Just one hour before she was scheduled to be executed, the federal appeals court announced their decision to halt Christa Pike’s execution in Tennessee on the morning of September 30.
Pike is currently the only woman on death row in the state of Tennessee after she was arrested for murdering her classmate Colleen Slemmer in 1995. She would be the first woman to be executed in the state in 200 years.
In light of the federal appeals court’s decision, Us breaks down why her execution was halted, details her history of abuse and explains what crime she committed.
Why Was Christa Pike’s Execution Halted?
The federal appeals court announced the decision to halt Pike’s execution on September 30 because they wanted to review whether her allegations of sexual abuse and rape as a child were fully considered before she received her death sentence, according to CNN.
Christa Pike Was a Victim of Child Abuse and Rape
Pike had a difficult childhood and was just 13 years old when she was sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend, according to Mercy for Christa. Children’s Services removed her from her home following the assault, but she returned three months later with minimal follow-up.
Years later, Pike was raped again by a stranger when she was 17. The rape was confirmed with hospital records, though local authorities only minimally investigated the situation.
Pike also developed bipolar disorder and suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome, which stemmed from the abuse she experienced throughout her childhood. However, she never received appropriate medical treatment or care for her mental health struggles.
Christa Pike Killed Her Classmate in 1995
On January 12, 1995, Pike lured Slemmer to a remote area of the University of Tennessee’s agricultural campus with her then-boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, and their friend Shadolla Peterson.
Once they were in the remote area, Pike slashed Slemmer’s throat, beat her and threw pieces of asphalt at her. Court records state that she told a friend that she also used a meat cleaver to slash Slemmer’s back and cut a pentagram into her forehead and chest. Pike kept a piece of Slemmer’s skull after the murder, according to investigators.
Pike was convicted of murder and conspiracy to commit murder, and she was sentenced to death in 1996.
Meanwhile, Shipp received a life sentence with the possibility of parole because he was just 17 years old when the crime was committed. He remains in custody after his latest appeal was denied in October 2025.
Peterson pleaded guilty to being an accessory and was sentenced to serve six years of probation.
