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Crime & Justice • Murder

Christa Pike

Christa Gail Pike is an American convicted murderer on Tennessee's death row for the 1995 killing of her classmate Colleen Slemmer.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Christa Gail Pike is an American convicted murderer on Tennessee's death row for the 1995 killing of her classmate Colleen Slemmer. She was convicted in 1996 and has remained the only woman on Tennessee's death row for much of the time since. In 2025, Tennessee set an execution date for September 30, 2026.

Early life

Christa Gail Pike was born on March 10, 1976. Available sources identify her as an American from West Virginia who later lived in Tennessee.

Crime and conviction

Pike was convicted in 1996 for the murder of Colleen Slemmer, a Job Corps student in Knoxville, Tennessee. Sources describe the case as a brutal homicide committed in 1995 when Pike was 18.

Death row status

Pike has remained in custody on Tennessee's death row since her conviction. She has been identified as the only woman on the state's death row, and Tennessee later scheduled her execution for September 30, 2026.

Public attention

Pike's case has drawn continuing media attention because of the severity of the crime and her status as Tennessee's only female death-row prisoner. Reporting in recent years has focused on appeals, confinement conditions, and the execution date.

Key facts

  • Christa Gail Pike was born in 1976 and is an American convicted murderer.
  • She was convicted in 1996 for the 1995 killing of Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville, Tennessee.
  • She was 20 years old when convicted and 18 at the time of the crime.
  • Pike has been held on Tennessee's death row since her conviction and is the only woman on the state's death row.
  • Tennessee set her execution date for September 30, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Christa Pike?
Christa Pike is an American convicted murderer best known for being sentenced to death in Tennessee for the 1995 killing of Colleen Slemmer.
What did Christa Pike do?
She was convicted of murdering her classmate Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1995.
How old was Christa Pike when she killed?
She was 18 years old when the killing occurred.
Where is Christa Pike now?
She is incarcerated on Tennessee's death row at the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center in Nashville.
Is Christa Pike on death row?
Yes. She remains on Tennessee's death row.
What happened to Christa Pike?
She was convicted of murder in 1996 and sentenced to death; Tennessee later set an execution date for September 30, 2026.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christa_Pike
    Supports: Birth date, conviction, death-row status, and scheduled execution date
  2. USA Today — https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/05/21/christa-pike-tennessee-death-row/73793044007/
    Supports: Status as Tennessee's only woman on death row, incarceration location, conviction details, and appeals
  3. State of Tennessee — https://www.tn.gov/correction/about-us/executions/women-on-death-row.html
    Supports: Official confirmation that Christa Pike is the only woman on Tennessee's death row and was convicted in 1996 for the murder of Colleen Slemmer
  4. The Tennessean — https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2023/08/30/christa-pike-only-woman-on-tennessee-death-row-moves-to-reopen-appeal/70573801007/
    Supports: Age at offense, death-row status, and prison location
  5. Death Penalty Information Center — https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/tennessees-execution-of-christa-pike-would-make-her-the-first-woman-to-be-executed-in-the-state-in-over-200-years
    Supports: Execution date and significance as first woman executed in Tennessee in over 200 years