Crystal Rogers disappearance: How the Kentucky case has captivated true crime audiences
A recent update in a Kentucky cold case has brought an eight-year mystery back into the spotlight.
Crystal Rogers, a 35-year-old Bardstown mother, was reported missing July 5, 2015, by her mother, Sherry Ballard. Now, more than eight years later, her former boyfriend Brooks Houck has been arrested and faces charges of murder and evidence tampering in connection to the case.
Houck is believed to be the last person to see Rogers prior to her disappearance. The same day she was reported missing, her car was found abandoned along the Bluegrass Parkway with a flat tire and her keys, phone and purse inside. She is presumed dead, but has never been found.
The Sept. 27 arrest of Houck is the second in connection to the case in a month’s time.
Houck has previously maintained his innocence and is set for a court appearance next week.
More than a year after Rogers’ disappearance, on Nov. 19, 2016, her father, Tommy Ballard, was shot in the chest while out hunting. Tommy Ballard had been leading community efforts to search for his daughter, and his family has said they believe his unsolved murder is connected to his daughter’s disappearance.
The two cases are not the only unsolved murders in Bardstown, and the Roger’s disappearance has long captivated the public and true crime community, a growing subset of enthusiasts and citizen sleuths. In light of recent events, we’ve rounded up some true crime coverage of the Rogers case over the years, including podcasts and national TV appearances.
TV mini series profiling Rogers’ case
A six-episode mini series titled “The Disappearance of Crystal Rogers” was released in 2018 and analyzes Rogers’ disappearance and the death of her father through interviews with investigators and family members.
The show, created by Oxygen, can be purchased on Amazon Prime, Oxygen’s website and streamed on Peacock TV. Clips from the series can also be viewed on Oxygen’s YouTube channel.
True crime podcasts covering the Crystal Rogers case
The Bardstown podcast hosted by Louisville journalist Shay McCalister analyzes not only Rogers’ case, but also previous murders in the same Kentucky town.
The podcast can be listened to on multiple platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. The entire season one playlist can be viewed on the podcast’s website, BardstownPodcast.com.
The podcast is produced by Vault Studios and WHAS11 in Louisville.
The case has been covered by big name true crime podcasts, as well. With more than 500 million downloads, the Crime Junkie podcast is one of the most popular true crime podcasts on the market. It was also recently named one of the 20 best true crime podcasts to listen to by Vogue.
Cohosts Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat discussed the case of Crystal Rogers, and the other cases in Bardstown, in a 52-minute episode released in 2018. The podcast can be listened to on platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts, as well as its website. The homepage for the episode also includes a timeline of the case.
The 176th episode of the Mile Higher podcast, hosted by husband and wife Josh Thomas and Kendall Rae, also discussed Rogers’ disappearance. The 53-minute podcast episode reviews Rogers’ past and events leading up to her disappearance, along with her father’s death.
The Mile Higher podcast began in 2018. With more than 260 episodes, the podcast has an excess of 560,000 subscribers on YouTube. Rae’s solo podcast, “True Crime with Kendall Rae,” also dedicated an episode to Rogers’ case. Both podcasts can also be found on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Books covering Rogers’ disappearance
“The Disappearance of Crystal Rogers: An anthology of True Crime” discusses Rogers’ case in book form, along with other cases in Bardstown. Written by Amanda Storm, the book is advertised but unavailable for purchase on Amazon.
Another book on the case, “A Murder in Bardstown: The True Crime Story of Crystal Rogers,” is more widely available. The book, which covers the 2015 disappearance, is written by Allison Tinley.
National TV features of the Rogers case
The case has also been discussed extensively on national television programs, including an episode of Nancy Grace and a feature on the TODAY show.
In 2015, shortly after Rogers’ disappearance, Grace interviewed Houck about his girlfriend’s disappearance, in which he maintained his innocence.
In August 2018, Rogers’ mother and sister appeared on the TODAY show with Megyn Kelly. The 12-minute feature discussed the case and the upcoming release of Oxygen’s mini series.
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