Nineteen years old. That is how old Colleen Slemmer was when she died in the woods of Knoxville, Tennessee. But the girl who killed her was even younger. At just 18, Christa Pike became a household name for all the wrong reasons, eventually earning the grim title of the youngest woman on death row in the United States during the modern era. Honestly, when you look at the details of the 1995 crime, it feels like something out of a low-budget horror flick, except the blood was real and the consequences are still playing out in a Nashville prison cell today.
As of January 2026, the clock is ticking louder than ever for Pike. After decades of appeals, her execution date is currently set for September 30, 2026. If it happens, she’ll be the first woman Tennessee has put to death in over 200 years. It’s a heavy, complicated story that forces us to look at the intersection of extreme youth, mental illness, and a justice system that occasionally decides some crimes are just too "vile" for a life sentence.
What Really Happened in 1995?
The murder of Colleen Slemmer wasn’t a quick thing. It was a slow, agonizing torture session that lasted nearly an hour. Pike, her boyfriend Tadaryl Shipp, and their friend Shadolla Peterson were all students at the Job Corps in Knoxville. It was a program meant to help "troubled" teens get a GED and learn a trade.
Instead, it became the setting for a jealous obsession.
Pike was convinced Colleen wanted to steal her boyfriend. This led to a night in January where the trio lured Colleen to a secluded, wooded area on the University of Tennessee campus. They told her they wanted to "make peace" and smoke some pot.
The reality was a trap.
Once they were deep in the woods, Pike and Shipp began a relentless assault. Pike used a box cutter and a meat cleaver. She didn't just kill Colleen; she carved a pentagram into the girl’s chest while she was still alive. The most chilling detail? Pike kept a piece of Colleen’s skull as a souvenir. She later showed it off to other students back at the dorm.
📖 Related: Why Fox Has a Problem: The Identity Crisis at the Top of Cable News
Basically, the sheer brutality of the act is why the jury didn't hesitate. Even though Pike was just 18—barely an adult—the "heinous, atrocious, or cruel" nature of the murder pushed her case into capital territory.
The Fight Over the Youngest Woman on Death Row
Lawyers have been fighting for Pike’s life for thirty years. They argue she wasn't just a "bad seed." Her defense team points to a childhood that would break anyone. We're talking about a girl who was exposed to alcohol in the womb, resulting in organic brain damage. By the time she was a toddler, court records say she was crawling through dog feces in a neglected home.
She was raped as a child.
She attempted suicide multiple times as a teen.
Her legal team, led by attorneys like Angela Berman, argues that at 18, the human brain isn't even fully formed. They lean heavily on the 2005 Supreme Court ruling in Roper v. Simmons, which banned the death penalty for anyone under 18. The argument is simple: is an 18-year-old really that much more "mature" or "culpable" than a 17-year-old?
Kinda seems like a thin line to hang a life on, right?
But Tennessee courts haven't budged. They look at the "souvenir" skull fragment and the lack of remorse Pike showed immediately after the crime. Even behind bars, she hasn't stayed out of trouble. In 2001, she tried to strangle another inmate, Patricia Jones, with a shoestring. That didn't exactly help her "rehabilitation" narrative.
👉 See also: The CIA Stars on the Wall: What the Memorial Really Represents
Why Pike's Case is Different Now
- Age at Offense: She is one of only two women in the U.S. currently facing execution for a crime committed at age 18 (the other is Maria Alfaro in California).
- The Gender Gap: Women make up less than 2% of death row inmates nationwide.
- A Shift in Public Opinion: Groups like Tennesseans for an Alternative to the Death Penalty argue that modern science on brain development should spare her.
What Most People Get Wrong About Female Death Row Inmates
There's this weird myth that women on death row are all "Black Widows" who poisoned their husbands for insurance money. In reality, many, like Pike, were involved in domestic disputes or group-dynamic crimes where a "leader" or boyfriend influenced the situation.
Take her co-defendants. Tadaryl Shipp was 17 at the time. Because he was a minor, he couldn't get the death penalty. He got life and is actually up for parole in late 2026—the same year Pike is scheduled to die. Shadolla Peterson turned informant and got probation.
So you have three people involved in one murder:
- One gets probation.
- One gets a chance at freedom (Shipp).
- One gets a lethal injection date.
The disparity is a massive part of the ongoing clemency campaign. Is it fair that the person who was 17 years and 11 months old lives, while the person who was 18 years and 2 months old dies?
The Conditions Inside the "Parking Space"
For nearly three decades, Pike lived in what her lawyers called a "parking space." She was kept in near-total isolation at the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center in Nashville. For years, she didn't have a job, didn't eat with others, and didn't have the same "perks" as the men on death row.
That changed recently.
✨ Don't miss: Passive Resistance Explained: Why It Is Way More Than Just Standing Still
In September 2024, a settlement was reached. Pike finally got moved out of strict solitary. She now has a job within the prison and can interact with other women. Her lawyers say she’s become a "thoughtful woman" who feels deep remorse.
But for the family of Colleen Slemmer, thirty years of waiting hasn't dulled the pain. They’ve consistently pushed for the sentence to be carried out. To them, Christa Pike isn't a victim of her upbringing; she’s a monster who took their daughter’s life in the most painful way possible.
What Happens Next?
The legal path is narrowing.
Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee is her last real hope. He has the power to commute her sentence to life without parole. He’s been a supporter of the death penalty in the past, but the "youth" argument and her mental health history are hard to ignore.
If you want to understand the current landscape of the death penalty in America, watch this case. It touches on every hot-button issue: juvenile justice, mental illness, gender bias, and the ethics of state-sanctioned killing.
Next Steps for Researchers and Advocates:
- Track the Clemency Petition: Keep an eye on the "Tennesseans for an Alternative to the Death Penalty" website for updates on her 2026 clemency hearing.
- Review Recent Rulings: Look into State v. Booker (2022), where courts are increasingly questioning long-term sentences for "emerging adults" (ages 18-21).
- Compare States: Research Maria Alfaro’s status in California to see how different states handle women who committed crimes at 18.