Man arrested in case of missing Kentucky mom, but mystery remains over her fate

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Parents of missing Kentucky mom suspect foul play

Crystal Rogers’ parents on FNC

A man was charged in the suspicious 2015 disappearance and presumed death of Crystal Rogers, a Kentucky mom of five who has never been found.

A grand jury indicted Joseph Lawson, 32, on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and complicity in tampering with physical evidence, according to unsealed court filings in Nelson County, Kentucky.

The indictment, which does not mention Lawson by name, said the crimes took place on July 3 or 4, 2015, when Lawson allegedly “agreed to aid one or more persons in the planning or commission of the crime or an attempt or solicitation to commit the crime when he, and/or, a co-conspirator intentionally caused the death of another,” WDRB.com reported.

Lawson’s lawyer, Kevin Coleman, confirmed with multiple news outlets that his client was charged but did not divulge any other details. Fox News Digital has reached out to Coleman for comment.

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Crystal Rogers in an undated image. (Courtesy: Crystal Rogers Task Force)

Lawson is not accused of killing Rogers but was allegedly involved in her death in some capacity, which is why he is facing conspiracy charges instead of murder.

He pleaded not guilty and is being held in jail on $500,000 bond. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 to 20 years, if convicted of conspiracy, according to WDRB.

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Lawson also allegedly “destroyed, mutilated, concealed, removed or altered physical evidence,” and he can face one to five years in prison if convicted on that charge.

What the specific accusations against Lawson are, or how or if he knew Rogers, are still unknown. 

Joseph Lawson, 32, was allegedly involved with Crystal Rogers’ suspicious disappearance in 2015 and presumed death, according to unsealed court filings. (Nelson County Sheriff’s Office)

More details are expected to be released as the case winds its way through the judicial system. 

Lawson was originally indicted in July, but he has been in a hospital for an undisclosed reason. He made a virtual appearance at Thursday’s arraignment from the hospital.

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The prosection said during the arraignment that it is a “very complex case” that involves mounds of evidence, which will be turned over to the defense.

Brooks Houck, Rogers’ boyfriend and father of her youngest child, was named by police as a suspect in the early days of the investigation but has never been arrested or charged in connection with her disappearance. 

Joseph Lawson appeared virtually at his arraignment last week, when he pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is in the hospital for an undisclosed reason. (Nelson County Circuit Court)

He is believed to be the last person who saw Rogers alive on July 3, 2015. She was reported missing by her mom two days later. 

The next day, her purse, keys and phone were found in her abandoned car along a Kentucky highway, but her body still has not been found, which would complicate a potential murder case. 

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Rogers’ missing persons case was taken over by the FBI in 2020, when more than 150 law enforcement officers conducted interviews and executed several federal search warrants in a quest for answers. 

The FBI is also investigating the 2016 fatal shooting of her father, Tommy Ballard, who was found dead while hunting on his own property.

Chris Eberhart is a crime and US news reporter for Fox News Digital. Email tips to chris.eberhart@fox.com or on Twitter @ChrisEberhart48.