Missing mom’s convicted killer claims boyfriend tainted his trial

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Father of Jennifer Kesse reveals new developments in missing daughter’s cold case

Drew Kesse’s daughter, Jennifer, vanished from her Central Florida apartment in 2006, with FDLE recently announcing the cold case has been reopened with new evidence. 

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One of the three men convicted in the mysterious death of a Kentucky mother of five is asking a judge for a new trial. 

Joseph Lawson was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in the death of 35-year-old Crystal Rogers in Bardstown, according to Fox 56. 

Lawson was tried alongside Rogers’ boyfriend, Brooks Houck. 

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Crystal Rogers in an undated image. She was last seen in 2015. (Crystal Rogers Task Force)

Lawson’s lawyers argued in a new motion made public Wednesday that their client should not have been tried alongside Houck, citing recorded statements made by Houck to investigators that were presented during the trial, WDRB reported. 

“The overwhelming amount of evidence presented at trial was not otherwise admissible in [Lawson’s] trial and clearly had a spillover effect,” the appeal reportedly said, adding that Lawson was denied “his right to have a fair determination of his culpability free from the taint of having been tried jointly with Brooks Houck.”

The attorneys reportedly claimed that, given the fact Houck did not testify during the trial, Lawson had no way to defend himself against the statements presented to the jury. 

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Joseph Lawson was part of pretrial conferences in connection to the presumed death of Crystal Rogers, in Nelson Circuit Court on Feb. 8, 2024. (Scott Utterback/Courier Journal via USA Today)

Earlier this month, a jury found the two men guilty of murdering Rogers, who was last seen during Fourth of July weekend in 2015 with Houck. Police later found Rogers’ maroon Chevy Impala abandoned with a flat tire along Bluegrass Parkway, with her purse, wallet and keys inside. 

Her body was never found. 

The jury in Houck and Lawson’s trial recommended maximum sentences for both men, consisting of life in prison plus five years for Houck and 25 years for Lawson, WDRB reported. The two men would reportedly be required to serve 85% of their sentences before being eligible for parole. 

PROSECUTION’S ‘INCONSISTENCIES’ IN PREP SCHOOL MURDER TRIAL LED TO SUSPECT’S ACQUITTAL: JURY FOREMAN

Brooks Houck in Nelson County Court, attending pretrial conferences in connection to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers. Feb. 8, 2024 (Scott Utterback/Courier Journal via USA Today)

Steve Lawson, Joseph Lawson’s father, was tried separately and convicted of the same charges as his son, according to the outlet. He was reportedly sentenced to life in prison and is currently appealing his conviction. 

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A final sentencing hearing for Lawson and Houck is set for Aug. 21. 

Attorneys for Lawson and did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report. 

Julia Bonavita is a U.S. Writer for Fox News Digital and a Fox Flight Team drone pilot. You can follow her at @juliabonavita13 on all platforms and send story tips to julia.bonavita@fox.com.