The special prosecutor in the Crystal Rogers murder case said the state is in possession of the rifle thought to have been used to kill Rogers’ father, Tommy Ballard.
Special prosecutor Shane Young, the Hardin County Commonwealth’s Attorney, revealed the revelation during the Thursday arraignment of Brooks Houck, Rogers’ boyfriend and longtime prime suspect in her murder.
Tommy Ballard, 54, was shot in the chest and killed while hunting with his grandson on November 19, 2016, on his Nelson County property near the Bluegrass Parkway, according to Ballard’s FBI profile. He was actively searching for his daughter’s killer and had created a Team Crystal group dedicated to finding his daughter’s killer.
Young said the rifle in the state’s possession was owned by Houck’s brother, Nick Houck, a former Bardstown police officer. Nick Houck was fired soon after Rogers’ disappearance for interfering with the investigation by informing his brother that police were planning to interview him about Rogers’ disappearance.
Testing on the rifle, Young said, matched four of five criteria needed to prove the rifle belonged to Nick Houck, who sold the firearm to an unidentified individual under a different name. Further testing is being conducted on the alleged murder weapon.
The investigation into Ballard’s murder is ongoing, Young stated.
Houck wants bond lowered
Brooks Houck is being held in the Hardin County Detention Center on a $10 million bond, a bond his attorney, Brian Butler, argued at Thursday’s arraignment in Nelson Circuit Court is much too high and “punitive.” Butler requested the bond be lowered to $500,000 with GPS monitoring.
Butler noted that Brooks Houck has been a suspect in the high-profile case for eight years and has not fled. He was first named a suspect in October 2015 by then-Nelson County Sheriff Ed Mattingly.
Young argued that Brooks Houck is a millionaire who owns nearly 75 rental properties and a construction company among other holdings.
Chief Circuit Court Judge Charles Simms did not rule Thursday on Butler’s request to lower his client’s bond. Simms said he needs additional time to review the request.
The accused appeared at his arraignment via zoom from the Hardin County Detention Center.
(Photo l-r: Brooks Houck appears at his arraignment via zoom from the Hardin Co. Detention Center, Nick Houck)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
