bardstown ky murders theories
Her daughter, Samantha, was a 16-year-old sophomore in high school. ", "I just hope that I can handle that, when they come to me with that news, even though Ive waited for six years," shesaid. No arrests have been made in connection withRogers' disappearance. Details: After his daughter, Crystal Rogers, disappeared in July 2015, Tommy Ballard created Team Crystal, a group of Bardstown, Kentucky, community members dedicated to finding Crystal and bringing her home. The day Tommy was killed. Two days later,her mother reported her missing, the same day her car was found abandoned along the Bluegrass Parkway with a flat tire and her belongings still in it. It's been more than seven years since a Bardstown mother of five vanished and to this day, it still remains a mystery. I'd like to think that if something happened to Mom that she would have tried to get a call off. However i noticed one major difference in these murders. Share Tommy Ballard's poster to help get the word out. The HLN cable channel is a spinoff of CNN. On the first anniversary of the murders, the Netherland family increased the reward for information about the killings from $2,500 to $50,000. thank you for sharing contact information on each case. While removing the branches he is shot several times and dies shortly afterward. In March, 2018,the Kentucky House of Representatives and State Senate passed a resolutionhonoring the victims of the Bardstown Murders, urging witnesses to come forward. "And I do have a lot of hope that this is where the investigation needs to be at and that they may be able to provide me answers this time," Ballard said. It was a savage double murderKathy had been shot several times, Samantha bludgeoned, and their throats slashed. An Amber Alert was released after police say Gray took his four children following the murder. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. It is a sad, but an almost daily occurrence in the US. Whenever possible, actual redditors have participated in investigating the events. I hope they get justice. Kathy Netherland, 48, and her daughter, Samantha, 16, were killed inside their home on April 21, 2014. She even let a friend stay with her because (the friend) didn't have a place to go. I grew up in Kentucky, about an hour away from Bardstown. I honestly don't know the situation in Bardstown but lets say that these murders are all connected. Greek stationmaster arrested in head-on train crash; 36 dead. 7:54 AM:Tommy Ballard is killed on family property. Ballard never gave up trying to find his daughter. So, my best friend is from the area and I lived there a couple of years. Their dead bodies were discovered by Kathys father after she failed to show up for work at Bardstown Elementary School, where she worked as a special education teacher, according to WDRB. As if something unpleasant was going on with them in their lives and no one knew about it. Although detectives considered Houck a suspect, he was never charged in connection with Crystals disappearance. Then on November 19, while he was out hunting on his rural property very early in the morning, a shot rang out. Numerous podcasts have focused on the Crystal Rogers case. Though just an hour south of the major metropolitan hub of Louisville, Bardstown, Kentucky, is a world away. In 2006, Jason joined the Bardstown Police Department where he later became a K9 handler and won officer of the year in 2008. FBI agents were searching a farm Monday morning connected to the man. The FBI has not released more details on the "items of interest" that were sent to the Virginia lab for testing. A title I suggest is, "Something Rotten in Bardstown." As the Kentucky Standard reported after she vanished, her aunt Sherry Ballard Barnes disappeared in January 1979. She later married but I dont know if it was to him or someone else. You can live there your whole life and not know many people. Kathy Netherland, a special education teacher, and her 16 year old daughter Samantha are brutally murdered in their own home. I heard about this on a podcast and they were linking it to other officers that were tied into the drug market. Till the day he died, family said, Tommy Ballard never stopped looking for his daughter Crystal. [] It's taking a lot of energy and effort. Tommy Ballard was a proud father, brother, grandfather, friend, and husband. The Kentucky Standard reported in October 2015 that detectives believed hed killed Crystal during a fight. pokesperson Lt. Michael Webb said police haven't ruled out the possibility that the cases might be connected, but offered no further details. The Rogers and Ballard cases are even moving forward as of January 2018, as investigators have been searching the farm where they believe Crystal was killed. Houck has denied involvement with Rogers'disappearance and has never been charged. On the one-year anniversary of Tommy Ballard's death, yellow signs begin to show up around town. 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. (I think thats coincidental), all of these happened on or in fairly close proximity to the bluegrass parkway. . 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Thanks for sharing. Absolutely. Our hope in telling their stories is that the right person hears it and is compelled to finally come forward., The community, the victims, the families deserve justice.. Crystals father was with Crystals son when they were out hunting and her father was shot in the back. The first killing to send shock waves through the community was the 2013 murderof 33-year-old Bardstown Police Officer Jason Ellis on May 25 of that year. 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. In the fall of 2016, Tommy tells his wife Sherry that he believes he is being followed, but he is unsure of who is following him. On Sept. 7, 2021, the FBI announced that search in Bardstown had ended, with several "items of interest" sent to a lab in Virginia for testing. Their bodies were discovered by a family member. 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. Since my moms been missing, life has been really hard. Ballard was struck in the chest, and died on the spot. Oxygen did a 5 episode series on this and its interesting and thought provoking. Kathy, a widow, was a special education teacher. Approximately 150 miles away in a small town similar to many in the Tri-County, five murders are unsolved, one with a connection to the Tri-County. At least one state investigator expressed to a reported that he was concerned that the murder may have involved someone in Law Enforcement. Ellis stopped, turned on his blue lights and got out of his cruiser to clear them. In a finely-detailed report on Elliss murder by Jessica Noll of WCPO-TV, its clear that despite aggressive efforts by local law enforcement and the FBI, the officers murder remains unsolved. Her kids need closure, but to physically hear it, its going to be so hard on us.". Bardstown Murders and Mysteries: Brookelyn Farthing, Disappearance of Crystal Rogers 104: This is Much Bigger than Kentucky. pic.twitter.com/CITH0yeQ8i. The fact that they were killed so heinously, makes Kentucky State Police wonder if it was personal. It would be great if someone came forward and gave information to help solve these whether they're related or not and I hope someone does soon. in Cincinnati, Ellis was fatally shot multiple times with a 12-gauge shotgun. The Netherland murders appear to be unrelated but without a discernible motive, I wouldnt rule a connection out. "Crystal was a very good girl. He was close to figuring it out too. Year after year, tragedies struck this small town, Jessica Noll, investigate journalist and host of the hit podcast, Bardstown, told Nancy Grace during the latest Crime Stories episode. More telling than that: Investigators reportedly found a blanket with small traces of blood in the trunk of Nicks police cruiser. He was a K-9 handler (narcotics dog) for the police department in addition to his patrol duties. Detectives found the pair brutally murdered. Crystal, her father, and officer Ellis were killed near some sort of highway. LOUISVILLE, KY. Another search is underway relating to the 2015 disappearance of Crystal Rogers in Bardstown, Kentucky. 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. Houck's brother, Nick, was a police officer with Bardstown Police at the time of Rogers' disappearance andwas fired after interfering in the investigation. Crystal Rogers [Handout]On July 2, 2015, Crystal Rogers, 35, vanished from her Bardstown home off of Glenview Drive. Tommy Ballard had been shot in the chest while hunting with his grandson. Beaten, stabbed, slitted throat, gunshot ? The 35-year-olds car was later found on the Bluegrass Parkway, not far from mile marker 14. And the efforts to figure out what happened to Crystal . Houck was under suspicion immediately. Just heard about these murders, here are my thoughts: The murder of the mother and her 16 yr old daughter appears to be someone they know who absolutely had a personal vendetta against them. On the morning of November 19, authorities are called to a property near Bluegrass Parkway for a death investigation. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! NELSON COUNTY, Ky. (WAVE) - It has been seven years since mother and daughter were brutally murdered in Nelson County in the small community of Botland. 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. After her family does not hear from Crystal, Sherry Ballard reports her daughter missing to the Bardstown police. 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. To submit an anonymous tip to FBI Louisville, go here - https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/jason-ellis, The Murders of Kathy and Samantha Netherland. Kentucky State Police believe the person or persons inside a black Chevrolet Impala seen traveling north on U.S. 150 from Botland into Bardstown on the night of the murders are responsible for the crimes. Within months of the murders, police had searched more than 90 cars in the area that matched the vehicle description, according to WDRB,. Despite such an incentive, the murders remain unsolved. Do You Have Any? -, Press J to jump to the feed. A new visitor from the cityNashville to the south or Louisville to the northmight be forgiven for thinking theyre driving into nowhere. 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. To learn more about the Netherlands and the search for Crystal Rogers, watch"The Disappearance of Crystal Rogers" on Oxygen. HLN Investigations is a news team that produces breaking news specials and HLN Original Series within the crime and justice genre. As for Tommy, i think its true that the culprit didn't want more attention to Crystal's disappearance, and which means Crystal is nearby apart from her condition, alive or dead. When asked about the cellphone jammer, Holly said, "This is news to me. , "My whole family's name is trashed for something completely not even tied to me. It appears as though this murder was covered up by family members of the murderer. Victims include a Bardstown police officer, an elementary school special education teacher, and her teenage daughter. The two had been beaten and killed. Morning:Kathy and Samantha Netherland are killed. Kathy Netherland was older and does not appear to have been his type. I agree that it would be easier if they were all related, but I don't think they are. Both Tommy and Sherry fought tirelessly to find their daughter, Crystal who went missing one year before he died. Samantha Netherland was a sophomore at Bardstown High School. Here's how to watch, Courtesy of CNN Headline News (HLN), Louisville Courier Journal, As FBI searches Bardstown subdivision, Sherry Ballard hopes for 'answers this time', one of Rogers' daughterswrote on a website dedicated to the investigation, using a cadaver dog to search the subdivision, 150 federal agentsservingsearch warrants, HLN airs docu-series investigation on missing Kentucky mom Crystal Rogers, The Vanishing of Crystal Rogers Not Another True Crime Podcast, Rogers was datingBrooks Houck, an initial suspect, who is the father of one of her sons, FBI Louisville, other federal agencies search for Crystal Rogers with new warrants, Ballard told The Courier Journal she has "a lot of hope", fired after interfering in the investigation, ahome being builtby Brooks Houckwas burned, 54-year-old Tommy Ballard, was fatally shot in November 2016, Ballard's grandson, who was with him during the trip,was not responsible for Ballard's death, Kentucky State Police hired former troopers to investigate the cases, Jason Ellis, aBardstown police officerwho wasambushed in 2013, theslaying of teacher Kathy Netherland and her teenage daughter Samantha, Who killed Bardstown Officer? 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. . Paying a little homage to the Baard and his, "Something is rotten in Denmark." How sad all of these cases are. Absolutely. Sign up now. That same month his brother Nick Houck was fired from the Bardstown P.D. You may also contact your local FBI office, or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Nick later told the Kentucky State Police, the Kentucky House of Representatives and State Senate. (September 2022) Crystal Maria Rogers is an American woman from Bardstown, Kentucky who went missing on July 3, 2015. 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. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. To watch the 2018 series, visitOxygen's site. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. How to watch: HLN airs docu-series investigation on missing Kentucky mom Crystal Rogers. However, Sherry has been focusing on advocating for Crystals case and believes that it will provide answers for what happened to her husband. Father of missing woman is killed while hunting with his grandson. Join Nancy Grace and a team of world-class experts for the online course Justice Nation: Crime Stops Here. Michael Wayne Unseld was shot and killed above what used to be the Broke Tee Nite Club in Bardstown in 2016. Just 16 months later, while searching for answers, Crystal's father is murdered in cold blood. And the Kentucky State Police have brought two investigators out of retirement to help in the Ellis case. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most your children. Another detail that struck Holly was the alleged torture that her mother and sister endured during the attack. She was in college and could date anyone she wished to. Ballard told The Courier Journal she has "a lot of hope" that her family will soon finally learn what happened to her daughter. 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. The FBI said it is "offering up to a$25,000 rewardfor informationleading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible" for Rogers' disappearance. Kathy Netherland taught special education at Bardstown Elementary. I think the other 3 are related. That October, Nick Houck was fired from the police forceor allegedly interfering with the investigation of Crystal Rogers disappearance,according to NBC affiliate WLEX. 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. The mother and daughter were found dead in their home on Springfield Road near Bardstown. Is Tommys murder connected to the other Bardstown unsolved cases? Officer Ellis was driving home late that night in his cruiser when he stopped on Exit 34 of the Bluegrass Parkway to clear brush from the road. Their only possible clue was a black Chevrolet Impala, which had been filmed near the crime scene on April 21, 2014, the night of the murder. Crystal overhears something that implicates her boyfriend and his brother in the ambush murder of the officer in 2013. Crystal disappeared from the home she shared with her boyfriend on Glenview Drive in Bardstown. [] I can't even go on the side of the road without looking like a murderer. A cop, Crystal Rogers, her father, and a school teacher and her daughter were all murdered and no one knows anything about it. According to death certificates obtained by WAVE 3 News, 48-year-old Kathy Netherland was shot multiple times. 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. There was also gossip that Kathy taught Jason Ellis son at Bardstown Elementary School. https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2497/ncadv_kentucky_fact_sheet_2020.pdf. Within a very few short minutes of his killing a couple of vehicles rolled up on the scene and both of them attempted to use the police radio to get help for him. Nick was accused ofwarning his brotherthat detectives planned to interview him and advised him not to speak with them. The father was killed because he was ruffling feathers too close to the caseI did find it weird that Crystal owned a dark colored impala and they were presumingly looking for a black impala in the mother/daugher murders. In August of 2013, Brant Sheckles, a member of the Bardstown Money Gang, claimed the street gangwas responsible for Ellis murder. All towns and cities have shadows, but when I lived there from May to September 1990 as a cast member in The Stephen Foster Story, I didnt see many. 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. A cop, Crystal Rogers, her father, and a school teacher and her daughter were all murdered and no one knows anything about it. All rights reserved. I believe theyre all connected because what they dont tell you is that all of these people were closely related in one way or another. 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.". Bardstown today has more than doubled in population, and the shadows have grown deeper. The local gossip mill has pointed out that Chrystal Rogers and Jason Elliss wife were both quite attractive and his type but I am not aware of any evidence that he was involved with either woman. . Both of them had cuts to their necks. Some residents live in fear, while others are angry, going as far as leaving anonymous signs in yards that pointed fingers at Houck, in connection with Crystals disappearance. "She was nice to everyone she met. The next mystery to befall Bardstown was the 2015 disappearance of 35-year-old Crystal Rogers. A year later, mom and daughter, Kathy and Samantha Netherland, lost their lives inside their rural home, just outside of Bardstown. Her mother, Kathy, had both knife and bullet wounds. This subreddit is about unsolved mysteries. Tommy's 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 Tommy's daughter, Crystal who went missing on July 3, 2015. She would have had [a cellphone].". 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. Really sad case. He took Exit 34, a narrow ramp bounded on either side by steep stone walls. I have read nothing to suggest that she was anything other than a typical college student. I say the police are involved. Lots of corruption. 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. "This is one of those things that I'm not comfortable talking about. Police believe Nick interfered with their investigation. The FBI reportedly said the residents of the property that investigators and construction equipment focused on had no connection to the case, and the federal agency said it will pay for any repairs to the property. There has been a string of unsolved murders and an unsolved disappearance in Nelson County. As often happens in so many crimes, its the man she was living with, Brooks Houck. Murder Victim Bardstown, Kentucky May 25, 2013. As an Eastern Kentuckian.. yeah. Less than a year after Ellis's murder, there was a gruesome discovery at a home on Springfield Road in Bardstown. "That's not something we've ruled out either, that's a good possibility," said KSP Trooper Jeff Gregory. What you are about to read is not a news broadcast. Small towns where everybody knows each others business are notorious hotbeds of gossip. Tommy's family announces reward of $20,000. in his girlfriends disappearance, which he believes to be a homicide. Bardstown today has more than doubled in population, and the shadows have grown deeper. On February 25, 2023, at approximately 5:17 pm Deputies Jerry Meadows and Derek Dennis observed a vehicle making a traffic violation at the intersections of Barnes Drive and Rolling Hills . 5 years later, nobody knows, The FBI has been offering a reward of up to $50,000, FBI said it is "offering up to a$25,000 reward, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. As he approaches exit 34 of the Bluegrass Parkway he notices a blockage in the road. BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WKYT) -The bourbon industry in Kentucky has led to great financial gains for the Commonwealth, especially in areas where there are . Tommy tells his wife he is being followed. Large chunks of the driveway were hauled outof the neighborhood inconstruction trucks. I'm innocent. Kentucky, like other parts of the country, is now grappling with different and more pervasive types of drug epidemics like heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, which has some wondering if the drug trade has played a part in any of the Bardstown mysteries. 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? The land, which sits on 30 acres, is owned by the mother of Brooks Houck, who was named a suspect in the case in 2017. Tommy had been shot in the chest from behind. Officer Jason Ellis (d: May 25th, 2013) - ambushed and shot to death while returning home from duty. Were you traveling on Bluegrass Highway between mile markers 21 and 25 on November 19, 2016, before 7:30 am? Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. KY 40203 Phone: 502 . Halfway around the ramp, someone had dragged a pile of branches into the roadway. I don't need an attorney. I could see those being connected. Samantha was attacked near a different door suggesting she was attempting to flee. Ellis had signed off on the radio and was driving home when he encountered branches blocking the road on exit 34 of the Bluegrass Parkway in Bardstown, Kentucky. Samantha had been beaten. "We will definitely send something out when that changes," Anderson said. Then again, I couldnt determine whether he was even on the force in 2013. Disappearance [ edit] At the time of her disappearance, the 35-year-old mother of five was living with her boyfriend, Brooks Houck, their two-year-old son, and her other children. I don't need an attorney. We would always get the chicken strip basket with the toast and gravy to go with it. The department had its share of petty corruption but nothing that could b e linked to the murders. I did an in-depth multi-part series on the subject a few years ago. In May 2017, the Kentucky State Police hired two retired troopers, specifically to aid in the investigations of the Bardstown killings. And awesome. Outside of work, he was heavily involved in the community including coaching youth baseball. That's the type of person she was. Bardstown Police Officer Jason Ellis is murdered while driving home after his shift. Rogers wasnot known to go anywhere without her kids, according to the FBI. Police haven't ruled out any suspects as of now but, they are leaning towards the theory that multiple people may have been involved. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The following is just my opinion and are my personal theories only. People need to see order and connectedness. Alternately known as The Bardstown Murders or the The Nelson County Murders, the area is at the center of five unsolved deaths and disappearances, which continue to inspire speculation, gossip and intrigue far beyond the county line. 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. Press J to jump to the feed. Death certificates reveal gruesome nature of Nelson Co. mother, daughter murders, Precautionary boil advisory issued for water customers in east Jefferson County, Police: Woman accused of buying nearly $9K in clothes with stolen credit card, LMPD investigating after body found in Valley Station cemetery, Louisville co-workers share $50K after winning Ky. Lottery scratch-off, Elizabethtown high school student crowned Miss Kentucky Teen USA, PREVIOUS STORY: Vigil held for Nelson County murder victims as investigation goes on, PREVIOUS STORY: Black Chevy Impala is suspect vehicle in Nelson Co. murders, says KSP, PREVIOUS STORY: Friend of murdered teacher says she 'loved her daughters more than anything'. [PREVIOUS STORY: Black Chevy Impala is suspect vehicle in Nelson Co. murders, says KSP]. "Pick up the phone, call the number. There is something darker hiding behind the small-town charm and friendly waves, Noll told CrimeOnline. I used to believe that the murder of police officer Jason Ellis on May 25, 2013, the Netherland Murders on April 21, 2014, the disappearance of Crystal Rogers on July 3, 2015, and the murder of Tommy Ballard on November 19, 2016 in Bardstown, Kentucky were all related. And awesome. 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. The brush was a trapone that was sprung when someone ambushed Ellis, shooting him several times with a shotgun. On May 25, 2013, Bardstown police officer Jason Ellis was ambushed and killed on his way home after signing off for the night by someone lying in wait for . There were no witnesses, and no arrests have been made in connection with the fatal shooting. On the day after Easter 2014, 48-year-old Kathy Netherland and her 16-year-old daughter, Samantha, were brutally murdered inside their home in Botland, just outside the Bardstown city limits.. It was as out-of-the-way and quiet a spot as you could imagine. Following their autopsies, WAVE 3 reportedthat Kathy had been shot multiple times, while Samantha had been bludgeoned about the head, with both women showing knife wounds to their necks. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Although detectives considered Houck a suspect, he was never charged in connection with Crystals disappearance. [Feature Photo: Bardstown Police Chief Rick McCubbin via AP/Timothy D. Easley], WATCH LIVE: Murdaugh Family Murders Day 25: Closing Arguments, Murdaugh Family Murders: Jury Heads to Moselle, the Scene of the Crimes, Ghislaine Maxwells New Attorneys File Appeal of Sex Trafficking Conviction.
