US state set to execute first woman in over 200 years – her horrific crime revealed

Tennessee Prepares to Execute First Woman in Over 200 Years

Tennessee is preparing to carry out a historic and rare execution: that of Christa Gail Pike, the only woman on the state’s death row. The Tennessee Supreme Court has approved moving forward with her death sentence, marking the first female execution in the state since 1820. Pike, now 49, will be executed on September 30, 2026, if all legal avenues are exhausted.

Pike was 18 when she committed the murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer on January 12, 1995, in a wooded area near the University of Tennessee’s agricultural campus in Knoxville. Both were students at the Knoxville Job Corps, a residential program for struggling young adults. Court records describe a brutal attack: Pike slashed Slemmer’s throat, struck her with a meat cleaver, carved a pentagram into her chest, and crushed her skull with a piece of asphalt. She reportedly kept a fragment of Slemmer’s skull as a trophy.

Following her conviction in 1996 for first-degree murder, Pike was sentenced to death. Her co-defendants received lesser sentences: Tadaryl Shipp, 17 at the time, was sentenced to life without parole, while Shadolla Peterson, who testified against Pike, received probation. Pike later attempted to strangle another inmate in 2004, adding 25 years to her sentence and reinforcing concerns about her continued danger.

Her legal team has fought for decades to overturn the death sentence, citing her age at the time of the crime, a history of severe childhood abuse, and psychological conditions including bipolar disorder and PTSD. They argue that Pike has shown remorse and personal growth over the years.

Supporters of the execution emphasize the brutality of Pike’s crime as justification for the sentence. Opponents counter that executing a woman for a crime committed as a teenager, particularly one shaped by lifelong abuse, raises ethical and moral concerns.

Tennessee’s death-penalty system itself has faced scrutiny. In 2022, Governor Bill Lee paused executions after the state failed to properly test lethal-injection protocols. Reforms and revised procedures allowed executions to resume in May 2025, reopening the path for Pike’s case.

If carried out, Pike will become only the fourth woman executed in Tennessee’s history. The case has drawn national attention for its combination of historic precedent, extreme violence, and complex questions about youth, trauma, and justice. Three decades after the crime, Tennessee is preparing to close a chapter that continues to stir debate and reflection on the state’s approach to capital punishment.