I definitely think it was all connected. Their dead bodies were discovered by Kathys father after she failed to show up for work at Bardstown Elementary School, where she worked as a special education teacher, according to WDRB. Then on November 19, while he was out hunting on his rural property very early in the morning, a shot rang out. Do You Have Any? Life slows. A little over a year after she vanished, Crystals father, Tommy Ballard, was found shot to death on his own property. What you are about to read is not a news broadcast. An FBI Louisville spokesman previously said all three locations hadalready been searched "to various degrees" over the years. The Netherland murders appear to be unrelated but without a discernible motive, I wouldnt rule a connection out. Anyone who owns, had access to or knows someone who was operating a 2006 to 2013 model year Chevrolet Impala matching the photograph on April 21, 2014 should call Kentucky State Police at 270-766-5078. During the summer of 2020, the FBI took over from Kentucky State Police and the Nelson County Sheriff's Office as the lead investigator inthe case, with over 150 federal agentsservingsearch warrants in August 2020 atthree sites owned by Houck and his family members. Is it possible that they have some sort of freeway shooter there? On Monday, a search was being conducted at a farm at 345 Paschal Ballard Lane. Both women had their throats . Officer Ellis was discovered by a passing motorist. Troopers released a photo of the suspect vehicle taken from video surveillance. I honestly don't know the situation in Bardstown but lets say that these murders are all connected. 4. Their bodies were discovered by Kathys father on April 22 after she failed to show up for work at Bardstown Elementary School, where she worked as a special education teacher. FBI agents were searching a farm Monday morning connected to the man. However i noticed one major difference in these murders. Father of missing woman is killed while hunting with his grandson. The FBI reportedly said the residents of the property that investigators and construction equipment focused on had no connection to the case, and the federal agency said it will pay for any repairs to the property. Her mother, Kathy, had both knife and bullet wounds. Tommys death shocked the Bardstown community, which was still reeling from three other unsolved cases: the murder of Bardstown Police Officer Jason Ellis on May 25, 2013, the double homicide of Kathy and Samantha Netherland on April 21, 2014, and Tommys daughter, Crystal who went missing on July 3, 2015. At least one state investigator expressed to a reported that he was concerned that the murder may have involved someone in Law Enforcement. Nov 2, 2018 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A three-judge panel of the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled Friday that the 6-year-old son of Crystal Rogers, the Bardstown woman who disappeared in July. Just heard about these murders, here are my thoughts: The murder of the mother and her 16 yr old daughter appears to be someone they know who absolutely had a personal vendetta against them. Numerous podcasts have focused on the Crystal Rogers case. There was also gossip that Kathy taught Jason Ellis son at Bardstown Elementary School. The Nelson County Coroner's Office reportedly said he was shot once in the chest, with the bullet entering his chest and exiting his back. Construction LLC, was a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church. FBI agents have conducted multiple searches in and near Bardstown since Rogers went missing. I have read nothing to suggest that she was anything other than a typical college student. An Amber Alert was released after police say Gray took his four children following the murder. Michael Wayne Unseld was shot and killed above what used to be the Broke Tee Nite Club in Bardstown in 2016. I mean, that would explain why they didn't get a call off because I know my mom always had a phone in her hand. Kathy Netherland was older and does not appear to have been his type. On the first anniversary of the murders, the Netherland family increased the reward for information about the killings from $2,500 to $50,000. Crystal overhears something that implicates her boyfriend and his brother in the ambush murder of the officer in 2013. These are stories need to be told, Noll said. Here's how to watch, Courtesy of CNN Headline News (HLN), Louisville Courier Journal, As FBI searches Bardstown subdivision, Sherry Ballard hopes for 'answers this time', one of Rogers' daughterswrote on a website dedicated to the investigation, using a cadaver dog to search the subdivision, 150 federal agentsservingsearch warrants, HLN airs docu-series investigation on missing Kentucky mom Crystal Rogers, The Vanishing of Crystal Rogers Not Another True Crime Podcast, Rogers was datingBrooks Houck, an initial suspect, who is the father of one of her sons, FBI Louisville, other federal agencies search for Crystal Rogers with new warrants, Ballard told The Courier Journal she has "a lot of hope", fired after interfering in the investigation, ahome being builtby Brooks Houckwas burned, 54-year-old Tommy Ballard, was fatally shot in November 2016, Ballard's grandson, who was with him during the trip,was not responsible for Ballard's death, Kentucky State Police hired former troopers to investigate the cases, Jason Ellis, aBardstown police officerwho wasambushed in 2013, theslaying of teacher Kathy Netherland and her teenage daughter Samantha, Who killed Bardstown Officer? The Kentucky Standard reported in October 2015 that detectives believed hed killed Crystal during a fight. Jason was very active . "Crystal was a very good girl. It was as out-of-the-way and quiet a spot as you could imagine. Crystal, her father, and officer Ellis were killed near some sort of highway. She even let a friend stay with her because (the friend) didn't have a place to go. 6 years later: Anniversary of Tommy Ballard's death follows 2nd FBI search in Crystal Rogers disa 6 years has passed since mysterious death of Crystal Rogers father, Tommy Ballard, 6 years later, Tommy Ballard's murder remains unsolved | whas11.com, 'Pushing for justice' | 6 years later, circumstances surrounding Tommy Ballard's death remain a mystery | News | wdrb.com, A move in the right direction: Sherry Ballard reacts to special prosecutor appointment to Nelson County cases, Special prosecutor investigating three Nelson County deaths, Signs speculating about suspect in disappearance of Crystal Rogers appear on anniversary of her father's death, Family still searching for answers in death of missing woman's father, Police investigating shooting death of Tommy Ballard, KSP clears victim's grandson in Nelson County shooting death, Sherry Ballard says her husband was being followed leading up to his death, Search continues for Ky. mom part 2 (Rogers), Witness Says She Saw Suspicious Car The Morning Tommy Ballard Was Shot, KSP seeks public's help in investigation of Tommy Ballard shooting death, Grandson cleared in missing woman's dad's death, TIMELINE: Crystal Rogers disappearance & Investigation, Autopsy scheduled in Tommy Ballard death, investigation continues, The Complete Timeline of Crystal Rogers' Disappearance, Family offers $20,000 for information on fatal shooting, Bardstown family longs for answers 6 months after Tommy Ballard was killed, WHAS11 Journalist Shay McAlister visits EKU at "A Night of True Crime" Event, FBI conducting new search in Crystal Rogers case, Family of Crystal Rogers hopes for answers during FBI search of Bardstown farm - ABC 36 News, Timeline: A look at the Crystal Rogers case since 2015, including FBI involvement, FBI begins fourth day of search for Crystal Rogers on Houck farm - YouTube. That disgraced Bardstown cop Nick Houck was on the same force as Ellis tickles the back of the brain; if he helped his brother cover up a murder, what else might he be responsible for? In the absence of any arrests, Bardstowns bars and backstreets have pulsed with conspiracy theories trying to connect the dots between Bardstowns mysterious unsolved crimes. The similarities between his murder and the murder of Jason have been noted. There is a person of interest in Crystals case. The Kathy and Samantha murder, don't you think this one is so f-ing brutal ? Among the other past shows on the missing mother is"The Disappearance of Crystal Rogers," which premiered in 2018 onOxygen. LOUISVILLE, KY. Another search is underway relating to the 2015 disappearance of Crystal Rogers in Bardstown, Kentucky. To kill a man in front of his young grandson, you must be an evil, cold-hearted person and I hope you burn for eternity in your own personal hell. They was stabbed, and one was shot. And the efforts to figure out what happened to Crystal . It's a relatively small town and to have so many deaths and a disappearance, I assumed they all had to be related, but I have recently started to look at other ideas. Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most your children. Kathy Netherland taught special education at Bardstown Elementary School. Location where Tommy Ballard was shot and killed while hunting with his grandson. He was with his 11-year-old grandson and on family property at the time of his death, butpolice have ruled out the child as the shooter, according to WDRB. "She was nice to everyone she met. It's free. I'd like to think that if something happened to Mom that she would have tried to get a call off. 5 years later, nobody knows. HLN Investigations is a news team that produces breaking news specials and HLN Original Series within the crime and justice genre. Crystals father was with Crystals son when they were out hunting and her father was shot in the back. "We are a very close family, and Im not doing anything different that any mother would do for their daughter at all," Ballard added. The two had been beaten and killed. She went on to say her husband Tommy "was never going to give up for my daughter, and he was going to push, and I think people knew that. In August of 2017, Tommy Ballard's two brothers put up a sign offering $20,000 for information leading to an arrest of the person who murdered their brother. That's an important bit that is often overlooked! Greek stationmaster arrested in head-on train crash; 36 dead. He did make drug arrests that followed traffic stops but they were hardly a significant busts. "That's not something we've ruled out either, that's a good possibility," said KSP Trooper Jeff Gregory. Kathy Netherland, 48, and her daughter, Samantha, 16, were killed inside their home on April 21, 2014. Despite these accusations, neither Houck brother has ever been charged with any crimes related to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, which they both deny any involvement in. It's been more than seven years since a Bardstown mother of five vanished and to this day, it still remains a mystery. After her family does not hear from Crystal, Sherry Ballard reports her daughter missing to the Bardstown police. Five years ago, Kathy Netherland and her 16-year-old daughter Samantha were found shot to dead inside their Bardstown, Kentucky home on April 22, 2014. Thats how I remember Bardstown. I say the cops are involved and the school teacher/her daughter found out something they werent supposed to find out. [Feature Photo: Bardstown Police Chief Rick McCubbin via AP/Timothy D. Easley], WATCH LIVE: Murdaugh Family Murders Day 25: Closing Arguments, Murdaugh Family Murders: Jury Heads to Moselle, the Scene of the Crimes, Ghislaine Maxwells New Attorneys File Appeal of Sex Trafficking Conviction. " I'm just praying this will bring us some kind of closure. The two share a home with their 2 year old son and Crystal's other children. A Welcome to Bardstown sign is unnecessary, though. Anyone have any updates on the murders in Bardstown Kentucky. KSP investigators are asking for the public's help identifying the occupants of the vehicle, which was seen near the Netherlands' home on April 21. (He was already in prison when this crime occurred, he is not a suspect.) Tequila fanatic? Jason Ellis. He was the Bardstown PDs K-9 Officer. In season one, host Shay McAlister investigated five unsolved crimes in and around Bardstown, Ky. I don't have any updates or anything to this case, but my dad has a farm near Bardstown and all around the area you still see posters and signs up asking for information about Crystal Rogers. Less than a year after Ellis's murder, there was a gruesome discovery at a home on Springfield Road in Bardstown. As if something unpleasant was going on with them in their lives and no one knew about it. On the morning of November 19, 2016, Tommy had plans to go hunting on his property with his grandson. By 2013 Jason Ellis had been a police officer for about seven years. Detectives found the pair brutally murdered. A massive search for her turned up more questions than answers, frustrating the authorities and loved ones alike. A woman was murdered and children were taken Friday night in Bardstown, . Bardstown today has more than doubled in population, and the shadows have grown deeper. There has been gossip about the surviving daughter being involved, but I see no actual evidence of that. No arrests have been made in connection withRogers' disappearance. in Cincinnati, Ellis was fatally shot multiple times with a 12-gauge shotgun. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. He is also the father of Rogers youngest child. Bardstown isnt as small as people think, there are 3 different high schools. Their only possible clue was a black Chevrolet Impala, which had been filmed near the crime scene on April 21, 2014, the night of the murder. There were about 6600 residents then, and even if the county seat for Nelson County sometimes felt for just a moment like the setting for a folksy episode of the Twilight Zoneone where all the good townsfolk are revealed as malevolent robots in the final act, or cultists searching for a sacrificethere was no real sense of danger. Police have yet to classify Ballards death as a homicide. Kentucky has the 11th highest femicide rate in the US. Kentucky State Police believe the person or persons inside a black Chevrolet Impala seen traveling north on U.S. 150 from Botland into Bardstown on the night of the murders are responsible for the crimes. Federal agents, with help from Nelson County highway department vehicles, were continuing to zero in on a driveway and truck away pieces of concrete and materials from outside a home. Her relatives do not seem to believe she was involved. Jason Ellis and his wife Amy settled in Bardstown, Kentucky and started a family after his career as a minor league baseball player with the Cincinnati Reds. Bardstown PD, however, dismissed the groups claims, with then-police chief Rick McCubbin calling them a bunch of punks, and telling WAVE 3, They're trying to empower themselves by making that claim, intimidating people and using the fear factor that 'I'm so bad I killed a cop.. Complicating the investigation was that fact that Houcks brother. In the case of Kathy I'm wondering if her daughters boyfriend was looked into at all. There's a very good, well-researched article about these cases here that includes some other unsolved murders that have occurred in the area. In May 2017, the Kentucky State Police hired two retired troopers, specifically to aid in the investigations of the Bardstown killings. He was a father of two daughters, Crystal, Brooke, and his son, Casey. ), If you have information related to the murder of Tommy Ballard, call 1-800-Call-FBI or submit a tip at- https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/tommy-ballard. Its a disease of armchair sleuthing to see connections between everythingthe same kind of fallacy that produces complex and far-reaching conspiracy theories. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. I can't just hide that. Crystal disappeared from the home she shared with her boyfriend on Glenview Drive in Bardstown. A more likely explanation would be a killer who did not know the intended victims and got the wrong address. Alternately known as The Bardstown Murders or the The Nelson County Murders, the area is at the center of five unsolved deaths and disappearances, which continue to inspire speculation, gossip and intrigue far beyond the county line. Kathy Netherland, a special education teacher, and her 16 year old daughter Samantha are brutally murdered in their own home. "I don't think they would just randomly pick a driveway unless they had a reason to do that," Ballardtold WHAS. Rogers wasnot known to go anywhere without her kids, according to the FBI. Kathy had been shot multiple times. Crystal Rogers' mom speaks out: As FBI searches Bardstown subdivision, Sherry Ballard hopes for 'answers this time'. That was disapproved by her family and Samantha also didnt babysit for the Ellis family, that was untrue gossip and hearsay. Small towns where everybody knows each others business are notorious hotbeds of gossip. Someone traveling through, a violent person, someone like ngel Maturino Resndiz who traveled through the US, killing multiple people that were strangers to him. FBI agents were searching a farm Monday morning connected to the man Rogers was in a relationship with at the time of her disappearance. The crimes left a long-lasting effect on Bardstown. Mr. Ballard seems to have been a much loved son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather who was simply looking for answers about his daughter. Outside of work, he was heavily involved in the community including coaching youth baseball. A 35 year old woman named Crystal Rogers went missing from Bardstown, Kentucky back in 2015. Copyright 2014 WAVE 3 News. pic.twitter.com/CITH0yeQ8i. My opinion-I do believe this murder is connected to the disappearance of his daughter, Crystal Rogers. Brant is a nephewof Bill Sheckles, Bardstowns mayor at the time according to WAVE 3. Details: On May 25 2013, Officer Jason Ellis was killed after finishing his shift for the Bardstown, Kentucky Police Department. The FBI has been involved in both the police officer's shooting and the disappearance of the woman. But, theres also a dark side to the region. This new information has not been confirmed by law enforcement, but the Kentucky State Police say they are investigating the inmates claims. Bardstown Murders and Mysteries: Brookelyn Farthing, Disappearance of Crystal Rogers 104: This is Much Bigger than Kentucky. I hope her killer(s) are punished to the full extent of the law. "And I do have a lot of hope that this is where the investigation needs to be at and that they may be able to provide me answers this time," Ballard said. (September 2022) Crystal Maria Rogers is an American woman from Bardstown, Kentucky who went missing on July 3, 2015. Complicating the investigation was that fact that Houcks brother Nick was an officer with the Bardstown Police. I hope for the sake of Crystal Rogers' children, that she will be properly laid to rest in the future. Their bodies were discovered by a family member. Her boyfriend, Brooks Houck, who lived with her, claimed innocence and said he had no clue what happened to Crystal. Vanished-Crystal Rogers - True Crimecast (October 2018) Two true crime podcasters, John and Jamie, theorize about the Crystal Rogers case. Sign up now. A month later, new Bardstown Police Chief Kim Kraeszig announced the creation of a new anonymous tip line that she hopes will encourage those with information on the cases to come forward. Bardstown today has more than doubled in population, and the shadows have grown deeper. Published: Feb. 27, 2023 at 7:24 PM PST. Both Tommy and Sherry fought tirelessly to find their daughter, Crystal who went missing one year before he died. The murders of Kathy and Samantha Netherland remain unsolved. Crazy about gin? By 7:54 AM, authorities were called to the 1400 block of Ed Brent Road for a death investigation. There is a lot of shady shit going on. The missing mother's case has gained national attention, with it being featured on HLN's "Real Life Nightmare" docu-series. This is starting to get silly. In a bizarre twist, on November 19, 2016, Crystals father, Tommy Ballard. The cut brush that Jason Ellis stopped to remove was not actually blocking traffic and other vehicles had driven right on past as I would have done that time of night. Crystal RogersVictim of (Potentially) Related Crime, Jason EllisVictim of (Potentially) Related Crime, Samantha and Kathy NetherlandVictim of (Potentially) Related Crime. I think that the murderer(s) believed that Tommy was bringing too much attention to them in their small town and wanted to shut him up. Agentsreportedlywere using a cadaver dog to search the subdivision and a Courier Journal photographer saw investigatorsusing a jackhammer on the driveway of a home. of 33-year-old Bardstown Police Officer Jason Ellis on May 25 of that year. That same month his brother Nick Houck was fired from the Bardstown P.D. He was close to figuring it out too. Ellis was hit multiple times and died on the side of the road. Bardstown Unsolved Murders. [PREVIOUS STORY: Black Chevy Impala is suspect vehicle in Nelson Co. murders, says KSP]. Copyright 2023 InsideHook. Hed twice received a Governors Award and in 2008 was Officer of the Year. A cop on a small-town police force and an elementary school teacher and her teen daughter are among the most unlikely of unlikely victims. Samantha Netherland was a sophomore at Bardstown High School. Officer Jason Ellis (d: May 25th, 2013) - ambushed and shot to death while returning home from duty. According to Wayne County Sheriff Tim Catron a Bardstown, Ky. man has been arrested on a drug trafficking charge. LOUISVILLE, KY. Another search is underway relating to the 2015 disappearance of Crystal Rogers in Bardstown, Kentucky. I think Crime Junkie did a pretty good pod on this if anyone is interested. Lived in bardstown when all this was going down. This is starting to get silly. It's been five years since Tommy Ballard of Bardstown was gunned down while hunting with his grandson. Season two went beyond Bardstown, investigating a deadly fire in the bayou community of Lacombe, La. The land, which sits on 30 acres, is owned by the mother of Brooks Houck, who was named a suspect in the case in 2017. BARDSTOWN, KY (WAVE) - Graphic details of how a Nelson County mother and her teenage daughter were killed inside their home in April are now public. At least one valid email address is required. It is a sad, but an almost daily occurrence in the US. Learn all about the latest and greatest spirits. Death certificates reveal gruesome nature of Nelson Co. mother, daughter murders, Precautionary boil advisory issued for water customers in east Jefferson County, Police: Woman accused of buying nearly $9K in clothes with stolen credit card, LMPD investigating after body found in Valley Station cemetery, Louisville co-workers share $50K after winning Ky. Lottery scratch-off, Elizabethtown high school student crowned Miss Kentucky Teen USA, PREVIOUS STORY: Vigil held for Nelson County murder victims as investigation goes on, PREVIOUS STORY: Black Chevy Impala is suspect vehicle in Nelson Co. murders, says KSP, PREVIOUS STORY: Friend of murdered teacher says she 'loved her daughters more than anything'. Her daughter Samantha was 16 and a sophomore at Bardstown High, where she was a member of several clubs, including the school chorus, Adventure Club, and the Young Leaders Program. You may also contact your local FBI office, or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Just 16 months later, while searching for answers, Crystal's father is murdered in cold blood. The mayor of Bardstown said Nick Houck phoned his brotherwhen he knew Brooks was being interviewed by detectives, warning that his brother "should protect himself," and that investigators "might be trying to trip him up," theKentucky Standard reported in 2015. . Really sad case. "This is one of those things that I'm not comfortable talking about. It's possible you might have heard it on my podcast, Unresolved.