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Christa Pike is an American woman who has spent nearly three decades on Tennessee’s death row after her conviction for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer. She received the death penalty at age 18, making her one of the youngest women sentenced to death in the modern United States. As of September 2026, Tennessee has scheduled her execution for September 30, 2026.
Pike’s case has returned to national attention because her execution date approaches while her lawyers seek clemency. Her defense team has highlighted her age, documented childhood abuse and mental-health history as reasons to commute her sentence. Tennessee courts have rejected previous efforts to overturn or commute the sentence, although her legal team continues to pursue available remedies.
Christa Pike Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Christa Gail Pike |
| Date of birth | March 10, 1976 |
| Age in 2026 | 50 |
| Birthplace | Beckley, West Virginia |
| Nationality | American |
| Conviction | First-degree murder |
| Victim | Colleen Slemmer |
| Crime year | 1995 |
| Sentence | Death |
| Death row | Tennessee |
| Execution date | September 30, 2026 |
| Scheduled time | 10:00 a.m. CDT |
| Execution location | Riverbend Maximum Security Institution |
Tennessee’s Department of Correction lists Pike’s date of birth as March 10, 1976. The agency also identifies her as the only woman currently serving a death sentence in Tennessee.
Who Is Christa Pike?
Christa Gail Pike was born in 1976 and later lived in Tennessee. As a teenager, she entered the Job Corps program in Knoxville, where she met Colleen Slemmer and Tadaryl Shipp. The relationships among the young people later became central to the murder investigation and prosecution.
On January 12, 1995, Pike, Shipp and another young woman took Slemmer to an isolated area near the University of Tennessee’s agricultural campus. Prosecutors said Pike and Shipp attacked Slemmer and killed her. The crime involved severe physical violence, and investigators later recovered evidence connecting Pike to the killing.
The Murder of Colleen Slemmer
Slemmer was 19 when she died. Prosecutors presented the killing as a planned attack connected partly to Pike’s relationship with Shipp and Pike’s belief that Slemmer posed a threat to that relationship. The prosecution also presented evidence concerning the brutal treatment Slemmer suffered before her death.
The case received intense attention because investigators found a pentagram carved into Slemmer’s chest. Court records later addressed conflicting accounts about who performed that act, making it important not to attribute every detail of the crime to Pike without qualification.
A Tennessee jury convicted Pike of first-degree murder and imposed the death penalty in March 1996. She was 20 when the court formally sentenced her, but she was 18 when she committed the murder.
Why Was Christa Pike Sentenced to Death?
Pike’s case has attracted renewed attention because she committed the crime shortly after turning 18. Her lawyers argue that her age and developmental maturity should have received greater consideration when the jury decided her punishment. They have also presented evidence about extensive childhood abuse, neglect and mental-health problems.
Her defense team says she experienced repeated sexual abuse and other trauma during childhood. They also say doctors later diagnosed her with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. These details form part of her current clemency argument, but they do not erase the criminal conviction or the jury’s original findings.
The Tennessee Supreme Court rejected a request for a certificate of commutation in September 2025. The court then ordered that Tennessee execute Pike on September 30, 2026, unless another court or authorized official intervenes.
Christa Pike’s Death Sentence and Appeals
Pike has spent almost 30 years in prison while pursuing appeals and other legal challenges. Her attorneys have repeatedly argued that her youth, background and mental-health history provide grounds for a different sentence. Courts have rejected those arguments in various proceedings over the years.
In addition to her murder conviction, Pike received a separate 25-year sentence after a 2001 prison assault. Tennessee records state that she was convicted of attempted first-degree murder for attacking fellow inmate Patricia Jones.
In September 2026, her lawyers filed a lengthy clemency petition with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. They asked him to replace the death sentence with life imprisonment without parole. The petition relies heavily on Pike’s childhood abuse, mental-health history and her development during decades of incarceration.
When Is Christa Pike’s Execution Date?
Christa Pike’s execution is scheduled for September 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CDT at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Correction has already begun preparations for the execution, including selecting official media witnesses.
The Tennessee Supreme Court’s order sets the date but allows the execution to change if a court or another authorized authority issues a new order. Therefore, September 30 remains the scheduled date as of September 23, 2026, rather than a guarantee that the execution will occur that day.
If Tennessee carries out the execution, Pike would become the first woman executed by the state in more than two centuries. Tennessee currently identifies her as its only female death-row prisoner.
Christa Pike’s Current Legal Fight
Pike’s attorneys continue to seek clemency as the execution date approaches. They argue that her childhood trauma, young age at the time of the crime and later personal development deserve consideration before Tennessee carries out the sentence.
The state has not accepted those arguments as sufficient to prevent the sentence from proceeding. The Tennessee Supreme Court previously denied Pike’s request for a certificate of commutation, while the current clemency process gives the governor another avenue to consider her sentence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Christa Pike?
Christa Pike is 50 years old in September 2026. Tennessee records list her birth date as March 10, 1976.
What crime did Christa Pike commit?
A Tennessee jury convicted Pike of first-degree murder for the 1995 killing of Job Corps student Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville.
How old was Christa Pike when she committed the crime?
Pike was 18 years old when she killed Slemmer in January 1995.
When was Christa Pike sentenced to death?
A Tennessee court sentenced Pike to death on March 30, 1996, after her first-degree murder conviction.
When is Christa Pike’s execution date?
Tennessee has scheduled Pike’s execution for September 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CDT. The Tennessee Supreme Court set the date unless another authorized authority orders otherwise.
Conclusion
Christa Pike’s biography centers on a 1995 murder conviction that led to a death sentence when she was 20, after she committed the crime at 18. Her case has remained active for decades, with appeals and clemency efforts focusing on her youth, childhood abuse and mental-health history.
As of September 23, 2026, Tennessee still schedules her execution for September 30 at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. Her lawyers continue to seek clemency, while the state’s courts have maintained the death sentence.
