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. A new visitor from the cityNashville to the south or Louisville to the northmight be forgiven for thinking theyre driving into nowhere. Could he have been targeted? Someone traveling through, a violent person, someone like ngel Maturino Resndiz who traveled through the US, killing multiple people that were strangers to him. I grew up in Kentucky, about an hour away from Bardstown. Really sad case. After her family does not hear from Crystal, Sherry Ballard reports her daughter missing to the Bardstown police. Some find it suspicious because he wasn't driving his regular vehicle that night and didn't have his K-9 with him but I feel like that is a coincidence, as I think him having his K-9 locked in the back of his regular vehicle sadly wouldn't have changed the outcome of this terrible crime. My opinion-Is it possible that the person who committed this awful crime wanted to kill someone, anyone and it didn't matter who it was? Lived in bardstown when all this was going down. 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. Its free. In the four years following the Netherland murders, Kentucky State Police have identified no suspects or possible motive, but during the season finale of Oxygen's docu-series "The Disappearance of Crystal Rogers," reporter Stephanie Bauerspoke with ananonymous prison inmatewho claimed Kathy and Samantha were killed during a gang initiation. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. I say the cops are involved and the school teacher/her daughter found out something they werent supposed to find out. I'm from Kentucky and know people in that area. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. At least one state investigator expressed to a reported that he was concerned that the murder may have involved someone in Law Enforcement. 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. On May 25, 2013, Ellis, a husband and father of two young boys, clocked out of his shift at 2 a.m. and started his normal, 15-mile drive home on the Bluegrass Parkway. Any nightmares I had in Bardstown were just inside my head, not hovering in the shadows under the trees crowding the highway. Large chunks of the driveway were hauled outof the neighborhood inconstruction trucks. Kathy, a widow, was a special education teacher. Lots of corruption. This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. In the case of Officer Ellis (one of my pet cases) I rather doubt that his killer(s) would've jumped immediately onto the BG Parkway to egress the site or at least they wouldn't have if they were smart. On Monday, a search was being conducted at a farm at 345 Paschal Ballard Lane. It appears as though this murder was covered up by family members of the murderer. Samantha Netherland was a sophomore at Bardstown High School. A seven-year veteran of the department and member of the K-9 unit, Ellis had just gotten off work and was driving home when he found a stack of freshly cut tree limbs blocking the road at his exit off the Bluegrass Parkway. They lived in a white tin-roofed home at 5120 Springfield Road outside Bardstown near the intersection of State Routes 150 and 605. The murders of Kathy and Samantha Netherland remain unsolved. When pressed for details about how he knew it was gang initiation, he said, "Well, I know they was tortured.". Officer Ellis & Officer Houks were employed by the same agency, but didn't work any cases together. 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. Her daughter, Samantha, was a 16-year-old sophomore in high school. Sign up now. Plus, you could smell bourbon everywhere. There has been a more recent podcast called "Bardstown" that's also really good. Police said the Netherlands were murdered around 8 p.m. on the evening of Monday, April 21 at their home in Nelson County's Botland community. Share Tommy Ballard's story with your own social network. Crystals father was with Crystals son when they were out hunting and her father was shot in the back. Till the day he died, family said, Tommy Ballard never stopped looking for his daughter Crystal. It was a savage double murderKathy had been shot several times, Samantha bludgeoned, and their throats slashed. The ex-troopers were also looking into Tommy Ballard's death and theslaying of teacher Kathy Netherland and her teenage daughter Samanthain 2014. There is a person of interest in Crystals case. Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most your children. To learn more about the Netherlands and the search for Crystal Rogers, watch"The Disappearance of Crystal Rogers" on Oxygen. Crystal Rogers' mom speaks out: As FBI searches Bardstown subdivision, Sherry Ballard hopes for 'answers this time'. He was close to figuring it out too. Its a clich by now, but the Bardstown where I lived 27 years ago really was the kind of place where people didnt always lock their doors. On the one-year anniversary of Tommy Ballard's death, yellow signs begin to show up around town. Two people have been arrested and charged in the murder of Michael Wayne Unseld, 61. ", "I just hope that I can handle that, when they come to me with that news, even though Ive waited for six years," shesaid. Bardstown Unsolved Murders. 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? Their bodies were discovered by a family member. Police haven't ruled out any suspects as of now but, they are leaning towards the theory that multiple people may have been involved. You could have the information we need to desperately solve these cases.". Rogers was datingBrooks Houck, an initial suspect, who is the father of one of her sons. LOUISVILLE, KY. Another search is underway relating to the 2015 disappearance of Crystal Rogers in Bardstown, Kentucky. This new information has not been confirmed by law enforcement, but the Kentucky State Police say they are investigating the inmates claims. in Cincinnati, Ellis was fatally shot multiple times with a 12-gauge shotgun. Maybe her daughter had nothing to do with it but could he have seen her family as "trying to break them up?". Police have yet to classify Ballards death as a homicide. When a region that has had virtually no murders suddenly has five unsolved murders in a short period, it is statistically unlikely that at least some are related. Crystal disappeared from the home she shared with her boyfriend on Glenview Drive in Bardstown. The parkway would've been an otherwise very empty road that late at night and almost any vehicle seen on that road between Bardstown and, say Lawrenceburg could've been possibly considered suspect at the time. Brant is a nephewof Bill Sheckles, Bardstowns mayor at the time according to WAVE 3. While Holly was unable to confirm the inmate's claims, she said his theories about the gang initiation and trophies being taken from the crime scene were possible. [] It's taking a lot of energy and effort. Details: Kathy Netherland, 48, and her daughter, Samantha, 16, were killed inside their home on April 21, 2014. Officer Ellis was discovered by a passing motorist. I don't need an attorney. The similarities between his murder and the murder of Jason have been noted. On the morning of November 19, 2016, Tommy had plans to go hunting on his property with his grandson. Tommy had been shot in the chest from behind. FBI agents were searching a farm Monday morning connected to the man Rogers was in a relationship with at the time of her disappearance. They are tied up, tortured, and suffer knife and bullet wounds. with the Bardstown Police. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Tommy was married to Sherry and they had eight grandchildren. He might have been murdered in hopes that the investigation of Chrystals case would fade away if he wasnt constantly raising the issue but it seems more likely to me that killing him would only increase the pressure to solve her case. " I'm just praying this will bring us some kind of closure. Houck and Rogers have a son together. I ended thinking Crystals disappearance and the murders of Tommy Ballard and Jason Ellis are connected. [] It's taking a lot of energy and effort. Police have yet to classify Ballards death as a homicide. In the same article, however, Trooper Gregory said, "I have no reason at this time to believe they're connected, but it's not something that we're discarding either.". A title I suggest is, "Something Rotten in Bardstown." In a bizarre twist, on November 19, 2016, Crystals father, Tommy Ballard, was fatally shotin the chest by an unknown gunmen while out hunting. The fact that they were killed so heinously, makes Kentucky State Police wonder if it was personal. When a law enforcement officer is murdered other cops are galvanized. Throughout the search,police were allowing only a few cars into the subdivision and reporters were kept out. "There's people in the community that have information but they're afraid to come forward,", . I always wonder what my life would be like if she and my papaw was still here.". There's a lot of locals around here who'd tell you a lot of tales of corruption in Bardstown, and that they really think the police are covering it up. A 35 year old woman named Crystal Rogers went missing from Bardstown, Kentucky back in 2015. 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. If you have any information regarding Tommys case, please contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALLFBI. The cop was killed in an ambush, and Crystals ex-boyfriends (the one who we all know killed her, no proof yet) brother is a cop and he told the ex-boyfriend that they were going to raid his property before it happened. I agree it did seem personal but I also think that maybe she fought back more than the mother did and the killer(s) lost their cool. They also examine how the brutal, unsolved murders have impacted the small town, population 13,165. Her mother, Kathy, had both knife and bullet wounds. 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. Sherry Ballard said her daughter's children are now 22, 21, 19, 17 and 9. Rogers' keys, phone, and purse were still inside her red Chevrolet Impala. This, to me, is starting to get silly.". It doesn't mean we can't change that title later. More telling than that: Investigators reportedly found a blanket with small traces of blood in the trunk of Nicks police cruiser. The mother and daughter were found dead in their home on Springfield Road near Bardstown. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. The Bardstown Netherland Murders Were A Gang Initiation, According To Anonymous Inmate When pressed for details about how he knew it was gang initiation, he said, "Well, I know they was tortured." By Aly Vander Hayden Bardstown Murders and Mysteries: Brookelyn Farthing 1:09 Preview Some Doctors Are Now Making More Dubious Claims About Ivermectin. Numerous podcasts have focused on the Crystal Rogers case. (Family Photo) ), 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. Victims include a Bardstown police officer, an elementary school special education teacher, and her teenage daughter. The day Tommy was killed. It was the sort of town a young man or woman visits and finds themselves wondering what was so great about the big city, anyway. in his girlfriends disappearance, which he believes to be a homicide. Security footage near the Netherlander home captures a black Chevy Impala that could be connected to the murders. It is a sad, but an almost daily occurrence in the US. And a little further north, More than a year after Rogers disappeared, her father, 54-year-old Tommy Ballard, was fatally shot in November 2016 while huntingon family property in a rural area outside Bardstown. At least one valid email address is required. 43% of KY women and 35.5% of KY men experience intimate partner violence. Back then, Sherry. bardstown, ky. Sarah Hardin was hopeful when she saw a news article about a new special prosecutor in a series of unsolved murders in Nelson County. Outside of work, he was heavily involved in the community including coaching youth baseball. Bardstown isnt as small as people think, there are 3 different high schools. The HLN cable channel is a spinoff of CNN. He was said to have been trying to clean up drug activity in the area, this could have made him a target, but I have always had a gut feeling that this was either a completely random crime or was possibly a personal crime against him, not police related. Ballard was struck in the chest, and died on the spot. This, to me, is starting to get silly.". That's an important bit that is often overlooked! Kathy Netherland, a special education teacher, and her 16-year-old daughter, Samantha, were found murdered in their home on April 21, 2014. 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. This is starting to get silly. Location where Tommy Ballard was shot and killed while hunting with his grandson. Tommy tells his wife he is being followed. Law enforcement started swarming in on the area very quickly after that from multiple directions. A cop, Crystal Rogers, her father, and a school teacher and her daughter were all murdered and no one knows anything about it. However i noticed one major difference in these murders. And awesome. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The same day Rogers was reported missing, her car was found abandoned with a flat tire at mile marker 14 on the Bluegrass Parkway in Bardstown, Kentucky. Spokesperson Lt. Michael Webb said police haven't ruled out the possibility that the cases might be connected, but offered no further details, according to The Courier-Journal. Rogers wasnot known to go anywhere without her kids, according to the FBI. That's the type of person she was. That same month his brother Nick Houck was fired from the Bardstown P.D. ", "My mom is a very special woman," one of Rogers' daughterswrote on a website dedicated to the investigation. Something a lot of the podcasts and articles and shows dont tell you is that Jason Ellis wife is also a teacher and she worked closely with Kathy and Crystals boyfriends brother worked closely with Jason as well and their family was always known to sell drugs, it is a small enough town to know that. "I don't think they would just randomly pick a driveway unless they had a reason to do that," Ballardtold WHAS. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Details: On May 25 2013, Officer Jason Ellis was killed after finishing his shift for the Bardstown, Kentucky Police Department. My opinion-The only explanation for their murders that I see, is that its possibly a random horrific murder. Both women had their throats . He is clearly the focus of the investigation. Ellis was hit multiple times and died on the side of the road. We would always get the chicken strip basket with the toast and gravy to go with it. A little over a year after she vanished, Crystals father, Tommy Ballard, was found shot to death on his own property. Press J to jump to the feed. Ellis stopped, turned on his blue lights and got out of his cruiser to clear them. 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