Christa Pike, Tennessee’s only female death row inmate, was featured on a recent episode of Investigation Discovery’s “Mean Girl Murders.” Pike was convicted in 1995 for killing fellow student Colleen Slemmer after accusing her of trying to steal her boyfriend. Pike, along with two others, lured Slemmer to a remote location, beat and slashed her, and ultimately smashed her skull with an asphalt slab. Pike was sentenced to death for the crime committed at the age of 18.
Despite testimonies from those who knew Slemmer denying any involvement with Pike’s boyfriend, the murder was carried out in a gruesome manner. Pike and her companions tricked Slemmer into the woods, began accusing her of sleeping with Pike’s boyfriend, and proceeded to brutally attack her. Slemmer was stabbed hundreds of times, had a pentagram carved into her chest, and ultimately died from the injuries sustained. Pike even kept a piece of Slemmer’s skull as a trophy and showed it off to friends.
Pike’s troubled upbringing, marked by violence, sexual abuse, drug abuse, and neglect, was a key element of her trial. Her family history and personal struggles were used to explain her actions, although there were doubts raised about the validity of some of her claims. Pike’s lawyers attempted to appeal her death sentence multiple times, arguing that she had received ineffective counsel and suffered from mental illness. However, these appeals were ultimately unsuccessful.
Since her conviction, Pike has been living on death row in Nashville. She has been involved in various violent incidents during her time in prison, including attempted murder and an elaborate escape attempt with the help of others. Despite facing multiple setbacks, Pike’s scheduled execution in 2020 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains to be seen when a new execution date will be announced, and if carried out, Pike would be the first woman executed in Tennessee in approximately 200 years.
