Podcast Summary: Two Ts in a Pod – The Andrea Canning Interview

Podcast: Two Ts in a Pod with Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Episode: The Andrea Canning Interview
Date: November 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation with Andrea Canning, acclaimed Dateline reporter, examining the Crystal Rogers disappearance case and broader themes in true crime reporting. The hosts revisit the Rogers investigation, discuss the complexities of circumstantial evidence, and invite Canning to provide her seasoned journalist’s perspective on this case and others, delving into the intersection of crime, community, and media interpretation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Crystal Rogers Case: Timeline & Investigative Hurdles

[02:28–28:49]

• Crystal Rogers, 35, mother of five from Bardstown, KY, disappeared July 3, 2015. Last seen with boyfriend Brooks Hauck at the family farm.
• On July 5, Rogers' car was found abandoned with a low tire, keys, purse, and phone inside.
  • Emily: "She would never have left her car like that because the tire...wasn't completely flat. It was low." (07:00)
• Suspicion grew due to Brooks Hauck's lack of concern and inconsistent timeline.
  • Shane: "He doesn't seem too concerned when he wakes up and she's not there." (06:09)
  • He was questioned but evasive, and during police questioning, accepted a call from his brother Nick Hauck—a police officer—who was suspected of interfering with the investigation.
• Crystal’s father, Tommy Ballard, became a determined investigator; he was fatally shot in 2016, in what is widely believed to be connected to Crystal’s disappearance.
  • Emily: “He became an investigator himself. He spent every single day investigating what happened to her.” (12:23)
• Bardstown has a history of unsolved high-profile cases, including the prior murder of police officer Jason Ellis, with suspected links to the Rogers coverup.

2. Evidence and Prosecution Challenges

[19:32–29:39]

• FBI became involved in 2020, conducting targeted searches at the Hauck properties and new constructions.
• Significant circumstantial evidence emerged, including:
  • Testimony suggesting a $50,000 payment for Crystal’s murder.
  • New evidence (e.g., a suspicious blanket in a police vehicle, covert family conversations).
  • Substantial, but not definitive, physical evidence: “There’s no smoking gun in this case.” (29:34)
• Three major indictments: Brooks Hauck (convicted for murder and tampering with evidence, life sentence), Steve Lawson (conspiracy, guilty), and Joseph Lawson (moving evidence/vehicle, 25-year sentence).
• The court ruled for separate trials, moving proceedings out of the original county due to local influence and publicity.

3. Community, Family, and the Challenge of Closure

[35:47–37:10]—Andrea Canning Interview Starts

• Crystal’s remains have never been found.
• Canning emphasizes how the family remains convinced Brooks Hauck and others know the location, but refuse to share information even at sentencing.
  • Andrea: “During sentencing was like, ‘Tell me where my daughter is.’ And they just, you know, crickets, like, they just will not say.” (36:07)
• Rumors in the community suggest various disposal methods, but none substantiated. Investigators and the FBI believe Crystal could be "anywhere" due to the family’s extensive properties.

4. Are the Crimes Connected?

[38:08–41:59]

• Discussion moves to the suspicious deaths of Crystal's father Tommy and officer Jason Ellis. The community is convinced they’re related.
  • Andrea: “If you talk to a lot of people in the community and use common sense...the majority of the community believes that they're connected.” (38:19)
• Official law enforcement has not confirmed a connection but acknowledges community suspicion.

5. True Crime Media, Investigative Journalism & Notable Cases

[42:19–67:39]

• Canning shares her approach to storytelling and the challenges of reporting on unresolved or highly circumstantial cases.
• The hosts and Canning discuss the Karen Read trial:
  • Media’s tendency to shift public opinion.
  • Reasonable doubt as a realistic barrier to convictions even when common sense might suggest otherwise.
  • Andrea: “When you start going down that rabbit hole...you’re like, maybe she didn’t, maybe she did…” (44:41)
• Other cases touched upon:
  • Delphi (Liberty German and Abigail Williams) murders—Canning participated in field reporting, expressing skepticism about some elements of prosecution and the investigative missteps.
    • Andrea: “When you stand there and you look at that bridge...it is terrifying.” (55:25)
  • Ellen Greenberg “suicide”—debates over likelihood of the self-inflicted wounds.
    • Andrea: “How do you stab yourself herself that many times and behind your head?” (63:13)
  • Sandra Birchmore case—another suspicious apparent suicide with law enforcement involved as suspect and Canning’s reporting role.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Suspicion of Brooks Hauck:
  Emily: “First thing, anytime some boyfriend or husband just says, I don’t know, she just vanished...That right there is a huge red.” (06:14)
• Police Interference:
  Shane: “He’s accused of warning Brooks not to speak to police and he is later fired from the Bardstown Police Department for interfering in the investigation.” (11:22)
• Family’s Unresolved Pain:
  Andrea Canning: “That was the one thing, you know, during sentencing was like, ‘Tell me where my daughter is.’ And they just, you know, crickets...” (36:07)
• On Community Theory of Linked Crimes:
  Andrea Canning: “Common sense...the majority of the community believes that they're connected.” (38:19)
• On Reporting & True Crime Fascination:
  Andrea Canning: “I did this appearance...They asked...Did you...Actually, to the point where my dad found this book that I had written at 8 years old...that was called Murder Mystery, and there was a knife dripping blood...” (34:12)
• On the Karen Read Case:
  Andrea Canning: “So it’s kind of one of those ones where, like, you understand why the family feels the way they do...and then you understand why all these supporters think she didn’t do it.” (45:16)
• Regarding Her Dream Interview:
  Andrea Canning: “I used to want to interview O.J. and I wrote him for 10 years in prison. And he called me right after he got out...I wasn’t expecting that one.” (58:22)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Case Timeline & Background:
  [02:28–13:44] — Origin, relationships, disappearance, and initial police investigation
• Tommy Ballard’s Investigation & Death:
  [12:23–15:12]
• Police/Evidence Issues & Indictments:
  [19:32–26:38] — FBI involvement, property searches, co-conspirator information
• Trial Outcomes & Sentencing:
  [26:38–29:44]
• Andrea Canning Interview & Insights:
  [32:48–68:21]
  • [35:47] — Family’s anguish and the search for Crystal
  • [38:08] — Are the Bardstown deaths connected?
  • [42:19] — Canning on journalism ethics and notable cases (Karen Read, Delphi, Ellen Greenberg, Sandra Birchmore)
• Broader True Crime Reflections & Canning’s Career:
  [58:21–62:45]

The Tone

The podcast flows between measured, methodical case breakdowns and lively, personable exchanges. The hosts and Andrea blend empathy and lived realness—using phrases like “common sense,” “red flag,” and “bizarre”—with the structural rigors of investigative work and legal process. They seamlessly inject humor and asides, especially when swapping stories from real life and the world of reality TV, making the dense subject matter accessible and engaging.

Summary for New Listeners

This enhanced episode of Two Ts in a Pod is an essential listen for true crime fans seeking an accessible yet authoritative deep dive into one of Kentucky’s most disturbing unsolved mysteries. The hosts expertly walk listeners through the Rogers case, then hand off to Andrea Canning, who gives a practiced reporter’s viewpoint and draws connections across true crime’s most perplexing cases. With quotes, memorable stories, and professional insights, this episode illuminates both the emotional and procedural complexities that consume families and communities long after a news cycle has ended.