Christa Pike Awake and Talking: Death Row Inmate 'Receiving Critical Care' After Surviving Botched Execution
Christa Pike's execution was scheduled for September 30.
Oct. 6 2026, Published 5:34 p.m. ET
Death row inmate Christa Pike has woken up in the hospital days after her botched execution, RadarOnline.com has learned.
On September 30, officials attempted to carry out the convicted killer's death sentence for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer, but she remained alive after two lethal injections of pentobarbital.
Christa Pike's Lawyers Speak Out
Christa Pike survived two lethal injections.
Pike, 50, had been intubated and unconscious for nearly a week, but on Tuesday, October 6, her lawyers told TMZ that she was awake and still receiving "critical care."
They further claimed that she'd sustained "severe damage to her arms" during the lethal injection procedure.
Despite Pike waking up and being able to talk, it's unclear whether she will recover from the failed execution. She is reportedly still handcuffed to her hospital bed at this time.
"Christa Pike remains hospitalized at the Nashville-area facility where she was transported by emergency services on September 30," Tennessee Department of Correction Communications Director Dorinda Carter said. "Federal privacy laws prevent TDOC from sharing or confirming her medical information."
Christa Pike's Failed Execution Detailed
Christa Pike experienced a severe 'burning' sensation during her execution attempt.
As Radar previously reported, Pike's legal team filed an appeal that warned a health issue the 50-year-old suffered could make IV placement difficult and lead to a "prolonged and agonizing" death.
The appeals were denied, and after a brief stay, her execution was attempted on the evening of September 30.
According to witnesses, she did not immediately lose consciousness during the procedure. At one point, she asked the doctor present whether it was normal to feel a strong "burning" sensation in her arm that made it feel like it would "bust." She was also later heard "snoring."
The execution was stopped, and she was taken to the hospital.
'Worst' Botched Execution
Christa Pike was convicted of murdering 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer.
"Tonight the State of Tennessee once again failed to carry out a lawful execution," a statement from her legal team read. "We take no pleasure in being right, but the concerns raised by Ms. Pike proved to be true: difficult vein access, blown veins, degraded pentobarbital, no emergency medical care available when things inevitably go wrong, all under a protocol that remains veiled in secrecy."
As details on the failed execution circulated, Robin Maher, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said there was "no precedent" for the situation.
"This event is the worst we've seen and unlike any other botched execution in the modern era," she said.
All Tennessee Executions Paused for 2026
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Christa Pike would have been the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years.
Pike's was the second botched execution in Tennessee this year.
Following the two incidents, Governor Bill Lee announced that all pending executions would be temporarily halted for the remainder of 2026 as they investigated what went wrong.
"Carrying out a lawfully imposed sentence is among the State's most serious responsibilities, and the people of Tennessee expect it to be done in a manner that is not only legal and constitutional, but is effective," he said in a statement. "I have ordered a comprehensive, third-party review to determine exactly what occurred."
Her attorneys have since called for her death sentence to be commuted.
