Crime

Human Remains Found Near Site Where Crystal Rogers, Missing Ky. Mom of 5, Vanished in 2015

Crystal Rogers, 35, was last seen on her boyfriend's family farm in July 2015

Published on July 28, 2020 11:49 AM

The family of Crystal Rogers, a Kentucky woman who vanished five years ago, has been notified regarding possible human remains found near the site where she went missing.

On Thursday evening, Nelson County deputies were notified of possible human remains found near the border of Nelson County and Washington County, according to a sheriff's office press release. The following day, due to the difficult-to-reach location, the sheriff's office requested the assistance of the FBI Evidence Response Team to help recover the remains.

The possible remains were found near where 35-year-old Crystal Rogers, a Bardstown mother of five who went missing from her boyfriend's family farm, was last seen alive on July 3, 2015, according to source close to the case, WHAS reports.

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At the time of Rogers' disappearance, her boyfriend, Brooks Houck, told police the couple had gone to bed together, but when he awoke she was gone. The couple had one son together, according to the Kentucky Standard.

Houck was never charged with a crime.

Months later, however, Houck was identified as a main suspect in Rogers' case and his brother, Nick, was fired from the local police department after allegedly interfering with the investigation, the Standard reports.

One year after Rogers' disappearance, her father, Tommy Ballard, was shot and killed while hunting with his son and 12-year-old grandson, according to WDRB. Ballard had never stopped looking for his daughter. No arrests were made in his death.

Following Thursday's news, a Facebook page dedicated to finding Rogers released a statement asking for privacy and prayers.

"Possible human remains were found. We ask at this time for everyone to please give the family some privacy. We do not know anything more than has been released. Once we know anything we will update you. Thank you very much. Please keep the family in your prayers," the Team Crystal Facebook page wrote.

The remains found Thursday were sent to the FBI lab in Quantico, Va. for testing. Authorities have declined to comment further on the findings until lab results come back.