BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- Eight years ago, on July 3, 2015, Bardstown mom Crystal Rogers disappeared. What happened to her has been a mystery not only plaguing her family and the community but also multiple law enforcement agencies over the years.

"It's been like torture," said Sherry Ballard, Rogers' mom. "I can't believe I've had to wait eight years."

Rogers seemingly vanished into thin air eight years ago. At this point, people know her story. In Bardstown, in Louisville and across the nation, people know she was a mother of five. Her car was found abandoned on the Bluegrass Parkway. The maroon Chevy impala had a flat tire with her keys, phone and purse still inside.

Rogers' boyfriend at the time and father of her youngest child, Brooks Houck, is considered to be the last person to see her alive. He's also the main suspect in her disappearance but has never been charged in this case.

"I didn't trust Brooks Houck to begin with," Ballard said. "I know what kind of relationship they had and how he treated her. And the minute that I knew she wasn't in contact with anyone, then that's when I knew something was definitely wrong."

Rogers' case has gone from the Nelson County Sheriff's Office to Kentucky State Police and ultimately the FBI in 2020.

"The FBI guy that I work with is busting his butt — and I mean literally busting his butt — to find answers for my family," Ballard said. "And, you know, he's very good at his job."

Over the years, the Houck family farm, the homes of Brooks Houck and his brother, Nick, have been searched multiple times, along with a storage unit belonging to Rogers. In 2021, the driveway of a home built by Houck was ripped up by the FBI. And, most recently, in 2022, the FBI was back at the Houck farm for a five-day search.

Backhoe arrives at Houck farm in Bardstown

This image dated Oct. 19, 2022, shows a backhoe arriving at the Houck farm on Paschal Ballard Lane in Bardstown, Ky. FBI agents have been searching the farm for evidence connected to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, a mother of five who hasn't been seen since July 2015.

But what is the Federal Bureau of Investigation looking for? And what has it found?

It's not just FBI agents executing these warrants. IRS agents have been on scene as well at these searches.

Still no arrest.

Ballard said her daughter planned on leaving Houck and the job she had helping him with his rental properties.

"She looked at me out of the blue — just out of the blue, we were not talking about that — and she's like, 'Mom, he thinks I'm an idiot,'" Ballard said. "She said, 'But I have everything.' She said, 'I have all of his rentals. I have his tax papers, I have everything.' And she said, 'And I hid that.' And to this day, Fallon, if I have one, big, huge regret is because I did not ask her where she put that."

Ballard wants people to know that just because you don't see the FBI on the ground in Bardstown every day doesn't mean the agency isn't working the case.

"The first thing the FBI told me when they got involved with this, and they're like, 'Please don't take this the wrong way, but you know we're not here to find your daughter. We're here to find justice for her. And if we find her in the meantime, that's a very, very good thing,'" Ballard said.

But would it be enough for Ballard and her family to get justice for Rogers but never have that answer of where she is?

"I'm sorry. It don't get easy," Ballard said as she tried to hold back tears. "I know that's a possibility, but it's one I don't want to face."

Sometimes, there are just no words to adequately express the pain your heart has endured for so long. Sometimes, your tears tell the whole story, but wiping them away doesn't wipe away the grief.

"Deep down, I want my daughter," Ballard said. "And I want to find where she's at."

Eight years later, Rogers has missed out on so many milestones in her childrens' lives, from birthdays and holidays to proms and graduations. Earlier this year, she would have become a grandmother, with a second grandchild on the way.

"My daughter would have been an excellent grandma," Ballard said.

The missing mom of five comes from a close-knit family, who would given anything to have her back or at the very least have answers after so many years.

"I just have to be patient," Ballard said. "And, gosh, pray to God that I don't have to wait very many more."

The FBI declined a request for an interview, but did release this statement:

"This July 3rd marks the eighth anniversary of the disappearance of Crystal Rogers. Over the last year, FBI Louisville has made significant progress in bringing this case to its rightful conclusion. Crystal's family, and the Bardstown community, deserve justice. We continue to pursue every available lead until those responsible for Crystal's disappearance are held accountable. We know that there are still people in the community who have not come forward with details of Crystal's disappearance. It's never too late. If you know something, we urge you to contact the FBI at 502-263-6000 or tips.fbi.gov."

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