After a Decade of Lying, the Man Who Killed Crystal Rogers Is Finally Going to Prison

Exactly 10 years after Crystal Rogers disappeared, her killer was brought to justice. The mother of five vanished on July 3, 2015 from her boyfriend's farm in Bardstown, Ky. Rogers's mother reported her daughter missing two days later, after which police found her abandoned car not far from where she was last seen. Inside the red Chevy Impala were Rogers's cell phone, wallet, and keys. There was no trace of her.

Rogers and her partner, Brooks Houck, shared one son. She had four children from previous relationships, which was a point of contention with the couple. In Rogers's opinion, Houck treated his biological son better than her other kids. They argued often. He was always the primary suspect in her murder, but police couldn't make the charge stick until September 2023. Houck was convicted nearly two years later. What was his sentence? Here's what we know.

It took a jury all of five minutes to suggest Brooks Houck receive a life sentence for the murder, plus another five years for tampering with evidence, reported WAVE. The deliberations took a bit longer, but after four hours, the guilty verdict was read out loud to the court. Members of Rogers's family who were in the courtroom were heard saying, "Thank you, Lord," following the decision.

According to Brian Hogan from the Kentucky Department of Corrections, Houck would have to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence. In this case, Houck would not be eligible for shock probation, which is when an inmate spends part of their incarceration in prison, then serves the rest of their time on probation.

During his closing arguments, Commonwealth Attorney Shane Young told the jury, "To me, the highest level of murder you can commit is premeditated. That’s what happened here." The prosecution did not shed light on a motive but built a case around the idea that Houck was afraid he was going to lose his son if he and Rogers split up. "He didn’t want to lose Eli,” Young told jurors. Final sentencing will be held Aug. 21, 2025.

Houck wasn't the only one held accountable for Rogers's death. Steven Lawson and his son Joseph were each charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence. The Louisville Courier Journal reported that during his trial, Steven testified that he drove Joseph to Rogers's car on July 2, 2015. Steven claimed that Joseph told him that her car broke down, but wasn't clear as to why his son needed to be there.

Steven testified that he suspected the car was stolen, so before he drove away, he adjusted the seat and grabbed his son's bat so it would look like Rogers was the last person in the car. "Did I pick him up from that car?” Lawson testified. “Yes, sir, I did." Lawson also testified that at his son's request, he called Houck the next day and told him Rogers's vehicle had been moved.

For Steve, the jury recommended a sentence of 17 years for the conspiracy to commit murder charge and five years for the tampering with physical evidence charge to run concurrently. The jury recommended that Joseph receive a 25-year sentence. Because Joseph and Houck were tried together, they will be sentenced on the same day. Steven's final sentencing date is scheduled for Aug. 6, 2025.