Tennessee to Execute First Woman in Over 200 Years: The Chilling Case of Christa Gail Pike

Christa Gail Pike was only 18 years old when she committed one of Tennessee’s most brutal crimes. On January 12, 1995, Pike lured her 19-year-old classmate Colleen Slemmer to a wooded part of the University of Tennessee agricultural campus, together with two accomplices.

Over the course of an hour, prosecutors say, Pike stabbed, beat, and tortured Slemmer. During the attack, she carved a pentagram into Slemmer’s chest and allegedly crushed parts of her skull with a rock or piece of asphalt.

After the killing, Pike allegedly collected a fragment of Slemmer’s skull and showed it to classmates. She later boasted about the act, reportedly fighting off pleas from her victim to stop.

Conviction & Legal History

In 1996, Pike was tried, convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy, and sentenced to death. At the time, she was one of the youngest people in the U.S. to receive the death sentence. Pike’s boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, who was 17 at the time of the crime (thus ineligible for the death penalty), was sentenced to life in prison. A third accomplice, Shadolla Peterson, testified against Pike and received probation.

Pike has remained the only woman on Tennessee’s death row for decades. Her legal team has repeatedly petitioned for clemency or commutation, citing her age at the time, childhood abuse, and undiagnosed mental health conditions (including bipolar disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder).

Execution Date & Historical Significance

On October 1, 2025, the Tennessee Supreme Court officially scheduled Pike’s execution for September 30, 2026, to take place at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. The Department of Corrections must notify Pike by August 28, 2026, of which execution method will be used.

If carried out, Pike will become the first woman executed in Tennessee in over 200 years. The last recorded female execution in Tennessee dates back to the early 19th century.

Why Pike’s Accomplices Weren’t Executed

Although Pike was given the death penalty, her accomplices did not receive similar sentences. Shipp was only 17 at the time—under U.S. and Tennessee law, individuals under 18 are generally ineligible for the death penalty. As for Peterson, she cooperated with the prosecution and testified against Pike, which significantly reduced her sentence to probation.

The Debate: Youth, Remorse & Justice

In court filings and public statements, Pike’s legal team stresses that today’s laws and societal views might not condemn an 18-year-old to death. They point to her traumatic childhood, including abuse, neglect, and untreated mental conditions, as mitigating factors. They argue that she has evolved over the decades into a more remorseful person.

Prosecutors and victims’ advocates counter that the cruelty, planning, and brutality of the crime justify capital punishment. The particularly disturbing nature of the attack—torture, mutilation, and trophy collection—leaves little room for sympathy in their view.

Conclusion

Christa Gail Pike’s case stands at the intersection of youth, cruelty, rehabilitation, and capital justice. Her scheduled execution in 2026 would mark a historic first in Tennessee, reigniting debates around how the justice system treats offenders who commit violent crimes as minors.

As courts, lawmakers, and the public watch closely, the questions linger: should someone’s early life and mental condition alter how we punish them? Can decades of incarceration and remorse ever outweigh acts of extreme violence?

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