Tommy Ballard's family hopes forensic advances will bring justice. They know they need something to crack the case.


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For the last two years, Tommy Ballard's murder investigation seemed to take a backseat. One he would approve of. While his daughter Crystal Rogers' case dominated headlines, moving through arrests, trials, and ultimately convictions, there were fewer questions about Tommy's.

But with Brooks Houck, Steve Lawson, and his son Joseph Lawson convicted in Crystal's death, the focus is shifting back to the hunting property that backs up to the Bluegrass Parkway, where Tommy was shot and killed on November 19, 2016.

The timing feels significant. The attention, the resources, the determination that finally brought Crystal's killers to justice- all of it could now turn toward Tommy's case.

But there's a catch.

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By Shay McAlister 5 min read