Brooks Houck owns 73 properties worth $13 million in Nelson County, records show

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Brooks Houck owns nearly $13.5 million in property in Nelson County, assets that, after his conviction in the murder of his former girlfriend, Crystal Rogers, he attempted to sell off ahead of an impending civil lawsuit.

On July 17, the attorney representing Rogers' family, Gregory Smith, filed a motion in Nelson Circuit Court alleging that, following Houck's July 8 conviction, he made multiple jail phone calls, including one to his girlfriend, Crystal Maupin, saying "We'll try to figure out how we can sell this stuff."

Brooks Houck's Properties

Pictured here are dozens of properties owned by Brooks Houck. These photographs don't comprise all his assets, as some are undeveloped land.

The two discussed selling property and unfinished homes, according to the motion and transcripts of the phone calls.

In other calls to his sister, according to the motion, Houck told her "All of it needs to go," speaking of equipment and trailers, among other assets.

"You know, because we're on that civil case is what's coming next," according to a jail phone call transcript in court documents. "... You know, so they're going to take everything. They're going to take everything that I've got. So go ahead and try to get what you can for it."

In another call, Houck said he knew they were going to "take a loss on some property" and began reaching out to people to see if they could bundle assets together to sell it quickly.

But exactly what does Houck own? Nelson County property records show Houck, or companies he runs, own 73 properties in the county alone. According to the Secretary of State's website, Houck is listed as the registered agent for these three limited liability companies:

Houck Rentals, LLC
Select Quality Homes, LLC
Central Kentucky Real Estate Rentals, LLC

Between those businesses, records show Houck homes all over the county as well as 168 acres on Paschal Ballard Lane — part of the Houck family farm — valued at more than $518,000. There is even more land on the farm, with more than 100 adjacent acres that owned by Houck's family members.

Records show he also owns a commercial building on Wildcat Lane worth more than $900,000. In total, the value of Houck's real estate holdings comes to nearly $13,491,710.

"They're going to take everything," Houck said in one of the jail phone calls. "They're gonna take everything that I've got. So go ahead and try to get what you can."

Along with the phone calls transcripts is an affidavit from a man who said Brooks Houck's mother, Rosemary Houck, called him on July 8 offering to sell 13 properties. She said she would call back with a price but the man didn't answer her calls.

Brooks Houck also called his brother, former Nelson County Police Officer Nick Houck, and discussed transferring money, selling vehicles and equipment and "encourages Nick to begin selling assets."

Prosecutors have said both Rosemary and Nick Houck are "unindicted coconspirators" in the murder of Rogers. Neither have been charged.

Last month, Judge Charles Simms III, who presided over Houck's 10-day trial, ordered Houck not to transfer any property until at least after an evidentiary hearing scheduled for Oct. 8. The wrongful death lawsuit, filed by four of Rogers' children and her mother, Sherry Ballard, is still pending. The suit was filed in December 2023 and accuses Houck of responsibility in Rogers' death.

Houck's final sentencing hearing will be held Aug. 21. The jury recommended life in prison.

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Brooks Houck trying to sell assets ahead of wrongful death lawsuit in Crystal Rogers case

Brooks Houck owns 73 properties worth $13 million in Nelson County, records show