Christa Pike: Botched Execution Leaves Her Alive in Tennessee

Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike survived a botched execution attempt on September 30, 2026, after two lethal injections of pentobarbital failed to kill her. The 50-year-old convicted murderer was transported to a hospital in critical condition, and the state has suspended all further executions pending an investigation. Witnesses, including journalists and victim Colleen Slemmer's mother, described a chaotic, unexplained sequence that ended with the curtains closed and the audio feed cut.

What happened inside the death chamber?

The execution was delayed for hours while a judge considered further review of Pike's mental state at the time she killed Slemmer as an 18-year-old. After the Supreme Court declined to intervene, the process began around 6:41 p.m., but witnesses were forced to wait nearly an hour before the curtains opened at 7:26 p.m. Reporter Tori Gessner, who has attended multiple executions, said "We entered the witness room at 6:41 p.m. and then had to wait almost an hour. That was strange. Normally it's 10, 15 minutes before it starts."

Pike was strapped to a gurney in a chamber that still contains the electric chair Old Smokey. Two intravenous lines with pentobarbital had already been placed. She gave her final words, then sang softly with her spiritual advisor. At one point she said aloud, "It feels like my arm is going to burst. Is that normal?"

Here is a timeline of key events:

• 7:41 p.m. — First dose of pentobarbital administered. Pike kicked her legs so hard a sheet fell to the floor.
• 7:45 p.m. — Witnesses first heard snoring.
• 7:46 p.m. — Curtains closed for three minutes without explanation. Her breathing remained audible via speaker.
• 8:01 p.m. — Second dose administered.
• 8:05 p.m. — Pike suddenly gasped for air, and the curtains were closed a second time.
• 8:53 p.m. — Audio feed was cut and the warden told everyone to leave without explanation.

Who is Christa Pike and what was her crime?

Pike was sentenced to death in 1996 for the January 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville. Pike, then 18, lured Slemmer into the woods with her 17-year-old boyfriend Tadaryl Shipp and another friend. Over roughly 30 minutes, Slemmer was beaten and slashed, and a pentagram was carved into her chest before Pike smashed her skull with a chunk of asphalt. Shipp received life in prison because he was a minor; Pike received the death penalty.

The case has drawn comparisons to other controversial death penalty cases involving juvenile offenders. Pike's legal team argued that mitigating evidence about her youth and childhood trauma, including sexual abuse, was never presented at trial. This botched execution has intensified scrutiny of Tennessee's lethal injection protocol.

What did witnesses see and hear?

Journalists said it was obvious early on that something was wrong. "It was remarkable how long she kept speaking and singing and moving," said reporter Steven Hale. The curtains were closed twice without explanation, and requests for information were met with shrugs. "We have a lot of questions about what we saw and also what we didn't see, in the moments the curtains were closed," one journalist said. Another added, "Nothing here went normally. It all went really badly."

Victim's mother May Martinez said she received no explanation until being taken to a supervisor's office. "What a mess. We only learned in a supervisor's office that it hadn't worked and she was on her way to a hospital," Martinez said. Her blunt assessment: "They screwed it up."

Impact and next steps

Tennessee has suspended all executions while officials investigate what went wrong. As of October 1, 2026, Pike's attorneys said she was in critical condition and receiving life-saving care at a local hospital. The incident is likely to fuel broader debates over capital punishment reform and the reliability of lethal injection as an execution method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Christa Pike's execution considered botched?

Two doses of pentobarbital, normally lethal, failed to kill Pike. She remained conscious and breathing for over an hour, and the execution was ultimately aborted.

How many women has Tennessee executed before Pike?

Pike would have been the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than two centuries. The last execution of a woman in the state occurred in 1815.

What happens to Christa Pike now?

Pike was transported to a hospital in critical condition. Tennessee has suspended further executions pending an investigation into the failed procedure.

What was Christa Pike convicted of?

She was convicted of the 1995 torture and murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Where can I find more information about this case?

You can read the original Dutch report at NOS.nl and background on the case at Wikipedia.