Tennessee Executes Christa Pike, First Woman in 200 Years, for 1995 Murder

Tennessee executed Christa Pike on Wednesday, marking the first time in more than two centuries that a woman has been put to death in the state. Pike, 50, received a lethal injection at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville for the 1995 torture and murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. Pike was 18 when she and accomplices lured Slemmer to an isolated area near the University of Tennessee campus, driven by a jealous rage. Prosecutors stated Slemmer was beaten, kicked, and slashed for about 30 minutes before Pike delivered fatal blows to her head with a piece of asphalt. During the assault, one of the accomplices carved a pentagram into Slemmer's chest. Pike was convicted of the murder in 1996 and became the youngest woman sentenced to death in the United States. Her execution was scheduled for 10 a.m. CT.

In the hours leading up to the execution, Slemmer's mother, May Martinez, traveled to Tennessee to witness Pike's death. A GoFundMe campaign was established to help cover Martinez's travel expenses. "They truly cannot believe how many people have stepped up, donated, shared, prayed, and simply shown that they care. They are beyond grateful for every single one of you," the fundraiser stated on Sunday, adding, "You helped make sure they could be there for Colleen. And that means more than words can say." Pike had filed a lawsuit challenging the method of execution, arguing that lethal injection violated her religious beliefs as a Buddhist. The legal challenge was unsuccessful, and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee rejected her request for clemency. Pike's legal team had also raised concerns about the execution method, citing a rare blood disorder that they claimed could make lethal injection painful and prolonged. They had reportedly requested alternative methods, including a firing squad and hanging, and asked for an all-female execution team due to Pike's past trauma involving men.