On March 27, 2025, the Adair Juvenile Detention Center conducted a routine search of juveniles’ living units where letters and explicit material were found in a male juvenile’s possession sent by an Adair County School teacher assigned to the facility. The detention center immediately confiscated the material and contacted KSP Post 15.

KSP Detectives discovered evidence that Elena Bardin solicited a male juvenile to kill her husband. Evidence also revealed that Ms. Bardin had subjected the juvenile to illegal sexual contact and provided him with sexually explicit images of herself.

On April 2, 2025, Kentucky State Police arrested Ms. Bardin and lodged her in the Adair County Regional Jail for Murder (Solicitation), Distribution of Obscene Matter to a Minor, and Sex Abuse.

Bardin's trial was held last week in Adair County. Prosecutors alleged Bardin discussed with the teen inmate her desire to have her husband murdered by him or one of his friends. She reportedly wanted out of her marriage, but did not want to split the marital assets or share custody of the couple’s daughter.

Ms. Bardin’s attorney argued that any comments she made about killing her husband were only jokes and were not taken seriously.

Alena Bardin will be sentenced on November 13, 2025 in Adair Circuit Court. The Jury has recommended a total of 14 years in prison with the sentences to run consecutively.