BARDSTOWN, Ky. — Two of the three defendants in the Crystal Rogers’ case appeared in Nelson County court Friday.

Judge Charles Simms will determine the location for the murder trial. It will either be Warren or Christian Counties.

The trial is expected to start early February and lawyers for each of the three defendants are preparing their arguments.

Through the new lawyers, Steven Lawson told Judge Simms he would like to exclude five interviews he gave to police in 2023.

“At this time, we are not going to be waiving the (Kentucky Rule of Evidence) 410 issue. So we are going to ask the Court to comply with your court order, which was dated 7/3/2024 and we’re not looking to waive anything under 410,” Wolff said in court.

“So I’m assuming he wants to keep all that out,” said Judge Simms.

“That is right. The order that you may have excluded certain interviews and we are we are electing to exclude those as well,” Wolff said.

However, the court ruled to include Lawson’s grand jury testimonies.

There’s another pending decision to be made before the trial. Judge Simms will rule on whether to consolidate the cases.

The court also ordered for Steve Lawson’s former lawyer Ted Lavit to turn the full file to Wolff and his co-counsel Zach Buckler, an issue brought forward to the judge.

Steven and his son, Joseph Lawson, are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence. A third defendant, Rogers’ former boyfriend Brooks Houck, is charged with murder.

Another hearing is scheduled for Oct. 25.

Rogers, a 35-year-old mother of five, disappeared in July 2015 and is presumed dead. Her car was found abandoned on the bluegrass parkway, and her body has never been found.