NELSON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Brooks Houck, the man convicted of murdering his girlfriend Crystal Rogers and tampering with physical evidence, has filed an appeal with the Kentucky Supreme Court challenging multiple court rulings from his case.
Houck was sentenced to life in prison on Sept. 22 after a Nelson County jury found him guilty of murder and complicity to tampering with physical evidence in connection with Rogers' 2015 disappearance. The 43-year-old filed his notice of appeal on Oct. 6, seeking to overturn his conviction and several key court decisions made during the court proceedings.
The appeal challenges six specific court orders, including the judge's refusal to recuse himself from the case, the consolidation of Houck's trial with co-defendant Joseph Lawson, and multiple evidentiary rulings made during the trial. Houck's legal team also contests the court's denial of his motions for acquittal and a new trial.
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LEX 18 previously reported that Rogers, a 35-year-old mother of five, disappeared on July 3, 2015, after visiting the Houck family farm with her boyfriend. Her vehicle was discovered two days later abandoned on the Bluegrass Parkway with a flat tire. Despite extensive searches and investigations spanning nearly a decade, Rogers' body has never been found.
The case drew significant attention due to its connection to other unsolved deaths in Bardstown, Kentucky, including the 2016 shooting death of Rogers' father, Tommy Ballard, who had been actively searching for his daughter.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Houck conspired with Steven and Joseph Lawson to kill Rogers and dispose of evidence. Steven Lawson, who was tried separately, provided testimony about moving Rogers' vehicle to the parkway location where it was found.
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The court set Houck's bond at $10 million, which the judge noted was significantly higher than typical cases but justified due to Houck's substantial wealth and property holdings valued at approximately $8.5 million.
Judge Charles Simms denied Houck's motion to recuse, despite defense arguments that the judge had shown bias in a 2017 family court case involving Houck. In that ruling, Simms had expressed being "astonished" that a woman would want a relationship with someone who was the prime suspect in his previous girlfriend's disappearance.
Houck's conviction came after years of investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Kentucky State Police, and Nelson County Sheriff's Department.
