Incarcerated since May 3, 2023, for the murder of 59-year-old Hopkinsville woman Dolores Hernandez, Earl Guillemet exited mediation and entered a guilty plea Monday afternoon in Christian County Circuit Court.
Waiving his rights to a pre-sentence investigation and parole denied, Judge John Atkins ordered him to serve 25 years consecutively on three separate charges — charges explained by Commonwealth’s Attorney Maureen Leamy.
Defense Attorney Ramon McGee said tampering with physical evidence and convicted felon in possession of a firearm were Class D felonies, and therefore probation eligible.
However, as part of this mediation agreement, the defense did not request the chance at reprieve.
Furthermore, McGee and Leamy both confirmed that there is “no impediment” from these efforts in consideration of Guillemet’s Kentucky Psychiatric Correctional Center evaluation, and McGee further noted that the nature of this case didn’t yield many chances at early release.
As such, Atkins noted that all victim impact statements would be forwarded to Guillemet’s file, where a surviving daughter of Hernandez, or anyone closely related, can make closing notes.
McGee also asked the court to allow Guillemet a furlough before reporting for prison, in order to tie up things with his family.
Leamy cautioned Guillemet was a potential threat to others and a flight risk, and Atkins agreed — but did offer this middle ground for future consideration.
Discussions of mediation in this case first started welling in spring 2024, when reports from KCPC started returning, and police officials were able to gather security camera footage from the 300 block of East 18th Street and the surrounding area, as well as some information from witnesses that identified a silver truck leaving the scene after the shooting.
Other information given to police included the description of a Black man with gray facial hair walking toward the victim’s home just before the incident.
A trial was scheduled to begin next week.
