COXS CREEK, Ky. — A large-scale excavation led by multiple law enforcement agencies took place in Nelson County on Wednesday, with connections to at least one of the high-profile unsolved cases that have captivated the community.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Kentucky State Police (KSP) focused their efforts on a wooded area off Thompson Hill Road in Coxs Creek, near the Nelson and Bullitt County line. Special Prosecutor Shane Young revealed that this search was related to one of the three unsolved murders in Bardstown, which include the cases of ambushed police officer Jason Ellis, missing mother of five Crystal Rogers, and her father, Tommy Ballard, who was shot and killed on a hunting trip.
Authorities have kept this latest dig under the radar for days, with neighbors first spotting police vehicles and construction equipment on the site three days ago. The Ballard family expressed hope that investigators would make an important connection at the property. The Ells family also expressed hope that this property might hold ties to his case.
Rogers disappeared in 2015, and although her remains have never been found, she has been presumed dead for years. Two men have been charged in Rogers’ case, with her ex-boyfriend Brooks Houck being the main suspect in her disappearance. Additionally, her father, Tommy Ballard, was fatally shot during a hunting trip a year after Crystal’s disappearance. Similarly, Bardstown Police officer Jason Ellis was shot and killed in an ambush-style attack in 2013.
It’s believed that answers in one Bardstown case could lead to answers in others, according to an interview with the FBI’s Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Jones. The investigation continues, and authorities have not specified how many more days they plan to work at the property. Neighbors noted that KSP troopers have not left the site unattended, indicating that the latest search may be over.