After over 30 years on death row, a date has been set for her execution

The state of Tennessee may soon carry out its first execution of a woman in more than two centuries after the Tennessee Supreme Court approved a request to move forward with the death sentence of Christa Gail Pike. Pike, now 49 and the only woman on Tennessee’s death row, was just 18 when she committed one of the state’s most infamous murders.

On January 12, 1995, Pike lured 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer into a wooded area near the University of Tennessee’s agricultural campus. Both were students in the Knoxville Job Corps program, but investigators later said Pike had become convinced that Slemmer was interested in her boyfriend, 17-year-old Tadaryl Shipp. Jealousy quickly escalated into a brutal, premeditated attack.

What followed was one of Tennessee’s most horrific crimes. Pike, along with Shipp and another acquaintance, subjected Slemmer to a prolonged and sadistic assault that lasted over 30 minutes. The victim was beaten, tortured, and ultimately killed. Shockingly, Pike kept a piece of Slemmer’s skull as a trophy and later showed it to classmates, bragging about what she had done.

The evidence against Pike was overwhelming. Witnesses testified about her behavior before and after the murder, and physical evidence linked her directly to the crime scene. In 1996, Pike was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. She became the youngest woman sentenced to death in the United States at that time.

For nearly three decades, Pike has remained on death row while her case moved through numerous appeals. Her attorneys have argued various points, including claims of mental illness and inadequate legal representation during her original trial. However, the Tennessee Supreme Court recently cleared the way for the execution to proceed, marking a significant moment in the state’s criminal justice history.

If carried out, Pike’s execution would be Tennessee’s first of a woman since the early 1800s. The case continues to draw national attention, raising questions about capital punishment, juvenile offenders (given her age at the time), and the nature of justice for victims and their families. As the execution date approaches, debate intensifies over whether the death penalty serves justice or perpetuates tragedy.