NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Christa Pike, now 50, is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday, which would mark the first execution of a woman in Tennessee in two centuries. Pike was 18 when she was convicted in the 1995 killing of her 19-year-old classmate, Colleen Slemmer.
Prosecutors stated that Pike and her boyfriend lured Slemmer to a secluded area, where they tortured and killed her. The case drew significant attention due to its brutality, the young ages of those involved, and the carving of a satanic symbol into the victim's body.
Pike does not dispute her guilt, but her legal team and supporters contend that a death sentence is inappropriate for a crime committed by a teenager with untreated mental illness and a history of severe abuse and neglect. Slemmer's mother, however, wishes for the execution to proceed, stating she has waited decades for justice.
Plea for Clemency Cites Traumatic Past
Pike's attorneys highlighted her deeply traumatic childhood, including documented sexual abuse from a young age and a rape at age 17. They argue that her defense attorneys at the time of her trial did not adequately present evidence of her past or argue that her age should be a mitigating factor. Pike was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
In her clemency petition, Pike described herself as a "mentally ill 18-year-old kid" who took years to grasp the gravity of her actions and the impact on others. Her attorneys emphasized that current understanding of adolescent brain development suggests her death sentence is an outlier. They noted that her boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, who was 17 at the time of the murder, received a life sentence with the possibility of parole due to his age, and a third teen involved received probation for accessory charges.
The Death Penalty Information Center reported that while 275 individuals nationwide have been executed for crimes committed at ages 18-20 in the modern era, death sentences for this age group have become increasingly rare. Robin M. Maher, executive director of the center, stated that a jury today, aware of Pike's documented history of abuse and neglect, might not have imposed a death sentence.
Victim's Mother Seeks Execution to Proceed
Colleen Slemmer's mother, May Martinez, expressed that her daughter, who was 19 at the time of her death, never had the chance to grow up. Martinez recalled her daughter's involvement in the Special Olympics and her aspiration to work in computers, describing her as trusting and easygoing.
Martinez indicated that her daughter called her from Job Corps on the night of the murder, but the call was interrupted. When Martinez attempted to call back, her daughter had already left. Martinez stated that she thinks about Colleen daily, with holidays and her daughter's birthday being particularly difficult.
The murder of Slemmer significantly impacted the Knoxville community. Prosecutors detailed that Pike used a box cutter and an asphalt chunk in the attack. The presence of a carved pentagram on Slemmer's body fueled public fears of Satan worship during the 1980s and 1990s.
Rarity of Female Executions
Should Pike's execution occur, it would be Tennessee's first execution of a woman since 1820. Nationwide, executions of female inmates are infrequent, accounting for approximately 1% of all executions since 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. In recent years, Missouri executed Amber McLaughlin in 2023, and the federal government executed Lisa Montgomery in 2021. Georgia executed a woman in 2015.