Brian Butler, a defense attorney for Brooks Houck, during closing arguments for the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Houck and Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 7, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
A view of the courtroom during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 7, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
A view of the courtroom during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 3, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Robert Boyd, a defense attorney for Joseph Lawson, during closing arguments for the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 7, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Brian Butler, a defense attorney for Brooks Houck, during closing arguments for the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Houck and Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 7, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Shane Young give his closing arguments for the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 7, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Jeff Neuschatz, a cognitive psychologist, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 3, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Jeff Neuschatz, a cognitive psychologist, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 3, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
A look at the courtroom during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Brooks Houck watches during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 2, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Rhonda McIlvoy, Brooks Houck's sister, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 2, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Porter Hendricks testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 2, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Kevin Coleman, Joseph Lawson's defense attorney during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Heath Farthing, an expert on K-9 training and search and rescue, testifies for the defense during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Adrian Lauf, a professor at the University of Louisville, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 2, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Prosecutor Shane Young and Adrian Lauf, a professor at the University of Louisville, during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 2, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Denver Butler, a former Louisville police officer, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 3, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Digital forensic expert Joshua Hickman testifies during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 1, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Barbara Colter, Joseph Lawson's grandmother, testifies during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 1, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
K-9 handler Terry Benjamin testifies via recorded deposition during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 1, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Tim O'Daniel testifies via recorded deposition during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 1, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Lon Spalding, who lives on a property near Thompson Hill Road, testifies during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 1, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Kim Edelen, who lives near the Houck farm, testifies during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 1, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Detective Jamie Brooks testifies during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 1, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Stacy Cranmer, who worked for Brooks Houck testifies during the murder trial for Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 1, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Rebecca Greer, Steve Lawson's ex-wife, testifies during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. July 1, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Kevin Coleman, Joseph Lawson's lawyer, during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Detective Jamie Brooks testifies during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Melissa Dover, a digital forensic expert with the Elizabethtown Police Department, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Daniel Donohue, a coon hunter, testifies during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Owen McKinney, manager of a Dollar General store, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Charlie Girdley, who used to work for Brooks Houck, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Amber Bowman, Nick Houck's former girlfriend, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Chad Warner, an IRS Criminal Investigator, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 27, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Charlie Burch, an IRS Criminal Investigator, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 27, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Ryan Cecil testifies during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Defendant Brooks Houck listens to testimony during the Crystal Rogers murder trial in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 27, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Defendant Brooks Houck listens to testimony during the Crystal Rogers murder trial in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 27, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Tim O'Daniel, Louisville Metro Police digital forensics expert, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 27, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Shane Young and Tim O'Daniel during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 27, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Steve Lawson's former girlfriend, Heather Snellen, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 26, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Ashley Nally, a home builder that worked with Brooks Houck, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 26, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Robin Mills, a civil engineer that worked with Brooks Houck, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 26, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Mary Mattingly, once a neighbor of Brooks Houck and Crystal Rogers, testifies during the murder trial for Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 27, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
William Gunther, a Lowe's employee, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 27, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Nelson County Sheriff lead Detective Jon Snow on the stand during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 26, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Defendant Joseph Lawson listens to a police interview being played of Brooks Houck during the Crystal Rogers murder trial in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 26, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Brooks Houck listens during the Crystal Rogers murder trial in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 26, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Defense attorney Steve Schroering during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 26, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Former Salt River Electric employee Peggy Parent on the stand during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 26, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
James Palmer, a former HOA board member for the Woodlawn Springs Subdivision, on the stand during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 26, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Nelson County Clerk Diane Thompson on the stand during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 26, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Marcella Ray, who owned a Radio Shack store in Kentucky, on the stand during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 26, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Nelson County Sheriff's Detective Jon Snow, the former lead detective, testifies during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 25, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
A courtroom sketch of the defense tem during the Crystal Rogers murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 25, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Courtroom sketch of Brooks Houck during opening statements for the Crystal Rogers murder case against him and co-defendant Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 25, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Courtroom sketch of Joseph Lawson during opening statements for the Crystal Rogers murder case against him and co-defendant Brooks Houck in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 25, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Crystal Rogers' daughter, Kyleigh Fenwick, testifies during the trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 25, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Courtroom sketch of Steve Schroering during opening statements for the Crystal Rogers murder case against Brooks Houck and co-defendant Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 25, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Crystal Rogers' friend, Christina Holly, testifies during the trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 25, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Amanda Greenwell, a second cousin of Crystal Rogers, testifies during the murder trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 25, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Sketch of Judge Charles Simms III during the trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in the Crystal Rogers murder case in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 24, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Sketch of jury selection during the trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in the Crystal Rogers murder case in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 24, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Family members of Crystal Rogers watch jury selection ahead of the trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 24, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
Sketch of Judge Charles Simms III during the trial for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson in the Crystal Rogers murder case in Bowling Green, Kentucky. June 24, 2025. (Courtesy of Sydney Young)
As featured on
A jury of 15 people, including three alternatives, were seated Tuesday, and opening statements will begin Wednesday morning for defendants Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson.
The Crystal Rogers murder trial is being closely watched across Kentucky and the country.
Prosecutor Jim Lesousky used much of his opening statement to concentrate on the alleged roles Brooks Houck's mother, Rosemary Houck, and brother Nick Houck played in conspiring to help kill Rogers in 2015, despite the fact that neither have been charged.
