Christa Pike's Last-Ditch Bid to Halt Execution Denied — With Days to Go Before Her Death Sentence Is Carried Out
Pike will be executed by lethal injection.
Sept. 28 2026, Published 5:24 p.m. ET
The Tennessee Supreme Court refused to delay the execution of Christa Pike, who is scheduled to die September 30 for the murder of Colleen Slemmer, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Pike's attorney filed a petition arguing that his client's scheduled death by lethal injection is legally cruel and unusual punishment.
Reminders of Childhood
Pike is set to be executed on Wednesday,
Per WATE 6, her lawyer argued that her thrombocytosis – a blood condition that causes an abnormally high platelet count – could make Pike's execution torturous for her.
The petition further states that being strapped down during her execution, alongside being monitored by male correctional officers, would be distressing for the convicted murderer. The filing alleged this is due to sexual violence she underwent in her childhood and diagnosed PTSD.
The prison where Pike is incarcerated had already said they'd make accommodations for the 50-year-old.
Only female correctional officers will take Pike to the capital punishment unit at least a day before her scheduled death. Additionally, the prison agreed to try and assure the inmate is monitored only by female officials.
The 50-year-old will further be the only inmate in the capital punishment unit and will be allowed to meet with a religious advisor up to 12 hours prior to her execution. If Pike still desires, the advisor can be present during her death too.
The Supreme Court's Response
Pike requested to be executed by hanging.
Regarding Pike’s thrombocytosis, the Tennessee Supreme Court sided with the state, which argued there’s been no demonstrated evidence that Pike’s condition will cause undue suffering during her execution.
The inmate's lawyer has previously filed multiple petitions making this argument. In one of them, Pike requested to be put to death by hanging instead of lethal injection, which was rejected.
Yet, despite the 50-year-old's death being scheduled to occur this week, her lawyer has indicated he plans to continue filing appeals to stop her execution.
Christa Pike's Brutal Crime
Pike will be put to death by lethal injection for Colleen Slemmer's murder.
Pike is to be executed for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer.
On January 12, the then-18-year-old Pike, along with her boyfriend, lured Slemmer into the woods.
Once they were there, Pike beat Slemmer and threw asphalt at her. She also reportedly slit her victim's throat and carved a pentagram into Slemmer's chest and forehead.
During the investigation, detectives uncovered that Pike kept part of her victim's skull as a trophy.
She also didn't appear remorseful for the murder at the time. Court documents claimed that following the killing, Pike told her friend about what she did while grinning, dancing, and singing. The convicted killer even told her friend about the skull she kept as a prize.
The next year, Pike was sentenced to death for the crime.
She'll be the first woman to be executed in Tennessee in roughly 200 years.
Prison Behavior
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Pike attempted to strangle another inmate.
The convicted killer did not become a model inmate when she entered prison.
In 2001, she and another woman attempted to strangle a fellow inmate to death with a shoestring.
Three years later, she was convicted of attempted first-degree murder and was given an additional 25 years alongside her death sentence.
