Almost three decades after she was convicted a Tennessee judge has upheld the death sentence of the state's only woman on death row. In 1996 Christa Pike was convicted of brutally murdering then 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. 

Pike's case has garnered national attention and raised questions about the justice system, particularly concerning the application of the death penalty to a woman who committed the crime as a teenager.

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The Murder that Shook Tennessee

Christa Pike was just 18 years old when she committed the brutal murder.

There was no apparent motive for her crime. And when she confessed to authorities she infamously admitted to the murder because she "just felt mean that day." 

 On January 12, 1995, Pike along with her friend, led Slemmer and others away from the Job Corps Center in Knoxville, Tennessee into a sinister ordeal. About two hours later they returned without Slemmer. That night, Pike admitted to her friends that she had killed Slemmer. 

Slemmer was tortured for over an hour.  Her throat was slit multiple times with a box cutter. She was attacked with an asphalt brick and a meat cleaver. Pike also carved a pentagram into Slemmer's forehead and chest.

The grotesque nature of the crime reached its peak when it was revealed that Pike had taken a piece of Slemmer's skull as a macabre keepsake and even brought it to breakfast the following morning. These horrifying details illustrate the horrific nature of the act.

Legal Challenges to the Death Sentence

Pike's attorneys attempted to challenge her death sentence by citing a significant Tennessee Supreme Court case, Tennessee v. Tyshon Booker. 

The case claims that imposing an automatic life sentence on a juvenile homicide offender without considering their age or other relevant circumstances violates the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution. And prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.

Pike's defense argued that her sentencing should be reevaluated, primarily because there is no clear demarcation of maturity or cognitive differences between a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old. Note that the Tennessee Supreme Court's ruling in the Booker case specifically pertains to juvenile offenders and does not extend to adult offenders.

Mental Health Issues

Pike's defense team has consistently argued that her upbringing and mental health should be considered as mitigating factors. 

According to the appeal filed to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2018, Pike's life was marked by severe physical and sexual abuse, violence, rape, and neglect from a young age. Her mother's alcoholism and neglect, as well as her father's attempt to put her up for adoption right before she turned 18, added to her traumatic upbringing.

During her trial, Dr. Eric Engum noted that while Pike did not exhibit symptoms of brain damage or insanity, she suffered from a severe borderline personality disorder and displayed signs of cannabis dependence and a depressive disorder.

The Controversial Nature of the Death Sentence

The case of Christa Pike has prompted a debate about the use of the death penalty, particularly when applied to a young woman who committed a crime during her teenage years. 

The Tennessee Supreme Court justices rejected her 2018 claim because her case did not meet the criteria of a "heinous and inexplicable crime." They contended that her sentence reflected a presumption of her incapacity for reform, despite the experiences of other teenage offenders who have undergone rehabilitation while incarcerated.