[Music] hi everyone my name is Mark and today we're going to take a look at another horrible case with you Crystal Rogers a 35-year-old mother from Bardstown Kentucky was known for her dedication to her children she lived 45 mil southeast of Louisville and shared custody of her four children with her ex-husband Keith despite their separation Crystal and Keith maintained an amicable relationship ship for the sake of their children her youngest son who was only 2 years old at the time was with her current boyfriend Brooks Hal because Crystal had always been a reliable and responsible
parent her mother Sherry Ballard found it strange when she failed to answer her phone on July 5th 2015 Crystal usually responded to Sherry's calls but the lack of communication was causing Sherry growing concern it had been 24 hours since Sherry last heard from her daughter and with each each passing hour her worry intensified Crystal's absence was out of character and Sherry's maternal instincts were telling her something was a Miss Sherry couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong Sherry tried contacting Crystal multiple times throughout the day but her efforts went unanswered each time she decided
to reach out to Crystal's friends and family hoping someone would know where Crystal might be unfortunately no one had seen or spoken with her recently around the same time Brooke Crystal's younger sister contacted Sherry to inform her that she too had been unable to reach Crystal Brooke shared with her mother that she had spoken with Brooks Crystal's boyfriend Brooks informed her that he had not seen Crystal since Friday according to Brooks the last time he saw her she was up playing games on her phone before he went to bed when Brooks woke up the next
morning Crystal was gone he speculated that Crystal may have gone to visit her cousin's house to celebrate the 4th of July however Sherry's concern grew as she struggled to get in touch with her daughter Sherry reported Crystal missing to the police department and as she was there her son Casey received a phone call from a friend who had seen Crystal's car on the side of the road this discovery worried Casey and his father Tommy Ballard as they knew Crystal would not have abandoned the vehicle of her own accord upon receiving the call Casey and Tommy
felt a sense of dread in their stomachs upon arrival at the location Casey and Tommy saw Crystal's car which had a flat tire however this discovery only reinforced their belief that something was seriously wrong if Crystal had encountered car trouble she would have certainly reached out to one of them for assistance the idea that she would have pulled over and tried to fix it on her own was unfathomable as they examined the car further Casey and Tommy noticed Crystal's Keys phone and purse on the passenger seat these items served as additional evidence that something was
a Miss Crystal would not have gone anywhere without her belongings and their presence in the car further heightened their fears for her well-being after Crystal's father and brother found her vehicle on the Bluegrass Parkway they promptly notified the Nelson County Sheriff's Department investigators arrived at the scene and examined Crystal's car despite finding no signs of a struggle something stood out to them the driver's seat seemed out of place for someone of Crystal's height this peculiar observation raised suspicions that someone else may have been driving her car as the authorities continued their investigation they sought assistance
from any Witnesses who may have noticed something on the parkway however no one came forward with any valuable information the police decided to turn to the media in the hope of generating leads from the public they released Crystal's photo and appealed to the public for assistance in finding her unfortunately no one came forward Ward with any significant leads Tommy Crystal's father organized search parties to locate her unfortunately the hot and humid weather made the searches difficult many individuals showed up to help look for Crystal but one notable absence was her boyfriend Brooks H the police
became suspicious of Brooks's apparent lack of concern regarding Crystal's disappearance since she was not only the mother of his child when detectives questioned Brooks he claimed that Crystal and their son had accompanied him to his family's Farm the previous evening according to Brooks they returned home around midnight after which he went to bed he stated that Crystal remained awake engrossed in her phone as she often did playing games Brooks claimed that when he woke up at 7:00 a.m. his son was already in bed with him but Crystal was nowhere to be found initially he speculated
that Crystal may have gone out with her cousin however those who know Crystal well contradicted this claim as she never would have left her son behind Crystal and her 2-year-old were attached at the hip Brooke Crystal's sister believed Crystal was planning to leave Brooks according to Brooke Brooks had lied to Crystal and failed to show an emotional attachment to her Crystal had confided in her mother Sher that she wanted to leave Brooks but admitted that it would not be easy because he was controlling Casey Crystal's brother had also recently noticed tension between Brooks and Crystal
and witnessed several heated arguments ments the police asked Brooks to come to the police station to take a polygraph test which came back inconclusive afterward Brooks sat with the police for a formal interview detectives had collected footage that confirmed details of Brooks's story a video showed his truck going into his family's farm and the footage revealed the car leaving the property around midnight however because Brooks's truck had tinted windows the police couldn't see who was inside the vehicle at the time according to Brooks while at his parents farm he did chores set a fire for
building materials and waited for the fire to die before driving home during the interview the police inquired about a short phone call that Brooks had on his way back from his parents farm with a business associate Steve Lawson that lasted for only 13 seconds in order to clarify matters Brooks decided to have Steve Lawson explain the conversation to the police during the interview and call him Steve Lawson said he had called Brooks to acquire the numbers for a rental property however the police found this claim suspicious as it seemed like a scripted response Steve Lawson
explained Brooks told him that he needed to wait until he got home because Crystal was the one who handled that type of stuff the police expressed confusion wondering why Brooks who was in Crystal's company at the time of the call had to wait to talk to her in person they questioned why Brooks could not have handed her the phone phone and had the conversation right then and there in the midst of Brooks's interview he received a phone call from his brother Nick an officer at the Bardstown Police Department Nick advised Brooks to exit the interrogation
room immediately the police were not convinced that Crystal had run away and abandoned her car on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway it seemed to the police that something had happened to Crystal while she was at the Brooks HW Family Farm as the investigation into Crystal's disappearance continued people called the police and reported seeing Brooks's truck and his brother Nick's police car at the Hal Family Farm detectives became convinced that the brothers were at the farm disposing of evidence in Crystal's disappearance to gather more information the police decided to call in Nick Brooks's brother for
questioning they confronted him with the fact that he had been spotted at his family's Farm on July 8th and asked him to explain why he had been there however Nick denied having any knowledge of what they were talking about and claimed not to have been out there that night despite Nick's denial the police pressed on and asked him to point blank if he and his brother had destroyed or hidden evidence involving Crystal's disappearance Nick adamantly denied that they had engaged in wrongdoing and insisted that his brother could not harm someone furthermore he said there was
no conceivable scenario where he as a police officer would have assisted Brooks in covering up a crime after the interview the police asked Nick if he would be willing to take a polygraph test and he agreed Nick failed the polygraph on two questions the first question was do you know where the crystal is right now the second question was are you hiding any information about what happened to the crystal despite failing the polygraph Nick maintained that he was being 100% honest on October 15th the police investigating Crystal's disappearance named her boyfriend Brooks ha as the
prime suspect on the same day Brooks's brother Nick was fired from Jos as an officer at the Bardstown Police Department for impeding their investigation even though the police were fairly sure they knew who caused Crystal's disappearance and how she died they didn't have enough evidence to make an arrest the police feared taking their suspect to court and not having enough evidence if the suspect were to get acquitted the police couldn't charge them with Crystal's murder again because of Double Jeopardy FBI agents and law enforcement agencies across Kentucky joined forces with Crystal's friends family volunteers and
missing people organizations to conduct extensive searches at the ha Family Farm a sprawling property spanning 240 acres the searches continued daily leaving Crystal's loved ones terrified and grasping for Hope while they hoped to find crystal alive and well they truly desired some answers at the h family farm investigators conducted a thorough search of the ashes of a fire but no human remains were uncovered however in the pile of Ashes remnants of clothing were found but the investigators were unable to connect these pieces to the case of Crystal's disappearance the police served multiple search warrants on
the ha Family Farm targeting cars and Residences despite their efforts none of these searches yielded significant leads or evidence related to 's case a $100,000 reward was offered for information about Crystal's disappearance but still no one came forward Tommy Ballard Crystal's father followed every lead he got in Crystal's disappearance he was determined to find his daughter and was not going to give up Crystal's disappearance affected Tommy more than it did anyone else who loved her because in January 1979 his pregnant sister was murdered by her husband and his friend they shot and beat her and
then set her remains on fire and Scattered them on a farm the men who committed this heinous crime were eventually caught years later and they were found guilty and sentenced to life in prison despite the challenges he faced Tommy remained steadfast in his pursuit of Crystal's whereabouts Tommy followed every lead no matter how small or insignificant it may have seemed he canvased the neighborhood conducted interviews and reached out to anyone who might have information Tommy determined to find answers about his daughter's disappearance allocated his savings towards hiring cadaver dogs in a private eye with each
passing day he kept meticulous records of all the tips he followed and every clue he uncovered his dedication to the investigation led him to meet frequently with the police to share his findings and seek their guidance in November 2016 Tommy Ballard took his 11-year-old grandson Crystal's son out on an early morning hunting trip on their property Tommy's wife Sherry watched them leave as they departed Sherry couldn't help but feel a sense of unease she couldn't help but quickly pray to God asking for a watchful eye over them in the woods Sherry returned to her bed
trying to relax however only minutes later a phone call would shatter her peace as she picked up the receiver Sherry recognized the voice of her grandson Crystal's son his voice was filled with panic and Terror her mimo Papa has been shot he cried her heart sank Panic washed over her she quickly rushed to the bathroom grabbing clothes along the way her grandson was still crying on the phone his voice trembling with fear so she reassured him telling him that she was calling 911 as she quickly dressed Sherry's mind raced with thoughts of her husband's well-being
when Sher arrived at the scene she was immediately overcome with grief she rushed over to Tommy shaking him frantically however as she did so she noticed a concerning sight blood began pouring out of his nose the officers and Witnesses who had arrived at the scene quickly pulled her off Tommy so that the Medics could work on him however Sherry was already aware that her husband was gone Tommy Ballard was pronounced dead at the scene Tommy Ballard had been shot one time in the chest initially the police claimed that Tommy's death was the result of a
hunting accident however Sherry was Furious upon hearing this declaration she insisted that this was no hunting accident but rather a Murder She exclaimed this is my husband and it's a murder and you know it after an investigation into Tommy's death investigators ruled out the idea that Tommy took his own life as the cause of death as they determined that his weapon had not been fired Additionally the investigators ruled out the involvement of Tommy's 11-year-old grandson in the shooting eventually the the Kentucky State Police later informed the public that they were investigating the death as a
murder the Ballard family believes that Tommy was murdered because he was getting too close to uncovering the truth about what happened to his missing daughter they think the people responsible for hurting Crystal wanted Tommy out of the way fearing that he might reveal the truth in 2022 the FBI conducted a 5-day investigation Into The Disappearance of Crystal investigators returned to the ha Family Farm hoping to find more evidence the FBI's goal was to collect evidence that would help them hold the individual responsible for crystals disappearance accountable despite not revealing if any items of evidentiary value
were recovered from the search an FBI spokesperson confirmed in October 2022 that the agency would be analyzing all of the evidence collected at the FBI's lab in Quantico as the investigation into Crystal Rogers disappearance continued the Kentucky attorney general made a crucial decision to appoint a special prosecutor to assist in the prosecution of criminal charges related to the deaths of Crystal Rogers and her father Tommy Ballard Crystal's mother Sheri Ballard was aware of the appointment and wholeheartedly supported the decision she believed this measure was necessary to ensure Justice was served in her loved ones cases
the appointment of a special prosecutor brought a fresh perspective and independent expertise to the case Sher Ballard recognized the importance of having a dedicated team of prosecutors focused on unraveling the complex web of evidence and bringing the perpetrators to Justice she believed that by having a dedicated prosecutor there would be greater attention to detail and a more comprehensive understanding of the case Sher Ballard's commitment to Seeking Justice for Crystal and Tommy was unwavering the special prosecutor had the necessary resources and knowledge to conduct a thorough investigation and gather the evidence required to present a compelling
case in court in addition to the appointment of a special prosecutor Sher Ballard also appreciated the fact that this decision demonstrated the seriousness of the case and the importance of holding those responsible for the deaths of Crystal and Tommy accountable it sent a clear message that the justice system was taking this matter seriously and was determined to bring Justice to the victim's families in July 2023 a grand jury in Kentucky indicted a 32-year-old man named Joseph Lawson on two charges of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in relation to the case of
Crystal's disappearance 2 months later Crystal's boyfriend Brooks ha was arrested and charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence the judge set Brooks's Bond at 10 million and he was ordered to stay away from Crystal's Family Brooks ha was arrested in 20 22 for several traffic violations he was required to pay a series of fines and was released many people in Bown were Overjoyed when Brooks ha was arrested for Crystal's murder although the news was devastating for everyone to come to terms with the reality that Crystal was not just missing but had been killed there
was a sense of satisfaction in knowing that Justice would be served the arrest of Hal brought a sense of closure and relief to those who were affected by Crystal's tragic death it provided some measure of Solace to know that the person who had taken her life was being held accountable for their actions the community of Bardstown United behind Crystal's Family and expressed support and solidarity during this difficult time they hoped that the arrest would pave the way for justice to be served and that the perpetrator would receive a fair and just punishment as the investigation
continued and more information came to light the community remained Vigilant and hopeful that Justice would Prevail Brooks ha made his first appearance in court 1 month after his arrest in October 2023 however his appearance was not in person but virtually the hearing was a crucial Moment In the case as prosecutors revealed new information regarding another unsolved murder in Bardstown the judge asked special prosecutor Shane Young if they were looking into any other cases that may be linked to Crystal's case according to the prosecutor they were also investigating Tommy Ballard's death Crystal's father and felt the
two murders were connected in fact the special prosecutor said they believed they were in possession of the gun that killed Tommy claiming they purchased the firearm from Nick ha and were currently testing it but believe that gun killed Crystal's father the special prosecutor has claimed that they bought a firearm from Nick ha who allegedly used a fake name during the sale according to to the prosecutor the caliber of the rifle matches the one used to shoot and kill Tommy Ballard they have mentioned five criteria they are examining claiming that the gun has matched four of
them so far Crystal's grandfather and Tommy's father voiced their satisfaction upon hearing the special prosecutors linking the two murders in court they express their Hope For Justice to be swiftly achieved in both cases however upon hearing about the allegations put forward by the special prosecutor Rose Mary Brooks and Nick ha's mother refused to answer any questions furthermore during the court hearing the prosecutor also alleges that the Hal family had secretly recorded the grand jury proceedings the prosecutor alleged that Brooks H's sister brother Mother brother-in-law and mother's boyfriend were all involved in this illicit activity according
to the prosecutor by secretly recording the proceedings the Hal family sought to gain an UNF Fair advantage and ensure their stories remained aligned attorneys for Brooks H filed a request to disqualify the Nelson County Judge presiding over the case and request that he be replaced the attorneys claim that the judge has had a hostile view of Brooks ha since 2017 which they believe to be biased and unfair additionally the attorneys argue that the bail set at $10 million is excessive and should be reconsidered the attorneys argue that having a hostile judge on the case will
greatly hinder Brooks's ability to receive a fair trial they contend that the judge's previous comments and actions indicate a clear lack of impartiality in addition to asking for disqualification the attorneys also request that the court move swiftly in ruling on this matter arguing that time is of the essence and that a new unbiased judge should be put in place as soon as possible to ensure a fair and just outcome sever several weeks later the Kentucky appeals court has ruled that book Haw will remain in jail on a $10 million Bond Additionally the court has issued
a ruling on the case officially denying ha's request to dismiss the judge presiding over Brooks's trials in December 2023 Steven Lawson was indicted on two charges of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence the media widely reported that Steven Lawson had a son named Joseph Lawson who had been arrested on charges related to The Disappearance of crystal
