A decades-old case in Tennessee is once again drawing national attention. More than 30 years after a 1995 killing shocked the Knoxville community, the state is preparing for what could become a rare execution involving a female inmate. Christa Gail Pike, now 49, remains the only woman on Tennessee’s death row. After the Tennessee Supreme Court allowed the state to proceed, the case has returned to public focus, raising broader questions about capital punishment in modern America.
The case began when Pike was 18 and enrolled in a Job Corps program near Knoxville. According to court records, tensions grew between Pike and fellow student Colleen Slemmer amid personal conflicts involving Pike’s boyfriend. Investigators concluded that Pike and two others arranged to meet Slemmer in a secluded area near campus. A violent confrontation followed, deeply disturbing the community and drawing intense media coverage at the time. The seriousness of the crime quickly made it one of the most closely followed cases in the state.
In 1996, Pike was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. One co-defendant received life in prison, while another was given a reduced sentence after cooperating with authorities. Over the years, the case has moved through multiple appeals, reflecting the lengthy and complex legal process typical in death penalty cases. Pike was also involved in a separate prison incident that added to her sentence.
An execution date is set for September 30, 2026, though further legal challenges remain. Her attorneys cite her traumatic upbringing and mental health struggles as reasons for reconsideration. If carried out, it would be the first execution of a woman in Tennessee in nearly 200 years, highlighting how rare such cases are.