UPDATE: June 5 at 11 a.m.
Following Steve Lawson being found guilty on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, Lawson has filed a motion for a new trial.
According to documents, Lawson was "denied a fair trial" due to several factors including lack of preparation time for trial, and prejudicial witness testimony.
The documents list the following reasons for the request:
- "The trial court failed to provide jury instruction which accurately reflect Kentucky law in relation to the charge of conspiracy6 to commit murder, thereby, leading to confusion by the jurors."
- "The trial court erred by prohibiting the defendant from testing two hair found in Crystal Rogers' care in 2015."
- "Defendant argues that the court's order dated May 13, 2025, was regularly violated throughout the jury trial."
TRIAL DAY 4: Friday, May 30
A jury on Friday afternoon, found Steven Lawson guilty on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence following a four-day trial and a quick deliberation process.
Lawson’s sentencing is scheduled for 3 p.m. on August 6, and the jury recommended 17 years for the conspiracy to commit murder charge and five years for the tampering with evidence charge to run concurrently.
On Friday morning, Steven Lawson, a suspect in the Crystal Rogers case, took the stand and talked about the night Rogers went missing in 2015.
Lawson told the court that he only moved a vehicle the night Rogers went missing and Lawson said he never asked Brooks Houck, Rogers' ex-boyfriend, why he wanted it moved.
Rogers was last seen alive on July 3, 2015, during the Fourth of July weekend.
Days later, her car was found abandoned — still running — on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway. Her purse and other belongings were reportedly inside.
Lawson also testified that Houck wanted Rogers "gone," but added that Houck never asked him directly to help kill her.
Lawson also said he didn't come forward because he didn't want to admit that he had touched Rogers' car. He also said he doesn't know if Rogers is dead.
TRIAL DAY 3: Thursday, May 29
The prosecution called its final witness Thursday, Nelson County Jailer Justin Hall, and played the court two phone calls made by Steve Lawson from jail in January 2024.
In the first call on Jan. 5, Steve Lawson's mother asked him what happened to Crystal Rogers. Lawson replied that he didn't know where her body was, but did say Brooks Houck, Crystal's ex, told him he wanted Rogers gone and he helped move her car.
In the second call made on Jan. 9 to an unknown man, Steve Lawson again said he didn't know what happened to Rogers' body. After that, the prosecution rested its case.
The defense called its first witness after lunch Thursday and is expected to wrap up its case by the end of the day.
Judge Simms told the jury closing arguments are expected to begin Friday morning.
TRIAL DAY 2: Wednesday, May 28
On Wednesday, the jury heard from several witnesses who testified that Steven Lawson made comments to them regarding allegedly being involved in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers in 2015.
On cross examination, the defense worked to discredit witness testimony by claiming that they used drugs at the time.
Elizabeth Chesser, whose mother dated Steven in 2017, said that Lawson told her his ex-wife was leaving him because she said he had "murder on him."
Chesser also said that Steven admitted to moving Crystal's car in 2015 and allegedly told her "no evidence, no case." Notably, Crystal's body was never found.
Chesser has a child with Joseph Lawson, the son of Steven, who is also charged in connection to Crystal's death.
Another witness testified that she worked for Brooks Houck, Crystal's ex-boyfriend who is also charged in the case, along with Steven and Joseph, in construction. The witness claimed that a couple of weeks before Crystal's disappearance, Steven and Houck, were riding around in a truck together.
The witness claimed that Lawson told her "I gotta go take care of this girl with five kids," when she asked him what they were talking about.
The witness said she didn't question it until Crystal vanished. She then reported the conversation to authorities.
Another construction worker claimed that Lawson told him Houck had asked him to "get rid of Crystal."
TRIAL DAY 1: Tuesday, May 27
The trial for one of three people charged in connection with the disappearance of Crystal Rogers began today in Bowling Green, following a change of venue.
Steven Lawson faces charges of tampering with evidence and conspiracy to commit murder in the case of the Nelson County mother of five who vanished on July 3, 2015.
Fifteen jurors, including three alternates, were selected for the trial that got underway this afternoon. The jury consists of 10 women and five men who appeared attentive during opening statements, with some taking notes.
In opening statements, prosecutors said evidence will show that Steven Lawson's phone was tracked moving to where Crystal's car was abandoned on the Bluegrass Parkway the night she disappeared.
They also claimed Lawson called Brooks Houck, Rogers' ex-boyfriend, around midnight to tell him "the job was done."
The defense acknowledged Lawson is guilty of tampering with physical evidence, admitting he helped move Crystal's car and even pulled the driver's seat up to make it look like Crystal drove to the parkway herself. However, they argue there's no evidence Lawson conspired to murder Crystal.
Defense attorneys pointed out that four grand juries were impaneled before the state could indict Lawson on a conspiracy to commit murder charge, and emphasized that the investigation remains open because Crystal has never been found.
Crystal's mother, Sherry Ballard, was the first witness called to testify. She told the court she knew something was wrong when Crystal never responded to texts and calls from her children.
Lawson and his son Joseph Lawson are accused of helping Crystal's ex-boyfriend Brooks Houck carry out her murder. Joseph Lawson is also charged with evidence tampering and conspiracy to commit murder, while Houck is charged with Rogers' murder. Both are scheduled to go on trial next month.
