Sex Offender Set for Early Release After Conviction

A Harrowing Case Revisited

Seventeen years ago, a case that shocked the community was reported by WAVE News. At the time, law enforcement described it as one of the most gruesome attacks they had ever encountered. Now, the perpetrator, who was convicted of rape and other serious crimes, is set to be released from prison after serving 17 years of a 20-year sentence. This has sparked concern among the victim’s family, who learned about the early release through a Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) alert.

In June 2009, Ernest Pine pleaded guilty to several charges, including first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, attempted murder, burglary, second-degree assault, and criminal mischief. He received a 20-year sentence for the 2007 attack on his neighbor in Hardinsburg. According to court records, Pine cut the victim's throat, raped her, and sodomized her. During the attack, the victim pretended to be dead in an attempt to make Pine leave.

Pine has now served 17 years of his sentence, and his release date is set for August 19. On Wednesday, Pine appeared before a Breckinridge County judge, who issued a ruling that he must have no contact with the victim or her family upon release. The victim’s husband, referred to as “Sam” in interviews with WAVE News, expressed his frustration with the situation. He noted that Pine’s behavior in prison, which included acting like a "good Samaritan," led to his sentence being reduced.

“We don’t feel that this is correct,” Sam said. “It’s a very heinous crime.” While Sam acknowledges that there is little he can do about the judicial system’s decisions, he is deeply troubled by the similarities between Pine’s case and another unsolved case from 1992 involving Elena Sanchez Hawkins, a 29-year-old mother of two who was raped and killed.

Between 2007 and 2009, WAVE News asked investigators and the Kentucky State Police about the connections between the two cases. An officer at the time mentioned that there were similarities, including the use of a knife and severe lacerations. The officer also noted that several members of the community had contacted authorities, expressing concerns about potential links. However, the investigation into the Hawkins case remains open and unsolved.

Sam hopes that the renewed attention on Pine will lead to new developments in the investigation of the Hawkins case. WAVE News recently reached out to the Kentucky State Police regarding the case, and they confirmed that it is still under active investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact KSP Post 4.

The recent court appearance marked the first time that Sam and his family had seen Pine since his conviction. Despite the passage of time, the family is left with the same unanswered question: why?

“He lived two houses down from us at Rough River Lake,” Sam recalled. “There was no reasoning, no harsh words, nothing; all he and his wife ever did was walk their dogs, and we spoke, that was it.” The sense of confusion and pain continues to linger, as the family grapples with the reality of their loss and the uncertainty surrounding the fate of the man responsible.