July 29, 2025 • 30 mins
Nestled among Kentucky's rolling hills and bourbon distilleries, Bardstown's charm earned it the title "America's Most Beautiful Small Town" in 2012. Yet behind this picturesque facade lurks a darker reality—five unsolved murders that have traumatized the community and left families searching for answers for over a decade.
At the heart of this mystery is Crystal Rogers, a devoted mother of five who vanished without a trace on July 3, 2015. Her abandoned car discovered on the Bluegrass Parkway—keys, purse, and phone still inside—was just the beginning of a saga that would expose a complex web of family ties, police corruption, and small-town secrets. When Crystal's father Tommy Ballard began getting too close to the truth during his relentless search for his daughter, he too was silenced—shot dead while hunting with his grandson 16 months after Crystal disappeared.
The 2025 trials finally brought some justice, with Crystal's boyfriend Brooks Houck receiving a life sentence for her murder. His employees, Stephen and Joseph Lawson, were also convicted for their roles in the conspiracy. Testimony revealed chilling details—discussions about using farm hogs to dispose of a body, suspicious tampering with evidence, and the hasty sale of a car where cadaver dogs later detected human remains. Yet despite these convictions, Crystal's body remains missing, and several alleged conspirators—including Brooks' brother Nick, a former police officer, and their mother Rosemary—haven't faced charges.
Perhaps most troubling is the connection to other Bardstown tragedies. Police Officer Jason Ellis was ambushed and killed on the same parkway in 2013. The Netherland mother and daughter were brutally murdered in 2014. Investigators hint at connections between all these cases but haven't revealed how they intersect.
Meanwhile, Crystal's young son remains in the custody of the Houck family—the very people implicated in his mother's murder—creating another painful chapter for her grieving family. As pink ribbons continue to flutter throughout Bardstown, they serve as reminders of the justice that remains incomplete.
What twisted motivations led to these crimes? How deeply do the connections run through this small Kentucky community? And will Crystal's remains ever be found to give her family the closure they desperately seek?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Welcome, because I'll reap what I'm sowing.
You'll put it there.
Welcome everyone to Podcast 69South, where we cuss and discuss
true crime, cold cases, currentevents and hot topics, along
with our state of society today.
This is your trigger warning.
Our podcast content is producedfor adult listeners, 18 years
of age and older.
We discuss situations that maybe offensive and triggering to
(00:46):
some listeners.
Sit back, relax and enjoy.
Welcome back everybody toanother episode of 69 South.
I'm Chop, joined by mybeautiful co-host, julie.
We're honored to share a storythat's both gripping and deeply
personal.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Hello listeners.
Today we're stepping into amystery that has left a small
Kentucky town searching foranswers.
It's a case of loss, resilienceand a community's quest for
justice.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We're diving into Bardstown, Kentucky, a place of
historic charm overshadowed bytragedy.
This is the story of CrystalRogers, a 35-year-old mother of
five who vanished in 2015.
Her father, Tommy Ballard, wasalso killed while seeking the
truth, and Jason Ellis, a policeofficer, ambushed in the
(01:36):
chilling attack.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Now at the center is a complex web involving the
Houck family and theirassociates.
We'll unravel the evidence, thehuman toll and the questions
that haunt Bardstown.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
This case touches real lives Crystal's children,
her mother, Sherry, and acommunity forever changed.
So settle in and join us as weexplore this enduring mystery.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Let's begin with Bardstown, Kentucky, where
history and beauty intertwine.
Founded in 1780 by pioneerWilliam Bard, it's among the
oldest settlements west of theAlleghenies.
Cobblestone streets and 18thcentury buildings create a
timeless charm, earning it thetitle America's Most Beautiful
(02:20):
Small Town from Rad McNally in2012.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
most beautiful small town from rad mcnally in 2012,
picture rolling hills andbourbon distilleries like jim
beam and maker's mark, where theair carries a faint sweetness
of oak and mash.
Known as the bourbon capital ofthe world, bardstown hosts the
kentucky bourbon festival,drawing crowds to its vibrant
spirit.
The basilica of the saintjCathedral, built in 1816,
(02:48):
anchors its Catholic heritage,while my old Kentucky home State
Park ties it to StephenFoster's song.
Now, walking around in thistown we've been there before
it's like taking a step backinto history.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Now with 13,000 residents.
Bardstown is a close-knitcommunity where neighbors share
stories and gather for events,but beneath this warmth lies a
shadow.
Since 2013, five unsolvedmurders have occurred Crystal
Rogers, tommy Ballard, jasonEllis and Kathy and Samantha
(03:22):
Netherland have left deep scars,exposing a darker side to this
quaint little town.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
That contrast sets the stage for our story.
Bardstown beauty is real, butits pain runs deep and Crystal's
case tore open all those wounds.
Let's start with herdisappearance and its ripple
effects.
Crystal Rogers was a35-year-old mother of five
living in Bardstown with herboyfriend Brooks Houck, their
two-year-old son and her fourother children.
(03:51):
She was the heart of the family, managing school runs, staying
connected with her kids.
Now, on July 3rd 2015, her lifecame to a sudden halt.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Brooks told police he last saw Crystal that night at
their home playing games on herphone.
He said he went to bed, woke upon July 4th and found her gone,
along with her red Chevy Impala.
Crystal's mother, sherryBallard, grew alarmed when
Crystal missed a family cookout,something that she would never
do.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
On July 5th Sherry reported Crystal missing.
That day Crystal's car wasfound abandoned on the Bluegrass
Parkway at mile marker 14 witha flat tire.
Her keys, purse and phone wereinside.
Sherry told Wave 3 she neverleaves her cell phone.
She wouldn't have walked awayfrom that car.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
That detail is unsettling.
Crystal was devoted to herchildren, leaving her phone and
family behind DeviseLogic.
The Nelson County Sheriff'sOffice questioned Brooks on July
8th, but the investigation hita roadblock when his brother,
nick Houck, a local policeofficer, called during the
(05:04):
middle of the interview andadvised Brooks not to cooperate.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
That call raises serious concerns.
Why would an officer interfere?
Nicholas, questioned a weeklater, failed a polygraph and
remained uncooperative.
In a follow-up interview byOctober 2015, authorities named
Brooks as primary suspect andpresumed Crystal was deceased,
though they had never had a bodyor a crime scene.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Brooks appeared on Nancy Grace the next day,
claiming their relationship wasstrained but insisting he was
innocent.
He also failed a polygraph.
Prosecutors later found herecorded his police interviews
and shared them with family toalign their stories.
Cell phone data showed he onlytraveled between his home and
the Howe family farm that day,not running errands as he
(05:52):
claimed.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Coordinating stories suggest someone with something
to hide.
Sherry and her husband, tommy,formed Team Crystal organizing
searches and posting signs tokeep their daughter's case alive
.
Sherry confronted Brooksdirectly, convinced he was
involved, her resolve unwavering.
I mean she was convinced ofsomething, I mean.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
She had.
You know that mother's instinctAbsolutely.
When your child is, you know,acting out of a, acting in a
different manner, their moodsoff, something's different, you
know if they're just going todisappear, I mean or not.
Most parents would know if itwas.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
And it seemed like they stayed in good contact with
each other.
You find a woman's car, herpurse, her phone, all walked
away from something's fucked up.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Absolutely.
It is especially with a littletoddler that they had.
You don't leave a baby either,and she was not the type of
mother to do that at all.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
No, I remember watching that interview and he
said that she didn't drink or dodrugs or anything like that.
She was a good girl.
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Now their efforts came with heartbreak.
Brooks restricted Sherry'saccess to their shared child,
sparking a custody battle.
Police searched the Houckfamily farm twice, in July of
2015 and in August of 2016,seeking evidence, but found
(07:29):
nothing conclusive.
Still, Brooks remained thefocus as Sherry and Tommy
continued to look for Crystal.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
The toll on Crystal's children is unimaginable,
facing life's milestones withouttheir mother.
Sherry became their anchor, butthe uncertainty keeps their
grief raw.
Let's turn to Tommy Ballard'smurder, which deepened this
tragedy.
Tommy Ballard, crystal's54-year-old father, was shot in
the chest on November 19, 2016,while hunting with his grandson
(08:01):
on family land near theBluegrass Parkway.
16 months after Crystalvanished, the FBI ruled it a
homicide, confirming Tommy's gunwas not fired and his grandson
was cleared.
A single bullet ended his lifeinstantly.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Now Tommy led Team Crystal organizing searches and
keeping his daughter's case inthe public eye.
In April of 2016, he posted onFacebook about a white Buick
scene near the Houck family farmand he was asking about
information on it.
Sheriff Raymond Panora latersaid Tommy was getting too close
(08:41):
to answers.
Days after that post, thatBuick was sold and Tommy was
killed.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
That's an awful lot of close coincidences right
there, I think dude was gettingclose.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Too many coincidences .
Speaker 2 (08:55):
The poor dude man was searching for his daughter and
he was getting close and thenwound up shot in the chest by a
high-powered rifle.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
That'd be, just like you know, one of our children
going missing, and I couldn'teven imagine what I would do.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
The timing suggests someone wanted him silenced.
Sherry had always believedTommy's death was tied to
Crystal's case.
In 2023, prosecutors revealed arifle sold by Nick Houck under
a false name matched four of thefive ballistic criteria for
Tommy's killing.
No charges have been filed, butthe sheriff hinted in a 2025 at
(09:33):
potential developments in thecase.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Wow you would think him being a police officer that
if they did use that weapon tokill Tommy, in which it sounds
like it.
I don't know a whole lot aboutballistics and stuff, but four
out of five matches is a good.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
I know it was even selling a rifle under a false
name.
You think that would spark someshit going on?
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Now the FBI, which took over in 2020, offers a
$10,000 reward for informationleading to a conviction.
Tommy's brother, mike, added a$50,000 family reward, convinced
the Houcks are involved.
An IRS agent testified aboutthe Buick suspicious cell,
(10:27):
reinforcing the link toCrystal's case.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
The lack of charges is frustrating for Sherry,
grieving both her daughter andher husband.
The Houck family's role inthese events is complex and
their actions are central tothis mystery.
Let's explore them and theirassociates next.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
So the Houck family and their inner circle are at
the core of this case.
We're looking at Brooks Houck,his brother Nick, their mother
Rosemary, their grandmother AnnaWhitesides and Brooks'
employees Stephen and JosephLawson.
Witness testimony has beencritical in revealing their
(11:10):
roles in Crystal's disappearance.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Brooks was a local businessman with rental
properties and he did a lot ofnew construction work, house
building and such.
He was the last one to seeCrystal alive on July 3rd 2015
at the Houck family farm.
His account didn't hold up.
Cell phone data contradictedhis whereabouts and no witness
corroborated his story.
Prosecutors alleged he had amotive, citing his reluctance to
(11:37):
pay child support or sharecustody.
So being in construction, alsobeing in farm, the farming
industry.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
I mean he had a lot of access to big equipment,
bulldozers, backhoes.
He was also making roads on thefarm and digging footers,
pouring concrete shit like thatfor the construction.
I mean there's a lot of waysyou can hide a lot of shit doing
that.
I'm just saying there's a lotof ways.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
you can hide a lot of shit doing that.
I'm just saying.
Nick Houck, his brother, aBardstown police officer in 2015
, was fired that October forinterfering in Crystal's case.
His call to Brooks during thepolice interview raised
suspicions, as well as thefailed polygraph, along with the
rifle he sold under a falsename, that was linked to
(12:24):
Crystal's father's murder,although they're still
considered unindictedco-conspirators and no charges
have been filed against any ofthem.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Rosemary Houck, the brother's mother, is an
unindicted co-conspiratoraccused of seeking help to quote
get rid of Crystal.
Court documents claim sheapproached Danny Singleton
before July 2015, asking if heknew someone who could eliminate
Crystal, to which he replied itwas possible for a price.
Another witness overheard herexpress relief at Crystal's
(12:58):
disappearance, saying theirshared child would now be raised
right.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
See, I get this vibe that Rosemary, like Brooks and
Nick, were like mommy's boys.
You know what I mean.
I do too, and Rosemary was thecontrolling mom who like
nightmare mother-in-law foranybody.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
For Crystal.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
The only gripe I heard of why she didn't like
Crystal is because she didn'tthink that he was or that Brooks
, or she didn't think thatCrystal was good enough for
Brooks and she didn't like herlong, pretty blonde hair.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Jelly.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
And didn't like Crystal having being the mother
of Eli and having control overhow her grandson was being
raised.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
And you know she didn't like the fact that she
had four children before thisrelationship Right.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
She just looked at her like she was less than their
family.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Yeah, the High Southern Belle.
We see this a lot with mothersand mama's boys in these cases.
You know that.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Yes, now Anna Whitesides is the hauck brothers
grandmother.
She owned a white buick thatbecame key evidence.
Two hunters testified they sawit parked oddly near the hauck
farm.
On july 3rd 2015, after tommy'sFacebook post about the Buick,
(14:25):
nick and Anna sold it to adealership in Louisville,
kentucky.
A police canine detected humanremains in the trunk and hair
matching Crystal's profile.
After they retrieved it andthey got to go through it Now,
(14:47):
anna invoked the Fifth Amendmentand refused to testify.
That's strange and this is anold.
This is their grandmother,right.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
And she said anything I say I'm like it could get me
in trouble too.
Basically is the FifthAmendment Wow.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
She didn't want to incriminate herself.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Stephen and Joseph Lawson, who worked for Brooks,
were also implicated.
Elizabeth Chesser, who shares achild with Joseph, testified
that Stephen confessed to amurder his wife threatened to
expose.
Joseph, warned Chesser she'd benext if he spoke out.
Stacey Kranner, anotheremployee, overheard Stephen say
(15:30):
he needed to take care of awoman with five kids, which
prosecutors tied to Crystal.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Now Charlie Gurdie testified that Joseph Lawson
discussed moving a car with askid steer, suggesting a
cover-up.
These accounts were pivotal inthe trials, which brought a
long-awaited progress in thecase.
So let's get into the trialsnow.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
The investigation led to three arrests Stephen Lawson
, joseph Lawson and Brooks Houckto three arrests Stephen Lawson
, joseph Lawson and Brooks Houck.
Their trials in 2025 broughtcritical witness testimony and
verdicts that marked a turningpoint.
Let's start with StephenLawson's trial.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Stephen Lawson, joseph's father and an employee
of Brooks, was charged withconspiracy to commit murder and
tampering with evidence.
His trial began May 27th 2025in Bowling Green.
Prosecutors argued that hehelped cover up Crystal's murder
by moving her car to theBluegrass Parkway.
(16:32):
Stephen admitted in a 2023grand jury testimony that Brooks
used a key word implyingCrystal needed to be gone and
asked him to move her car.
He also confessed in a jailcall to picking up Joseph, who
was driving Crystal's car onJuly 3, 2015, the day she went
(16:56):
missing.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Heather Snellen, Stephen's former girlfriend,
testified that in 2017, sheoverheard Stephen and Joseph
discussing moving a body with askid steer.
She found needles, a LouisvilleSlugger bat and a sour-smelling
wet clothes in their shared carthe day after Crystal vanished,
suggesting a cleanup.
Snellen admitted to past druguse, which delayed her reporting
(17:21):
until 2023, when she spoke topolice after pressure from
investigators.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
Wow, that's a big clue right there.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yeah, so she found needles and a bat and like weird
smelling wet clothes, but shedidn't really say shit for a
couple years because she wasprobably all.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
They was probably all fucked up and on drugs and she
was scared and among otherthings.
But what does that make youthink?
That makes me think theycracked her in the head with the
bat, shot her up with some well, back then there wasn't really
a lot of fentanyl, so it wasprobably heroin and then let her
die like that that's what thatmakes me think insulin or
(18:00):
anything.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
You give somebody insulin that ain't diabetic, it
could kill them or put it intheir vein type shit.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Now Elizabeth Chesser said Stephen confessed to a
murder his wife threatened toexpose and he admitted to moving
Crystal's car, adjusting thedriver's seat to stage the scene
.
The defense called Dr KyleReich, a DNA expert, who noted
that hairs in Crystal's car werenever tested and could degrade,
(18:26):
questioning their reliability.
On May 30th, the jury convictedStephen, recommending 17 years
for conspiracy and five yearsfor tampering to run
concurrently, meaning at thesame time, with sentencing set
for August 6, 2025.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Now the verdict was a step forward, but the bigger
trial followed.
Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawsonfaced a joint trial starting
June 24, 2025 in Bowling Green.
Brooks was charged with murderand tampering Joseph with
conspiracy to commit murder andtampering with evidence.
Prosecutors argued Brooksorchestrated Crystal's death,
(19:07):
with Joseph and Stephen aidingthe cover-up.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Now Danny Singleton testified that Rosemary Houck,
brooks' mother, asked him beforeJuly of 2015 if he knew someone
to quote get rid of Crystal,suggesting a conspiracy began
weeks earlier.
Charlie Gertie said he sawBrooks give Joseph Crystal's car
keys on July 3rd and Josephremarked he'd pull her teeth and
(19:35):
the hogs would do the rest.
Jurors rewatched this testimonyduring deliberations,
highlighting its weight damn,pull her teeth, and the hogs
would do the rest so they likelyhit her with the bat, shot her
up with some drugs and thenpulled her teeth so that they
(19:56):
couldn't identify her body Iguess hogs eat everything on a
human body but the teeth andthat could have left little bits
of evidence why they weresearching the farms and shit.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Heather Snellen repeated her account of
overhearing Joseph's discussingmoving a body.
Amber Bowen, nick Houck'sex-girlfriend, testified that
Nick's phone was off for 36hours starting July 3rd unusual
for a police officer, suggestinghe avoided tracking.
Prosecutors noted Crystal'sphone was turned off at 9.27 pm
(20:31):
that night, never reactivating.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
The defense pushed back.
Brooks attorney Brian Butlersaw a directed verdict arguing
no body, crime scene orconfession existed.
Joseph's attorney, KevinColeman, called Joseph
collateral damage in the focuson Brooks, citing limited
evidence.
They challenged the caninedetection in Anna Whitesides'
(20:55):
Buick, questioning the dog'sreliability, and presented a
computer science expert whotestified that Stephen's phone
pinged near Boston Road, not theBluegrass Parkway.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
On July 8th, after four hours of deliberation, the
jury convicted Brooks of murderand tampering with evidence.
They recommended life in prisonplus five years consecutively.
Joseph was convicted inconspiracy and tampering with 20
years plus five yearsconsecutively.
Sentencing is set for August21st 2025.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
A troubling moment occurred when Rosemary Houck
brought Crystal and Brooks's12-year-old son to court
(22:02):
mother's murder trial.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
That's odd.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
That's really odd.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
That decision deepened the family's pain.
The convictions brought somerelief, but Sherry told WLKY
true closure awaits, findingCrystal's body.
The community marked by pinkribbons stands with them, but
frustration lingers over theunresolved questions.
Let's explore another tragedyJason Ellis' murder.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
On May 25, 2013, Bardstown police officer Jason
Ellis was killed in an ambusharound 2 to 3 am.
He stopped on the BluegrassParkway exit ramp to clear
branches, only to be shotmultiple times with a shotgun.
Investigators believe thedebris was a trap and no arrests
(22:54):
have been made.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
That calculated attack on an officer shook
Bardstown, a town built on trust.
Jason was serving his communityand someone planned his death,
leaving residents questioningtheir safety.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Jason's case is one of five unsolved homicides in
Nelson County, alongside Crystaland Tommy in the 2014 murders
of Kathy and Samantha.
Netherland Special ProsecutorShane Young noted in 2024 that
evidence in Crystal's caseoverlaps with others, though
(23:31):
details remain undisclosed.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Sounds like there was a gang running around there,
like a gang of police, farmersand politicians.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
The Bluegrass Parkway connects these cases Jason's
murder, crystal's car andTommy's shooting all occurred
there or nearby.
Nick Houck's role as an officerin 2013 fuels speculation, but
no evidence directly ties him toJason's death.
Sheriff Pineroa believes oneperson orchestrated the ambush,
(24:04):
though he hasn't named anyone atall.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Crystal's children live in the shadow of these
tragedies, growing up withouttheir mother and grandfather.
Their pain underscores theurgency of these cases.
As Bardstown grapples withunresolved grief, let's look at
where things stand in 2025 inthe community's response look at
where things stand in 2025 inthe community's response.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
By 2025, crystal's case saw progress with the
convictions of Brooke, stephenand Joseph Lawson.
Yet Crystal's body remainsmissing, with FBI searches at
Cox Creek and a Wood LongSprings driveway yielding only
items of interest.
Sherry expressed relief at theverdicts but said true closure
awaits on finding her baby girl.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Nick and Rosemary Howe, named unindicted
co-conspirators, face no chargesdespite their alleged roles.
Sealed documents released afterthe convictions mention them
and the sheriff anticipatesfurther action.
Legal analyst Nick Muddpredicted possible conspiracy
charges soon.
(25:06):
The community marked by pinkribbons support the Ballers but
remains frustrated by open cases.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Crystal's children and Sherry carry the heaviest
burden, enduring loss whileseeking justice.
Bardstown remains scarred bythese unsolved homicides, with
hope tempered by the wait forfull accountability.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
I have a message from a community member who had sent
us an email and you know whatshe had to say.
I told her are at seat's edgewith anxiety for Crystal's son,
(25:51):
who is still in the custody of,I believe, rosemary Hawks.
Now it isn't justice that hewas placed with the father's
family, especially while thefather was being investigated
for unaliving Crystal,especially while the father was
being investigated for unalivingCrystal.
But now that he's beenconvicted and they're
investigating family members asco-conspirators, it's absolutely
(26:13):
unforgivable.
How is it just to punish avictim's family and withhold a
child from his rightful,innocent family members, much to
the pleasure of those who smirkat justice?
It's a travesty and the onlyendangers this child further,
and I couldn't agree more.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Now she hit the nail on the head there.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
Kentucky DCS really need to be looking into Rosemary
Halkin where this youngestchild is, because I just feel
like he's not in a safeenvironment with people who
could do things like this.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I think the problem is is they have so many, so many
ties to.
They got ties to lawenforcement.
Obviously they got money tiesand usually with money ties
comes political ties.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
So there's where the most of the issue is, in my
opinion.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Wow.
We've traced a decade oftragedy in Bardstown Crystal
Rogers' disappearance, TommyBallard's murder, Jason Ellis'
ambush.
Now the 2025, convictions markprogress, but Crystal's body is
still missing and Tommy andJason's killers remain free.
(27:24):
And Tommy and Jason's killersremain free.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Let's keep these stories alive and support
Sherry's family.
Hopefully one day they can findher body and put their baby
girl to rest.
Share your thoughts on X or ourwebsite.
We'll continue followingBardstown's journey, bringing
updates and stories that demandtruth.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Stay engaged, stay compassionate and let's push for
justice together.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Thank you for joining us on this deep dive into barge
towns mysteries.
We're dedicated to bringingthose stories to life and your
support keeps 69 South goingstrong.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
If this episode moved you and you want to help us
cover or uncover more cases,visit our Patreon.
You'll find exclusive content,behind the-the-scenes updates
and a chance to join ourcommunity of listeners
passionate about the truth.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Head to patreoncom forward, slash 69 South to
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Your contributions, let us digdeeper and share more stories
that matter.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
We're grateful for every one of you tuning in, Stay
curious, stay connected andwe'll be back with more.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
Until then, enjoy your day, your evening, whatever
.
We'll see you next time.
Welcome, because I'll reap what I'm sowing.
You'll put it there.
Welcome everyone to Podcast 69South, where we cuss and discuss
true crime, cold cases, currentevents and hot topics, along
with our state of society today.
This is your trigger warning.
Our podcast content is producedfor adult listeners, 18 years
of age and older.
We discuss situations that maybe offensive and triggering to
(00:46):
some listeners.
Sit back, relax and enjoy.
Welcome back everybody toanother episode of 69 South.
I'm Chop, joined by mybeautiful co-host, julie.
We're honored to share a storythat's both gripping and deeply
personal.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Hello listeners.
Today we're stepping into amystery that has left a small
Kentucky town searching foranswers.
It's a case of loss, resilienceand a community's quest for
justice.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We're diving into Bardstown, Kentucky, a place of
historic charm overshadowed bytragedy.
This is the story of CrystalRogers, a 35-year-old mother of
five who vanished in 2015.
Her father, Tommy Ballard, wasalso killed while seeking the
truth, and Jason Ellis, a policeofficer, ambushed in the
(01:36):
chilling attack.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Now at the center is a complex web involving the
Houck family and theirassociates.
We'll unravel the evidence, thehuman toll and the questions
that haunt Bardstown.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
This case touches real lives Crystal's children,
her mother, Sherry, and acommunity forever changed.
So settle in and join us as weexplore this enduring mystery.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Let's begin with Bardstown, Kentucky, where
history and beauty intertwine.
Founded in 1780 by pioneerWilliam Bard, it's among the
oldest settlements west of theAlleghenies.
Cobblestone streets and 18thcentury buildings create a
timeless charm, earning it thetitle America's Most Beautiful
(02:20):
Small Town from Rad McNally in2012.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
most beautiful small town from rad mcnally in 2012,
picture rolling hills andbourbon distilleries like jim
beam and maker's mark, where theair carries a faint sweetness
of oak and mash.
Known as the bourbon capital ofthe world, bardstown hosts the
kentucky bourbon festival,drawing crowds to its vibrant
spirit.
The basilica of the saintjCathedral, built in 1816,
(02:48):
anchors its Catholic heritage,while my old Kentucky home State
Park ties it to StephenFoster's song.
Now, walking around in thistown we've been there before
it's like taking a step backinto history.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Now with 13,000 residents.
Bardstown is a close-knitcommunity where neighbors share
stories and gather for events,but beneath this warmth lies a
shadow.
Since 2013, five unsolvedmurders have occurred Crystal
Rogers, tommy Ballard, jasonEllis and Kathy and Samantha
(03:22):
Netherland have left deep scars,exposing a darker side to this
quaint little town.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
That contrast sets the stage for our story.
Bardstown beauty is real, butits pain runs deep and Crystal's
case tore open all those wounds.
Let's start with herdisappearance and its ripple
effects.
Crystal Rogers was a35-year-old mother of five
living in Bardstown with herboyfriend Brooks Houck, their
two-year-old son and her fourother children.
(03:51):
She was the heart of the family, managing school runs, staying
connected with her kids.
Now, on July 3rd 2015, her lifecame to a sudden halt.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Brooks told police he last saw Crystal that night at
their home playing games on herphone.
He said he went to bed, woke upon July 4th and found her gone,
along with her red Chevy Impala.
Crystal's mother, sherryBallard, grew alarmed when
Crystal missed a family cookout,something that she would never
do.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
On July 5th Sherry reported Crystal missing.
That day Crystal's car wasfound abandoned on the Bluegrass
Parkway at mile marker 14 witha flat tire.
Her keys, purse and phone wereinside.
Sherry told Wave 3 she neverleaves her cell phone.
She wouldn't have walked awayfrom that car.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
That detail is unsettling.
Crystal was devoted to herchildren, leaving her phone and
family behind DeviseLogic.
The Nelson County Sheriff'sOffice questioned Brooks on July
8th, but the investigation hita roadblock when his brother,
nick Houck, a local policeofficer, called during the
(05:04):
middle of the interview andadvised Brooks not to cooperate.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
That call raises serious concerns.
Why would an officer interfere?
Nicholas, questioned a weeklater, failed a polygraph and
remained uncooperative.
In a follow-up interview byOctober 2015, authorities named
Brooks as primary suspect andpresumed Crystal was deceased,
though they had never had a bodyor a crime scene.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Brooks appeared on Nancy Grace the next day,
claiming their relationship wasstrained but insisting he was
innocent.
He also failed a polygraph.
Prosecutors later found herecorded his police interviews
and shared them with family toalign their stories.
Cell phone data showed he onlytraveled between his home and
the Howe family farm that day,not running errands as he
(05:52):
claimed.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Coordinating stories suggest someone with something
to hide.
Sherry and her husband, tommy,formed Team Crystal organizing
searches and posting signs tokeep their daughter's case alive
.
Sherry confronted Brooksdirectly, convinced he was
involved, her resolve unwavering.
I mean she was convinced ofsomething, I mean.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
She had.
You know that mother's instinctAbsolutely.
When your child is, you know,acting out of a, acting in a
different manner, their moodsoff, something's different, you
know if they're just going todisappear, I mean or not.
Most parents would know if itwas.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
And it seemed like they stayed in good contact with
each other.
You find a woman's car, herpurse, her phone, all walked
away from something's fucked up.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Absolutely.
It is especially with a littletoddler that they had.
You don't leave a baby either,and she was not the type of
mother to do that at all.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
No, I remember watching that interview and he
said that she didn't drink or dodrugs or anything like that.
She was a good girl.
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Now their efforts came with heartbreak.
Brooks restricted Sherry'saccess to their shared child,
sparking a custody battle.
Police searched the Houckfamily farm twice, in July of
2015 and in August of 2016,seeking evidence, but found
(07:29):
nothing conclusive.
Still, Brooks remained thefocus as Sherry and Tommy
continued to look for Crystal.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
The toll on Crystal's children is unimaginable,
facing life's milestones withouttheir mother.
Sherry became their anchor, butthe uncertainty keeps their
grief raw.
Let's turn to Tommy Ballard'smurder, which deepened this
tragedy.
Tommy Ballard, crystal's54-year-old father, was shot in
the chest on November 19, 2016,while hunting with his grandson
(08:01):
on family land near theBluegrass Parkway.
16 months after Crystalvanished, the FBI ruled it a
homicide, confirming Tommy's gunwas not fired and his grandson
was cleared.
A single bullet ended his lifeinstantly.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Now Tommy led Team Crystal organizing searches and
keeping his daughter's case inthe public eye.
In April of 2016, he posted onFacebook about a white Buick
scene near the Houck family farmand he was asking about
information on it.
Sheriff Raymond Panora latersaid Tommy was getting too close
(08:41):
to answers.
Days after that post, thatBuick was sold and Tommy was
killed.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
That's an awful lot of close coincidences right
there, I think dude was gettingclose.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Too many coincidences .
Speaker 2 (08:55):
The poor dude man was searching for his daughter and
he was getting close and thenwound up shot in the chest by a
high-powered rifle.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
That'd be, just like you know, one of our children
going missing, and I couldn'teven imagine what I would do.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
The timing suggests someone wanted him silenced.
Sherry had always believedTommy's death was tied to
Crystal's case.
In 2023, prosecutors revealed arifle sold by Nick Houck under
a false name matched four of thefive ballistic criteria for
Tommy's killing.
No charges have been filed, butthe sheriff hinted in a 2025 at
(09:33):
potential developments in thecase.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Wow you would think him being a police officer that
if they did use that weapon tokill Tommy, in which it sounds
like it.
I don't know a whole lot aboutballistics and stuff, but four
out of five matches is a good.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
I know it was even selling a rifle under a false
name.
You think that would spark someshit going on?
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Now the FBI, which took over in 2020, offers a
$10,000 reward for informationleading to a conviction.
Tommy's brother, mike, added a$50,000 family reward, convinced
the Houcks are involved.
An IRS agent testified aboutthe Buick suspicious cell,
(10:27):
reinforcing the link toCrystal's case.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
The lack of charges is frustrating for Sherry,
grieving both her daughter andher husband.
The Houck family's role inthese events is complex and
their actions are central tothis mystery.
Let's explore them and theirassociates next.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
So the Houck family and their inner circle are at
the core of this case.
We're looking at Brooks Houck,his brother Nick, their mother
Rosemary, their grandmother AnnaWhitesides and Brooks'
employees Stephen and JosephLawson.
Witness testimony has beencritical in revealing their
(11:10):
roles in Crystal's disappearance.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Brooks was a local businessman with rental
properties and he did a lot ofnew construction work, house
building and such.
He was the last one to seeCrystal alive on July 3rd 2015
at the Houck family farm.
His account didn't hold up.
Cell phone data contradictedhis whereabouts and no witness
corroborated his story.
Prosecutors alleged he had amotive, citing his reluctance to
(11:37):
pay child support or sharecustody.
So being in construction, alsobeing in farm, the farming
industry.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
I mean he had a lot of access to big equipment,
bulldozers, backhoes.
He was also making roads on thefarm and digging footers,
pouring concrete shit like thatfor the construction.
I mean there's a lot of waysyou can hide a lot of shit doing
that.
I'm just saying there's a lotof ways.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
you can hide a lot of shit doing that.
I'm just saying.
Nick Houck, his brother, aBardstown police officer in 2015
, was fired that October forinterfering in Crystal's case.
His call to Brooks during thepolice interview raised
suspicions, as well as thefailed polygraph, along with the
rifle he sold under a falsename, that was linked to
(12:24):
Crystal's father's murder,although they're still
considered unindictedco-conspirators and no charges
have been filed against any ofthem.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Rosemary Houck, the brother's mother, is an
unindicted co-conspiratoraccused of seeking help to quote
get rid of Crystal.
Court documents claim sheapproached Danny Singleton
before July 2015, asking if heknew someone who could eliminate
Crystal, to which he replied itwas possible for a price.
Another witness overheard herexpress relief at Crystal's
(12:58):
disappearance, saying theirshared child would now be raised
right.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
See, I get this vibe that Rosemary, like Brooks and
Nick, were like mommy's boys.
You know what I mean.
I do too, and Rosemary was thecontrolling mom who like
nightmare mother-in-law foranybody.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
For Crystal.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
The only gripe I heard of why she didn't like
Crystal is because she didn'tthink that he was or that Brooks
, or she didn't think thatCrystal was good enough for
Brooks and she didn't like herlong, pretty blonde hair.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Jelly.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
And didn't like Crystal having being the mother
of Eli and having control overhow her grandson was being
raised.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
And you know she didn't like the fact that she
had four children before thisrelationship Right.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
She just looked at her like she was less than their
family.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Yeah, the High Southern Belle.
We see this a lot with mothersand mama's boys in these cases.
You know that.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Yes, now Anna Whitesides is the hauck brothers
grandmother.
She owned a white buick thatbecame key evidence.
Two hunters testified they sawit parked oddly near the hauck
farm.
On july 3rd 2015, after tommy'sFacebook post about the Buick,
(14:25):
nick and Anna sold it to adealership in Louisville,
kentucky.
A police canine detected humanremains in the trunk and hair
matching Crystal's profile.
After they retrieved it andthey got to go through it Now,
(14:47):
anna invoked the Fifth Amendmentand refused to testify.
That's strange and this is anold.
This is their grandmother,right.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
And she said anything I say I'm like it could get me
in trouble too.
Basically is the FifthAmendment Wow.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
She didn't want to incriminate herself.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Stephen and Joseph Lawson, who worked for Brooks,
were also implicated.
Elizabeth Chesser, who shares achild with Joseph, testified
that Stephen confessed to amurder his wife threatened to
expose.
Joseph, warned Chesser she'd benext if he spoke out.
Stacey Kranner, anotheremployee, overheard Stephen say
(15:30):
he needed to take care of awoman with five kids, which
prosecutors tied to Crystal.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Now Charlie Gurdie testified that Joseph Lawson
discussed moving a car with askid steer, suggesting a
cover-up.
These accounts were pivotal inthe trials, which brought a
long-awaited progress in thecase.
So let's get into the trialsnow.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
The investigation led to three arrests Stephen Lawson
, joseph Lawson and Brooks Houckto three arrests Stephen Lawson
, joseph Lawson and Brooks Houck.
Their trials in 2025 broughtcritical witness testimony and
verdicts that marked a turningpoint.
Let's start with StephenLawson's trial.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Stephen Lawson, joseph's father and an employee
of Brooks, was charged withconspiracy to commit murder and
tampering with evidence.
His trial began May 27th 2025in Bowling Green.
Prosecutors argued that hehelped cover up Crystal's murder
by moving her car to theBluegrass Parkway.
(16:32):
Stephen admitted in a 2023grand jury testimony that Brooks
used a key word implyingCrystal needed to be gone and
asked him to move her car.
He also confessed in a jailcall to picking up Joseph, who
was driving Crystal's car onJuly 3, 2015, the day she went
(16:56):
missing.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Heather Snellen, Stephen's former girlfriend,
testified that in 2017, sheoverheard Stephen and Joseph
discussing moving a body with askid steer.
She found needles, a LouisvilleSlugger bat and a sour-smelling
wet clothes in their shared carthe day after Crystal vanished,
suggesting a cleanup.
Snellen admitted to past druguse, which delayed her reporting
(17:21):
until 2023, when she spoke topolice after pressure from
investigators.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
Wow, that's a big clue right there.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yeah, so she found needles and a bat and like weird
smelling wet clothes, but shedidn't really say shit for a
couple years because she wasprobably all.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
They was probably all fucked up and on drugs and she
was scared and among otherthings.
But what does that make youthink?
That makes me think theycracked her in the head with the
bat, shot her up with some well, back then there wasn't really
a lot of fentanyl, so it wasprobably heroin and then let her
die like that that's what thatmakes me think insulin or
(18:00):
anything.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
You give somebody insulin that ain't diabetic, it
could kill them or put it intheir vein type shit.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Now Elizabeth Chesser said Stephen confessed to a
murder his wife threatened toexpose and he admitted to moving
Crystal's car, adjusting thedriver's seat to stage the scene
.
The defense called Dr KyleReich, a DNA expert, who noted
that hairs in Crystal's car werenever tested and could degrade,
(18:26):
questioning their reliability.
On May 30th, the jury convictedStephen, recommending 17 years
for conspiracy and five yearsfor tampering to run
concurrently, meaning at thesame time, with sentencing set
for August 6, 2025.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Now the verdict was a step forward, but the bigger
trial followed.
Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawsonfaced a joint trial starting
June 24, 2025 in Bowling Green.
Brooks was charged with murderand tampering Joseph with
conspiracy to commit murder andtampering with evidence.
Prosecutors argued Brooksorchestrated Crystal's death,
(19:07):
with Joseph and Stephen aidingthe cover-up.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Now Danny Singleton testified that Rosemary Houck,
brooks' mother, asked him beforeJuly of 2015 if he knew someone
to quote get rid of Crystal,suggesting a conspiracy began
weeks earlier.
Charlie Gertie said he sawBrooks give Joseph Crystal's car
keys on July 3rd and Josephremarked he'd pull her teeth and
(19:35):
the hogs would do the rest.
Jurors rewatched this testimonyduring deliberations,
highlighting its weight damn,pull her teeth, and the hogs
would do the rest so they likelyhit her with the bat, shot her
up with some drugs and thenpulled her teeth so that they
(19:56):
couldn't identify her body Iguess hogs eat everything on a
human body but the teeth andthat could have left little bits
of evidence why they weresearching the farms and shit.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Heather Snellen repeated her account of
overhearing Joseph's discussingmoving a body.
Amber Bowen, nick Houck'sex-girlfriend, testified that
Nick's phone was off for 36hours starting July 3rd unusual
for a police officer, suggestinghe avoided tracking.
Prosecutors noted Crystal'sphone was turned off at 9.27 pm
(20:31):
that night, never reactivating.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
The defense pushed back.
Brooks attorney Brian Butlersaw a directed verdict arguing
no body, crime scene orconfession existed.
Joseph's attorney, KevinColeman, called Joseph
collateral damage in the focuson Brooks, citing limited
evidence.
They challenged the caninedetection in Anna Whitesides'
(20:55):
Buick, questioning the dog'sreliability, and presented a
computer science expert whotestified that Stephen's phone
pinged near Boston Road, not theBluegrass Parkway.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
On July 8th, after four hours of deliberation, the
jury convicted Brooks of murderand tampering with evidence.
They recommended life in prisonplus five years consecutively.
Joseph was convicted inconspiracy and tampering with 20
years plus five yearsconsecutively.
Sentencing is set for August21st 2025.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
A troubling moment occurred when Rosemary Houck
brought Crystal and Brooks's12-year-old son to court
(22:02):
mother's murder trial.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
That's odd.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
That's really odd.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
That decision deepened the family's pain.
The convictions brought somerelief, but Sherry told WLKY
true closure awaits, findingCrystal's body.
The community marked by pinkribbons stands with them, but
frustration lingers over theunresolved questions.
Let's explore another tragedyJason Ellis' murder.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
On May 25, 2013, Bardstown police officer Jason
Ellis was killed in an ambusharound 2 to 3 am.
He stopped on the BluegrassParkway exit ramp to clear
branches, only to be shotmultiple times with a shotgun.
Investigators believe thedebris was a trap and no arrests
(22:54):
have been made.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
That calculated attack on an officer shook
Bardstown, a town built on trust.
Jason was serving his communityand someone planned his death,
leaving residents questioningtheir safety.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Jason's case is one of five unsolved homicides in
Nelson County, alongside Crystaland Tommy in the 2014 murders
of Kathy and Samantha.
Netherland Special ProsecutorShane Young noted in 2024 that
evidence in Crystal's caseoverlaps with others, though
(23:31):
details remain undisclosed.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Sounds like there was a gang running around there,
like a gang of police, farmersand politicians.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
The Bluegrass Parkway connects these cases Jason's
murder, crystal's car andTommy's shooting all occurred
there or nearby.
Nick Houck's role as an officerin 2013 fuels speculation, but
no evidence directly ties him toJason's death.
Sheriff Pineroa believes oneperson orchestrated the ambush,
(24:04):
though he hasn't named anyone atall.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Crystal's children live in the shadow of these
tragedies, growing up withouttheir mother and grandfather.
Their pain underscores theurgency of these cases.
As Bardstown grapples withunresolved grief, let's look at
where things stand in 2025 inthe community's response look at
where things stand in 2025 inthe community's response.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
By 2025, crystal's case saw progress with the
convictions of Brooke, stephenand Joseph Lawson.
Yet Crystal's body remainsmissing, with FBI searches at
Cox Creek and a Wood LongSprings driveway yielding only
items of interest.
Sherry expressed relief at theverdicts but said true closure
awaits on finding her baby girl.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Nick and Rosemary Howe, named unindicted
co-conspirators, face no chargesdespite their alleged roles.
Sealed documents released afterthe convictions mention them
and the sheriff anticipatesfurther action.
Legal analyst Nick Muddpredicted possible conspiracy
charges soon.
(25:06):
The community marked by pinkribbons support the Ballers but
remains frustrated by open cases.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Crystal's children and Sherry carry the heaviest
burden, enduring loss whileseeking justice.
Bardstown remains scarred bythese unsolved homicides, with
hope tempered by the wait forfull accountability.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
I have a message from a community member who had sent
us an email and you know whatshe had to say.
I told her are at seat's edgewith anxiety for Crystal's son,
(25:51):
who is still in the custody of,I believe, rosemary Hawks.
Now it isn't justice that hewas placed with the father's
family, especially while thefather was being investigated
for unaliving Crystal,especially while the father was
being investigated for unalivingCrystal.
But now that he's beenconvicted and they're
investigating family members asco-conspirators, it's absolutely
(26:13):
unforgivable.
How is it just to punish avictim's family and withhold a
child from his rightful,innocent family members, much to
the pleasure of those who smirkat justice?
It's a travesty and the onlyendangers this child further,
and I couldn't agree more.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Now she hit the nail on the head there.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
Kentucky DCS really need to be looking into Rosemary
Halkin where this youngestchild is, because I just feel
like he's not in a safeenvironment with people who
could do things like this.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I think the problem is is they have so many, so many
ties to.
They got ties to lawenforcement.
Obviously they got money tiesand usually with money ties
comes political ties.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
So there's where the most of the issue is, in my
opinion.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Wow.
We've traced a decade oftragedy in Bardstown Crystal
Rogers' disappearance, TommyBallard's murder, Jason Ellis'
ambush.
Now the 2025, convictions markprogress, but Crystal's body is
still missing and Tommy andJason's killers remain free.
(27:24):
And Tommy and Jason's killersremain free.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Let's keep these stories alive and support
Sherry's family.
Hopefully one day they can findher body and put their baby
girl to rest.
Share your thoughts on X or ourwebsite.
We'll continue followingBardstown's journey, bringing
updates and stories that demandtruth.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Stay engaged, stay compassionate and let's push for
justice together.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Thank you for joining us on this deep dive into barge
towns mysteries.
We're dedicated to bringingthose stories to life and your
support keeps 69 South goingstrong.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
If this episode moved you and you want to help us
cover or uncover more cases,visit our Patreon.
You'll find exclusive content,behind the-the-scenes updates
and a chance to join ourcommunity of listeners
passionate about the truth.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Head to patreoncom forward, slash 69 South to
become our supporter.
Your contributions, let us digdeeper and share more stories
that matter.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
We're grateful for every one of you tuning in, Stay
curious, stay connected andwe'll be back with more.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
Until then, enjoy your day, your evening, whatever
.
We'll see you next time.
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