US: Tennessee set to execute first woman since 1820
What's the story
Tennessee is set to execute Christa Pike, a 50-year-old woman who killed Colleen Slemmer at the age of 18 and was convicted the following year. The execution, scheduled for Wednesday, would mark the state's first execution of a female inmate in over two centuries. Pike was convicted in 1996 for the brutal killing of her classmate Colleen Slemmer at Knoxville Job Corps.
Crime details
Pike killed Slemmer out of jealousy, prosecutors said
Prosecutors alleged that Pike killed Slemmer out of jealousy, believing she was a romantic rival.
The murder involved torturous methods and a satanic symbol carved into Slemmer's body.
Despite admitting her guilt, Pike's attorneys argue against the death sentence, citing her traumatic childhood and untreated mental illness.
She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder later in life.
Legal arguments
Pike's attorneys argue against death sentence
Pike's attorneys have argued that her untreated mental illness and background made her unable to control her actions.
They also highlighted that another teen involved in the crime received a life sentence with parole eligibility due to his age.
The Death Penalty Information Center noted that while 275 people have been executed for crimes committed at ages 18-20, such sentences are now rare.
Victim's family
Colleen Slemmer's mother speaks out
Colleen Slemmer's mother, May Martinez, has been vocal about her daughter's lost potential. She said every moment reminds her of Colleen and how she never got a chance to grow up.
"Not a day goes by, or a minute goes by that I do not think about Colleen," Martinez said.
The case got widespread attention because of the brutality of the killing, the ages of the people involved, and because a satanic symbol was carved into the victim's body.
Execution statistics
Execution would mark rare instance in US history
If Pike's execution goes ahead as planned, it would be Tennessee's first execution of a woman since 1820.
Female executions are rare in the United States, with only 18 women executed since 1976. The most recent was Amber McLaughlin in Missouri in 2023 for a crime committed in 2003.
Executions of female inmates remain an extremely small percentage of total executions across America.