Doctor Who Oversaw Christa Pike's Botched Lethal Injection Was Behind Another Failed Execution Just Months Earlier
Christa Pike's botched lethal injection was eerily similar to a similar mishap in May.
Oct. 1 2026, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
The same Tennessee doctor who oversaw Christa Pike's failed lethal injection was also at the center of another botched execution earlier this year, RadarOnline.com has learned.
And just like in Pike's case, the attempted May execution of Tony Carruthers was abandoned after medical staff failed to establish proper IV access.
Tony Carruthers' Failed Execution
Pike was scheduled to be the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years.
As Radar reported, Pike is currently in critical condition and receiving "life-saving care" in a Nashville hospital after two lethal injections of a drug failed to kill her.
It was an outcome she feared, especially following convicted killer Carruthers' failed execution, which saw medical personnel spend more than an hour unsuccessfully establishing the IV access required for lethal injection.
In both cases, the physician overseeing the procedures was Dr. Mark Fowler.
Carruthers, 57, was scheduled to be executed at the same Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville on May 21. However, after the execution team established the primary IV line, it "could not find another suitable vein for a backup line, which is required under the state’s lethal injection protocol," according to the Tennessee Department of Correction.
His lawyer told reporters she saw Carruthers "wincing and groaning" as the execution team tried his left arm, left hand, and left foot and then attempted to establish a central line, which also failed. She said it was "horrible" to watch.
"There was a lot of blood," the lawyer said.
Tony Carruthers experienced complications during his lethal injection procedure.
Carruthers' sister filed a complaint against Fowler with the Tennessee Department of Health, claiming he suffered excruciating pain and partial paralysis from a stroke as a result of the botched execution.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee ultimately granted Carruthers a one-year reprieve, something Pike was not given, even after her lawyers explained she, much like Carruthers, has a "rare blood disorder" that could complicate IV placement and lead to a "prolonged and agonizing" death.
Pike's fears were realized on Wednesday, Sept. 30, when the 50-year-old allegedly did not lose consciousness during the execution attempt and still had a heartbeat. Witnesses said they could hear her breathing and snoring on the medical gurney.
Christa Pike's Nightmare Realized
Pike and Carruthers' attempted executions were both overseen by Dr. Mark Fowler.
At a Thursday, October 1, briefing, Pike's lawyers went into detail about her harrowing ordeal, revealing that doctors searched for a proper IV line for more than an hour to administer lethal doses of the drug pentobarbital.
Her attorneys shared that they noticed at least "seven needles" being inserted into her left arm, as doctors worked to find a suitable vein. One of the needles reportedly "bent" as it was pulled out of Pike's arm.
Pike also allegedly had visible blistering around the site of injection, according to her attorney.
At one point, she raised her head and described a "burning spot in her arm that felt like it was going to burst," according to witnesses. She asked whether that was normal and whether her arm was supposed to feel that way.
Christa Pike's Attorneys Blame the State
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Witnesses reported hearing Pike breath and snore on the medical gurney.
Late Wednesday night, Pike's attorneys released a statement blasting the flawed operation.
"Tonight the State of Tennessee once again failed to carry out a lawful execution," the statement 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."
However, the Tennessee Department of Correction, which handled the failed execution, insists it did everything right.
"The Tennessee Department of Correction followed every step of the State’s lawful, established execution protocol approved by the Attorney General’s Office," said a statement from TDOC spokesperson Dorinda Carter.
"The lethal injection chemical in the protocol has consistently been effective, and the protocol does not allow for additional procedures beyond what was carried out this evening."
