BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Several witnesses testified on the second day of Steven Lawson’s trial at the Warren County Justice Center in Bowling Green. He is one of three men charged in connection to the 2015 disappearance of Crystal Rogers.
Lawson was charged Dec. 8, 2023 with tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy to commit murder. Joseph Lawson, Steven's son, and Brooks Houck, Rogers' boyfriend at the time of her disappearance, have also been charged in the case.
Prosecutors are trying to prove Lawson knew about Rogers’ disappearance and death and helped cover it up.
Six witnesses took the stand Wednesday morning. Three of them said Lawson allegedly made incriminating comments about Rogers’ death.
Elizabeth Chesser, the mother of a child with Joseph Lawson, alleged Steven told her he had to leave his wife because she found out he committed murder. Chesser also alleged Steven admitted to moving Crystal Rogers' car at the time of her disappearance, also claiming that he said, "no evidence, no case."
Stacie Cranmer, a former employee of Houck's construction company, also took the stand. She testified to witnessing Lawson riding in and with Houck's work truck on a job site, and Lawson later had a conversation with her. Cranmer claimed Lawson told her that Houck asked him to take care of a girl with five children.
Charlie Girdly, another former construction worker for Houck, then took the stand. He alleged Lawson told him that Houck asked him he needed someone to take care of his "old lad."
The defense spent the morning trying to poke holes in the witnesses' testimony, often leaning on how long it has been since these events allegedly happened. They also asked some of the witnesses if they heard the damaging comments, why they didn't go to the police earlier. They also brought up some of the witnesses' past drug use.
Testimony during Wednesday afternoon centered on cellphone use between Lawson and others in the hours after Rogers’ disappearance.
Louisville Metro Police Department Detective Tim O’Daniel was one witness called. O’Daniel presented reports he made with data from Steven Lawson’s phone.
He said the data showed, in the late hours after Rogers’ disappearance, a cellphone number attached to Lawson, moved west out of Bardstown toward the area where Rogers’ car was found.
Melissa Dover, Elizabethtown Police Department crime intelligence analyst, was also called to the stand. Dover was tasked with analyzing some calls from Lawson, Tammy Lawson and Houck. She said there were 10 calls total between 11:06 p.m. on July 3, 2015 and 1:48 a.m. on July 4, 2015.
The prosecution said they only have two more witnesses to call Thursday, and the defense will call witnesses after that.
Special Prosecutor Shane Young told the court Tuesday he expects to rest between Thursday afternoon and Friday. Judge Charles Simms told the jury pool to expect the trial to last through Monday.
Rogers was reported missing July 5, 2015, by her mother, Sherry Ballard. Rogers hadn’t been seen since the night of July 3. Her car was found abandoned with a flat tire on the Bluegrass Parkway in Bardstown. Rogers’ keys, phone and purse were still inside of the red Chevrolet Impala.
Rogers was a 35-year-old mother of five. She is presumed dead, even though her body has never been found.
Joseph Lawson and Houck will be tried together in June.
