Tennessee to execute a woman for first time in 200 years after governor denies clemency

Lawyers for Christa Pike, 50, convicted of killing classmate in Knoxville in 1995, ask supreme court to grant stay Christa Pike, a woman who was convicted of murder 30 years ago, is set to be put to death on Wednesday after her request for clemency was denied by Tennessee governor Bill Lee on Monday. If the execution goes through, she will be the first woman executed in the state in 200 years. Pike, who is now 50, was 18 when she and her boyfriend, who was 17 at the time, killed 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, one of their classmate at Knoxville Job Corps in 1995. Continue reading...

Abené Clayton and agencies · Mon, Sep 28, 2026, 5:52 PM
US news | The Guardian

Tennessee to execute a woman for first time in 200 years after governor denies clemency

Lawyers for Christa Pike, 50, convicted of killing classmate in Knoxville in 1995, ask supreme court to grant stay

Christa Pike, a woman who was convicted of murder 30 years ago, is set to be put to death on Wednesday after her request for clemency was denied by Tennessee governor Bill Lee on Monday. If the execution goes through, she will be the first woman executed in the state in 200 years.

Pike, who is now 50, was 18 when she and her boyfriend, who was 17 at the time, killed 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, one of their classmate at Knoxville Job Corps in 1995.

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