In her first interview since 2023, Sherry Ballard opens up about the silence that scared her, the testimony that broke her, and the guilty verdicts that finally brought justice for Crystal.

"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.

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I checked my notes before sitting down with Sherry Ballard, and I realized it had been about three years since we had recorded an interview on Crystal's case. Three years. Before that, we were doing interviews at least twice a year. Keeping Crystal's name in the public eye was important to Sherry, and important to me.

To be clear, we've talked plenty between then and now- phone calls, text messages, quick conversations in the courthouse halls- but it was hard for Sherry to go silent publicly.

So the first thing I asked was simple: How are you doing?

"I'm hanging in there. I'm trying," Sherry tells me with a smile.

A lot has changed since we last spoke on the record. Earlier this year, Brooks Houck-Crystal's boyfriend at the time of her disappearance in July 2015 and the man Sherry believed was responsible from day one- was convicted of her murder along with two co-defendants: Steven Lawson and his son, Joseph Lawson. Houck received a life sentence.

After a decade of fighting, of keeping Crystal's story alive through countless interviews and public pleas, Sherry finally has some measure of justice.

But getting here required sacrifices I know were incredibly difficult for her. We'll dive into that in a moment.

First, the community means everything to Sherry, and I know that giving them some closure was actually part of her reasoning for agreeing to do this interview with me. So I ask her what she wants them to know.

And this is when she gets emotional.

"This one always gets me," she says, her voice breaking. "I am where I'm at today because of all the support that I've had. Like I told you before, if I had to get up every morning and think no one supported me, I couldn't do it. I couldn't. All the encouragement I get from people when I see them, it helps me. It helps me to keep moving and keep this going. And knowing how friendly people are to me and just... I think they're rooting for me to get closure for this, and that helps me a lot. So I just want to thank them for that. They do more than they think they do."

Liberty Tax painted windows in support of Crystal right after the guilty verdict

She said she has strangers come up to her and tell her they're praying for her. They pick up her tab at restaurants. It's a daily thing for her... a gesture of love from the community she calls home.

"I don't go anywhere without someone coming up to me and congratulating me, or still saying, 'I'm praying for you and your family.' And just to know that... even with the Houcks out there running around, I still have all that support."

While she feels the love, it hasn't been an easy three years. Not in the least. One of the scarier moments for her was a request from Special Prosecutor Shane Young to stay silent.

For paid subscribers: The full interview with Sherry Ballard is now available in audio and video form! I know you all are busy and don't always have time to sit down and read, so I'm hoping this makes staying informed a little easier.

Whether you're driving, doing dishes, or just need a break from staring at screens, now you can listen instead. You can also WATCH the full interview at the bottom of this story. Check it out below and let me know what you think! If you prefer the read, just keep scrolling 😊