A judge in Bardstown has formally sentenced Brooks Houck to life in prison for the murder of his girlfriend and mother of his child.
Nelson Circuit Judge Charles Simms III largely went with a jury's recommendation on Wednesday in sentencing Houck to the maximum punishment for the murder of Crystal Rogers. The jury convicted Houck on July 7 and recommended life plus five years, but Simms said that wasn't allowed under state law.
Rogers, a mother of five, was 35 years old when she went missing on July 3, 2015. Two days later, her car was found along the Bluegrass Parkway with her purse, cell phone, and other personal belongings still inside.
At trial, prosecutors convinced a jury, based largely on circumstantial evidence, that Rogers was killed on the Houck family farm, although her remains were never discovered.
Crystal's mother, Sherry Ballard, read a lengthy statement in court directed at Houck where she described the pain of losing her daughter and his lack of remorse.
"Tell me where my daughter is. That's your forgiveness," Ballard said. "I will be at every parole meeting. I will bring an army with me if that's what it takes to keep you behind bars."
Houck maintained eye contact with Ballard but remained stoic throughout her remarks.
In powerful victim impact statements, other family members described Houck as a "narcissist," "evil," and a "coward."
While Rogers' family had asked the judge to sentence Houck to life without the possibility of parole, Simms said that was also not permissible under Kentucky law. He'll be eligible for parole after serving 85% of his sentence.
Rogers and Houck, 43, had one child together, Eli, who was two years old when Rogers disappeared. This week, a judge granted permanent custody to Houck's sister, Rhonda McIllvoy.
Houck's former employee, Joseph Lawson, who was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, was also sentenced on Wednesday to a maximum 25-year prison term.
Lawson is partially paralyzed and in a wheelchair after a motorcycle accident that occurred after Rogers was murdered.
"They can take you and wheel you out to the dumpster because that is all you are worth," Ashley Miller, Crystal's oldest daughter, told Lawson.
His father, Steve Lawson, was tried separately and sentenced last month to 17 years in prison. Both father and son are appealing their guilty verdicts to the Kentucky Supreme Court.
With this chapter closed, Crystal's family says they'll now turn their attention to the murder of her father, Tommy Ballard, who was shot while hunting in 2016. They've accused Houck and his family of being involved in that murder because Tommy led the search for his daughter.
Houck's brother, Nick, and mother, Rosemary, were named by prosecutors as "unindicted co-conspirators" and were mentioned during the Rogers trial and at Wednesday's sentencing.
"Hell is not a peaceful place," said Sherry Ballard during her victim impact statement. "You and your whole family will be united there one day."
Neither Nick nor Rosemary Houck has been charged for any crimes related to the the murders of Crystal Rogers or her father.
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