Father of missing woman is killed while hunting with his grandson In the crisp morning air of November 19, 2016, in Bardstown, Kentucky, 54-year-old Tommy Ballard was preparing to go hunting with his 12-year-old grandson on their family property. For the past sixteen months, Tommy had been consumed by a different kind of hunt, a desperate search for his daughter, Crystal Rogers, who had vanished without a trace. As he readied himself, a single, fatal shot rang out, striking him in the chest and ending his life instantly.
His grandson was nearby, and while he was cleared of any involvement, the sudden and violent death of the man leading the charge to find his missing daughter sent shockwaves through the community.
The investigation into Tommy Ballard's death quickly pointed towards something far more sinister than a hunting accident. His own gun had not been fired, ruling out suicide. The nature of the single, precise shot suggested a targeted act. For his family, there was no doubt that his murder was directly connected to his relentless search for answers in Crystal's disappearance. In the weeks leading up to his death, Tommy had told his wife, Sherry, that he felt he was being followed, fueling the family's belief that he was silenced because he was getting too close to the truth. The FBI became involved in the case, classifying it as a homicide and offering a reward for information.
Years went by with no arrests in Tommy's murder, but the investigation into his daughter's case began to yield significant developments. The primary suspect in Crystal's disappearance was her boyfriend at the time, Brooks Houck. During court proceedings related to Crystal's case, a stunning connection to Tommy's death was publicly revealed. The special prosecutor announced that investigators had recovered a rifle believed to be the weapon used to kill Tommy Ballard. The gun had been sold by Brooks Houck's brother, Nick Houck, a former Bardstown police officer, who had used a false name for the transaction. Ballistics testing reportedly matched the rifle on four out of five criteria to the bullet that killed Tommy.
While no one has been officially charged with the murder of Tommy Ballard, the prosecutor has stated that the investigation into Crystal Rogers' murder is also an investigation into her father's death. The Ballard family remains steadfast in their belief that the Houck family is responsible for silencing the man who would not give up looking for his daughter. Brooks Houck was eventually convicted of the murder of Crystal Rogers. However, the case of who pulled the trigger and ended Tommy Ballard's life on that cold November morning remains officially unsolved, leaving a grieving family still waiting for complete justice.
