BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The trial of Steve Lawson, one of three men charged in connection with the 2015 disappearance and presumed murder of Crystal Rogers, commenced Tuesday afternoon in Bowling Green. Both the prosecution and defense agreed on one point: Lawson is guilty of tampering with physical evidence, a felony that carries a prison sentence of up to five years.
However, Lawson’s defense attorney, Darren Wolff, argued that the prosecution had overreached by charging his client with conspiracy to murder Rogers alongside Brooks Houck, Rogers’ boyfriend at the time she vanished. Wolff acknowledged Lawson’s involvement in the case but denied any participation in Rogers’ disappearance or murder.
Lawson’s son, Joseph Lawson, and Houck are set to face trial in June.
According to Wolff, Steve Lawson admitted that Joseph Lawson drove Rogers’ car on the day she went missing and that he later picked up his son after the vehicle suffered a flat tire on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway. Rogers’ purse and phone were still inside the car when it was found. Wolff said Lawson moved the driver’s seat forward to make it look like a smaller person — not Joseph — was driving.
Wolff emphasized that the prosecution has no evidence linking Lawson directly to Rogers’ disappearance and highlighted the fact that her body has never been recovered. “Where is Crystal Rogers?” Wolff asked the jury during opening statements. “What happened to this poor woman? There are more unanswered questions than there are answered questions.”
Prosecutor Shane Young countered that evidence would show Houck acting suspiciously during the week Rogers vanished, frequently driving around with Steve Lawson, who was then a new employee. Young said another employee overheard Lawson tell Houck that he was discussing “taking care” of a woman with five children, a clear reference to Rogers.
The prosecution also claims it has evidence that Houck asked Lawson to “get rid” of Rogers. While Lawson reportedly refused, Young said, Lawson agreed to help stage the scene to mislead investigators.
Additionally, phone records indicate a call from Lawson to Houck shortly after midnight on July 4, 2015, around the time Rogers is believed to have disappeared.
Due to extensive publicity surrounding the case over the past decade, the trial is being held in Bowling Green rather than Nelson County. The proceedings moved swiftly Tuesday, with jury selection and opening statements completed on the first day. The trial could conclude as early as Friday or by Monday.
Testifying Tuesday was Detective Jon Snow, the lead investigator on the case, who recounted details of the night Rogers disappeared. Houck had told police he and Rogers spent several hours at his farm on July 3, 2015, a timeline partially confirmed by surveillance footage. Despite searches of the farm and Houck’s truck, no physical evidence was found.
Snow also testified that Houck initially denied recognizing the phone number that called him shortly after midnight on July 4. When questioned, Houck said the call related to a rental property. Police later inquired if Houck coached Lawson on what to say during that call. Lawson’s answers were inconsistent, with Lawson stating he likely could not remember due to intoxication.
Crystal Rogers’ mother, Sherry Ballard, also testified emotionally. Ballard was the person who reported Rogers missing after failing to reach her by phone. On the way to the police station, Ballard said she saw Houck and asked if she should inform police that Rogers was missing. Houck’s response, she testified, seemed detached, and he did not accompany her to report the disappearance.
Ballard described the relationship between Houck and Rogers as strained, noting that Houck had other girlfriends, which reportedly upset Rogers.
The trial continues as the community seeks answers to the long-standing mystery surrounding Crystal Rogers’ fate.
