Crystal Rogers.Photo: Federal Bureau of Investigation
A man has been reportedly arrested in connection with thedisappearance of Crystal Rogerseight years after she went missing.
On Thursday, Lawson also entered a not-guilty plea to the charges and received a bond set at $500,000,according to WRDB.com.
He is the first person to be indicted in Rogers’ disappearance since the mom-of-five was last seen alive on July 3, 2015, per the outlet.
Crystal Rogers family.Crystal Rogers Task Force
While the indictment does not specifically mention Roger’s name, WRDB.com revealed that it does state that Lawson is charged with a crime committed on July 3 and/or July 4, 2015, in Nelson County when he “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.”
Lawson’s attorney, Kevin Coleman also confirmed that his client was indicted in the case, perWHAS11.
In addition, Rogers' grandfather, Till Ballard, toldLEX 18that the FBI contacted relatives to inform them of Lawson’s arrest.
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Rogers’ case gained attention across the U.S. after it was featured on HLN’s “Real Life Nightmare” docu-series in 2021.
“Every year for Christmas I always get them gifts but this year I’m wrapping them gifts especially from their mom,” Ballard told PEOPLE at the time. “I don’t usually do that but this year, I am. I mean, I don’t want to ruin the day for them, but this year I want them to have something a little extra special from their mom.”
When Rogers disappeared, her boyfriend and father to her son, Brooks Houck, told police that they slept in the same bed, but he noticed she was gone the next morning.
Houck was identified as a main suspect months later, although no charges were ever filed against him. Nick, his brother, was fired from the police department on accusations of interfering with the investigation, perThe Kentucky Standard.
In 2016, Rogers’ father, Tommy Ballard, was shot and killed while hunting with his son and grandson, who was 12 years old. No arrests have been made in connection with his death.
“It’s just, it’s always a hard time of year for us. I know people say it gets earlier, [but] it doesn’t get easier,” Ballard told PEOPLE through tears in 2020. “I don’t know where people get that idea…it’s still very hard.”
Humanremains were found near the sitewhere Rogers was last seen alive that July. However,federal authoritiesrevealed in November that they did not belong to the Kentucky mom, who has been presumed dead since October of 2015, perABC 36.
The FBI, Nelson County Sheriff’s Office and Kentucky State Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
source: people.com
