Forward to Dateline, 48 Hours or some entity with the money and resources to dig further. I say the police are involved. Is Tommys murder connected to the other Bardstown unsolved cases? 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. "We are a very close family, and Im not doing anything different that any mother would do for their daughter at all," Ballard added. In a bizarre twist, on November 19, 2016, Crystals father, Tommy Ballard. With a population of just over 14,000, it was voted The Most Beautiful Small Town In America and also boasts of being the Bourbon Capital of the World, due to the presence of six major whiskey distilleries in town. Details: On May 25 2013, Officer Jason Ellis was killed after finishing his shift for the Bardstown, Kentucky Police Department. The first killing to send shock waves through the community was. However i noticed one major difference in these murders. 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. On the morning of November 19, authorities are called to a property near Bluegrass Parkway for a death investigation. Though just an hour south of the major metropolitan hub of Louisville, Bardstown, Kentucky, is a world away. The Bardstown PD is a common denominator to all but the Netherland killings but the connections are vague. Kathy Netherland taught special education at Bardstown Elementary. As for Crystal Rogers, i don't know why but i'd say this one is not connected, if it is connected then its strange of how all of them (Jason, Kathy, Samantha) were killed on the spot and Crystal is just missing. (Barnes received a life sentence. This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. How to watch: HLN airs docu-series investigation on missing Kentucky mom Crystal Rogers. None of their neighbors have subsequently been murdered but I wonder if any were involved in sketchy activity. Tommy's family announces reward of $20,000. 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. Houck was under suspicion immediately. There have been so many murders that the investigators initially believed were personal due the amount of violence subjected to a victim and it turned out later that the killer was just a violent and sick individual. Everyone wants to know what the hell is going on. The six episodes in the entire "Real Life Nightmare" series, which focuses on other mysterious cases, will be available on-demand the day after the broadcast premiere via cable/satellite systems. It was related to the still-unsolved murder of her father. Houck and Rogers have a son together. 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. Crystals father was with Crystals son when they were out hunting and her father was shot in the back. Kathy Netherland, 48, and her daughter, Samantha, 16, were killed inside their home on April 21, 2014. Throughout the search,police were allowing only a few cars into the subdivision and reporters were kept out. 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. 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. Then on November 19, while he was out hunting on his rural property very early in the morning, a shot rang out. So, my best friend is from the area and I lived there a couple of years. If you have any information regarding Tommys case, please contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALLFBI. 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. Samantha had been bludgeoned with her throat slit, while Kathy was shot numerous times. When a law enforcement officer is murdered other cops are galvanized. The utterly brutal murder the Netherlands on a pleasant country road is as strange as Elliss murder. The FBI has been offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to arrests in Ellis' slaying. He was a K-9 handler (narcotics dog) for the police department in addition to his patrol duties. Houck's brother, Nick, was a police officer with Bardstown Police at the time of Rogers' disappearance andwas fired after interfering in the investigation. The fact that they were killed so heinously, makes Kentucky State Police wonder if it was personal. That October, Nick Houck was fired from the police forceor allegedly interfering with the investigation of Crystal Rogers disappearance, that he only contacted his brother to tell him that "they might be trying to trip him up" and "he should protect himself.". 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. Kathy Netherland was older and does not appear to have been his type. (He was already in prison when this crime occurred, he is not a suspect.) KY 40203 Phone: 502 . Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! He was the owner of T.M.B. It appears as though this murder was covered up by family members of the murderer. I hope for the sake of Crystal Rogers' children, that she will be properly laid to rest in the future. The following is just my opinion and are my personal theories only. But, theres also a dark side to the region. Please call the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI. An unknown subject fired one shot and hit Ballard in the chest and instantly killed him. Were you traveling on Bluegrass Highway between mile markers 21 and 25 on November 19, 2016, before 7:30 am? Paying a little homage to the Baard and his, "Something is rotten in Denmark." Kathy was attacked at the front doorway suggesting that she was attacked after she answered the doorbell. Tommy Ballard was a proud father, brother, grandfather, friend, and husband. Her boyfriend, Brooks Houck, who lived with her, claimed innocence and said he had no clue what happened to Crystal. I'm innocent. pokesperson Lt. Michael Webb said police haven't ruled out the possibility that the cases might be connected, but offered no further details. As an Eastern Kentuckian.. yeah. I grew up in Kentucky, about an hour away from Bardstown. Her relatives do not seem to believe she was involved. I honestly don't know the situation in Bardstown but lets say that these murders are all connected. There is no evidence that he was conducting any kind of independent investigation or was privy to any information that Law Enforcement didnt have. I hope they receive justice in the near future. As he approaches exit 34 of the Bluegrass Parkway he notices a blockage in the road. 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. The still-unsolved 2016 shooting death of 54-year-old Tommy Ballard is the most recent of four killings and a disappearance that have haunted the picturesque small town of Bardstown, Kentucky. Kathy Netherland taught special education at Bardstown Elementary School. Details: On July 5, 2015, Crystal Rogers was reported missing by her mother, after she had not been seen or heard from since the evening of July 3, 2015. It's been five years since Tommy Ballard of Bardstown was gunned down while hunting with his grandson. Crystal Rogers' mom speaks out: As FBI searches Bardstown subdivision, Sherry Ballard hopes for 'answers this time'. He did make drug arrests that followed traffic stops but they were hardly a significant busts. Two people have been arrested and charged in the murder of Michael Wayne Unseld, 61. pic.twitter.com/CITH0yeQ8i. Snow Report: The 20 Greatest Cocaine Scenes in Movie History, The Legacy of "M*A*S*H" And TV's Best Series Finales, Revisiting the True Crime Case That Inspired Edgar Allan Poe, Nobis Makes the Perfect Jacket for Every Conceivable Winter Situation, Woody Harrelson Is the Latest "SNL" Host to Deliver a Controversial Monologue, The Best Outdoor-Ready Deals From REIs Massive Winter Sale. He is heard signing off for the evening over the radio. Her car was found abandoned on the Bluegrass Parkwaywith her keys, phone and purse still inside. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. You can live there your whole life and not know anyone. The crimes left a long-lasting effect on Bardstown. Michael Wayne Unseld was shot and killed above what used to be the Broke Tee Nite Club in Bardstown in 2016. To. There has been a string of unsolved murders and an unsolved disappearance in Nelson County. Kentucky State Police had no suspects or motive for the Netherlands' murders. Still, it seems stalled. In 2014, the brutal double-homicide of 48-year-old Kathy Netherland and her 16-year-old daughter, Samantha, rocked the town of Bardstown, Kentucky. -, Press J to jump to the feed. Police haven't ruled out any suspects as of now but, they are leaning towards the theory that multiple people may have been involved. It was a savage double murderKathy had been shot several times, Samantha bludgeoned, and their throats slashed. 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. Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. In August of 2013, Brant Sheckles, a member of the Bardstown Money Gang, claimed the street gangwas responsible for Ellis murder. Security footage near the Netherlander home captures a black Chevy Impala that could be connected to the murders. He pulls over, exits his car, and clears out the branches blocking the road. I suspect that one or more people murdered Jason to solve a problem and Chrystal and her father were murdered by the same to solve perhaps different problems. Kathy, a widow, was a special education teacher. I know that one of 'em had her throat slit. She later married but I dont know if it was to him or someone else. Rogers was datingBrooks Houck, an initial suspect, who is the father of one of her sons. Victims include a Bardstown police officer, an elementary school special education teacher, and her teenage daughter. 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? Really sad case. He was close to figuring it out too. While police initially treated Ballards death as a possible hunting accident, it eventually became clear it wasnt. The brush was a trapone that was sprung when someone ambushed Ellis, shooting him several times with a shotgun. Maybe her daughter had nothing to do with it but could he have seen her family as "trying to break them up?". As the Kentucky Standard reported after she vanished, her aunt Sherry Ballard Barnes disappeared in January 1979. Ellis was hit multiple times and died on the side of the road. Now You Can Nab Them on Sale. In a March 2017 interview with WDRB, Crystal Rogers mother, Sherry Ballard, surmised that her daughter disappeared because she overheard something maybe she shouldn't have, related to the murder of Jason Ellis. Houck has denied involvement with Rogers'disappearance and has never been charged. That October, Nick Houck was fired from the police forceor allegedly interfering with the investigation of Crystal Rogers disappearance,according to NBC affiliate WLEX. Then again, I couldnt determine whether he was even on the force in 2013. Bardstown isnt as small as people think, there are 3 different high schools. Rogers, a 35-year-old mother of five children, was reported missing on July 3, 2015, from Bardstown. I can't remember which pod I heard it on - it's been years. A bullet hit Ballard in his chest while he was out hunting. ), 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. 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