Christa Pike, a convicted murderer in Tennessee, is set to face execution after the U.S. Supreme Court vacated a temporary stay issued by the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. This decision by the Supreme Court clears the path for Tennessee to proceed with Pike’s execution, making her the first woman executed in the state since 1819.
The Sixth Circuit had previously issued a stay, citing the need to consider legal motions from both Pike’s attorneys and the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented from the Supreme Court’s decision, arguing for additional time to evaluate Pike’s pending legal challenges.
The Crime
In 1995, Pike was 18 years old when she participated in the brutal murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. Pike, along with her boyfriend and another individual, attacked Slemmer in what was described as a ‘satanic’ ritual that lasted between 30 minutes to an hour.
Both Pike and Slemmer were acquainted through a vocational program in Knoxville. Court documents revealed Pike accused Slemmer of ‘trying to get [her] boyfriend.’ A day before the murder, Pike expressed a desire to kill Slemmer, claiming she felt particularly mean on that day.
Pike and her accomplices lured Slemmer under false pretenses, then attacked her with a box cutter and meat cleaver. During an attempt to escape, Slemmer was restrained by Pike’s boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, and subjected to further assault. Shipp also carved pentagrams into Slemmer’s body.
Legal Proceedings
During Pike’s trial, forensic psychiatrist Dr. William Bernet testified that the crime involved ‘satanic elements’ and ‘collective aggression.’ Another expert, Dr. Eric Engum, noted that Pike had severe borderline personality disorder but showed no signs of brain damage or insanity.
Evidence presented in court revealed that Pike kept a piece of Slemmer’s skull as a trophy and bragged about the murder afterward.
Sentence and Appeals
Despite the severity of the crime, neither Shipp nor the third accomplice, Shadolla Peterson, received death sentences. Shipp was ineligible due to being a minor, and Peterson cooperated with authorities.
Pike’s supporters claim her defense failed to properly present mitigating factors, including untreated bipolar disorder and PTSD. Nearly 25,000 people have petitioned for her death sentence to be commuted to life in prison.
With the Supreme Court’s decision, Pike’s execution is back on schedule.