On Sunday, September 27, 2026, people protested against the death penalty in Nashville, Tennessee. This demonstration was in anticipation of the scheduled execution of Christa Pike, set for September 30. Pike, aged 50, may become the first woman executed in Tennessee in 200 years.
Christa Pike was 18 when she and her boyfriend killed their classmate, Colleen Slemmer, at Knoxville Job Corps in 1995. Prosecutors stated that Pike’s jealousy led her to lure Slemmer to a secluded spot where they tortured and killed her. The case drew significant attention due to the crime’s brutality, the age of those involved, and a satanic symbol carved into Slemmer’s body.
Pike’s Legal Battle
Pike does not contest her guilt, but her legal team argues that her death sentence is unjust given her young age, untreated mental illness, and history of severe abuse. The attorneys highlighted her traumatic childhood and claimed her trial jury did not learn critical details about her past. Moreover, she suffers from bipolar disorder and PTSD.
“I was a mentally ill 18-year-old kid… I took the life of someone’s child, sister, friend. It sickens me now to think I had the ability to commit such a crime,”
Pike said in a statement seeking clemency.
Assistant Federal Defender Stephen Ferrell emphasized that today’s understanding of adolescent brain development may not have warranted a death sentence if Pike were tried under current standards. Pike’s boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, was sentenced to life with possible parole—he was denied parole last year—while another accomplice received probation.
Victim’s Family Seeks Justice
May Martinez, the victim’s mother, believes Pike’s execution should proceed as planned. She recounted Slemmer’s personality as kind and trusting, revealing her daughter’s passion for computers and volunteer work with the Special Olympics. Martinez expressed enduring sorrow for her daughter’s unfulfilled potential.
Martinez reflected on the night of the murder, recalling a cut-off phone call from Slemmer. This incomplete call haunts her, highlighting the pain Slemmer endured during the attack.
Rare Executions of Women
Executing women is unusual in Tennessee and the U.S. Since 1976, 18 women have been executed nationwide, making up about 1% of all executions. Recent examples include Missouri’s execution of Amber McLaughlin in 2023 and the federal government’s execution of Lisa Montgomery in 2021. Georgia executed a woman in 2015.
The Death Penalty Information Center notes the declining death sentences for young offenders, asserting that cases like Pike’s may receive different penalties today.