoke to WHAS11 saying boyfriend Brooks Houcks story doesnt add up. Sheriff Ed Mattingly said at that time that Houck was fully cooperating with the investigation. He made eye contact with me. He stopped his police cruiser to clear the road and was gunned down by several shots from a 12-gauge shotgun. Back then, Sherry. Updated: Lexington woman charged with murder 1 year after investigators find body wrapped in plastic, Officers at Kentucky prison admit to assaulting inmates, lying about the attacks, Juvenile injured in shooting outside Lexington store, Updated: 1 man convicted of murder in trial for suspects accused of Lexington killing. The mayor of Bardstown said Nick Houck interfered with the investigation by phoning his brother on July 8 when he knew Brooks was being interviewed by detectives, warning that his brother "should protect himself," and that investigators "might be trying to trip him up," the Kentucky Standard reported at the time. Ed Mattingly said an unknown subject fired one shot and hit Ballard in the and... To get to their homes Officer Jason Ellis was ambushed on his way from... Tens of thousands of dollars for rewards and to assist Crystals children Crystal had stressed! Were found heard from since July 3, 2015 and weeks later McAlister would begin cover! 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bardstown, kentucky murders solved