LEBANON, Ky. — Three men have been charged in relation to the 2015 death of Crystal Rogers, with the latest arrest happening last week.
Stephen Lawson is the third person to be arrested for his alleged involvement in the case, according to his attorney Theodore Lavit.
Lawson is charged with criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tapering with physical evidence.
“He (Lawson) claims, and he has stated that he would not hurt Crystal,” Lavit told Spectrum News 1 Wednesday.
Lavit says his client was not involved with Rogers’ death or disappearance.
Lavit does, however, shine a light on a pivotal piece of the case. Rogers’ red sedan was found on the Bluegrass Parkway with her keys, phone and purse still inside.
Here is how he believes it got there.
“As I understand it, (Joseph) Lawson drove that vehicle and got as far as west on mile marker 14,” Lavit explained. “I think that’s correct, and had a flat tire and called his dad, said he needed some help. His dad came out there and picked him up, brought him back to Bardstown, dropped him off.”
Joseph Lawson was arrested in September, and Stephen Lawson is his father.
Both are facing the same charges.
Prosecutors unsealed the indictment in Stephen Lawson’s case last week. It shows grand jury charges for tapering with physical evidence were filed back in May, but he was not arrested until earlier this month.
According to Lavit, Lawson had been providing information about the case to investigators in exchange for transactional immunity, meaning he would not be prosecuted.
But that agreement has fallen apart. It’s unclear at this time why.
“Well, I’ve been I’ve been down that road before and we’re going to have to deal with it,” Lavit said.
Lavit adds that cooperation between Lawson and law enforcement happened primarily in the last year.
Stephen Lawson will be arraigned in Nelson County on Dec. 21.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Shane Young, who’s been appointed special prosecutor over the high-profile Nelson County murder cases, tells Spectrum News 1 his office will make no further statements while those cases are active.