Decades on death row: The lingering case of Christa Pike
Christa Pike was only 18 years old when she was sentenced to death for the brutal murder of her peer, Colleen Slemmer, in 1995. To this day, nearly three decades later, she remains on American "death row," awaiting execution.
On January 12, 1995, in Tennessee, Pike, along with 17-year-old Tadaryl Shipp and 18-year-old Shadolla Peterson, planned an attack on Slemmer, believing she was trying to gain the affections of Shipp, Christa's boyfriend. The three young people left their dorms and headed to a nearby wooded area where they intended to "settle the matter."
Pike, under the pretense of making peace, suggested they smoke marijuana together. When they arrived at the location, Colleen was brutally attacked by Christa and Tadaryl, while Peterson acted as a lookout.
According to court testimony, the victim was beaten, cut, and a pentagram was carved into her chest. The torture lasted about half an hour before Pike ultimately ended Slemmer's life by smashing her skull with a piece of asphalt.
One of the most shocking elements of this case was that Pike kept a piece of Colleen's skull as a trophy, which she later showed off to her friends.
Arrest of the perpetrators
Shortly after the crime, Pike, Shipp, and Peterson were arrested. Pike confessed to torturing and killing Slemmer, although she claimed she only wanted to scare her. Nonetheless, the court found her guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. On March 22, 1996, the verdict was announced: death by electrocution.
Shipp, who participated in the crime, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. Peterson, in exchange for cooperating with the authorities, was sentenced to six years of probation.
Awaiting execution
Christa Pike became the youngest woman in the U.S. to receive a death sentence, yet despite this, the execution has never been carried out. The reasons for this are complex, with one of the main reasons being the lengthy legal processes associated with death penalty sentences in the United States.
According to the Death Penalty Information Centre, prisoners on death row often spend years, even decades, awaiting execution or exoneration. Since 2013, more than half of the exonerated prisoners have been on "death row" for over 25 years.
Pike has repeatedly filed appeals only to withdraw them, attempting to change her sentence. She even had an execution date set for August 19, 2002, but at the last minute, she withdrew her appeal, allowing the case to continue to be delayed.
Problems behind bars
Her life behind bars has also been troubled. In 2001, Pike attempted to murder fellow inmate Patricia Jones by strangling her with a cord. In 2004, she was convicted of attempted murder for this.
A decade later, in 2012, a plan for her escape from prison was revealed. Involved in its organization were Donald Kohut, who corresponded with Pike in prison, and prison guard Justin Heflin. Kohut was sentenced to seven years in prison, and Heflin lost his job. Although Pike was not formally charged in this matter, questions remain about how involved she was in the escape attempt.
In summary, the story of Christa Pike is not only a terrifying example of youthful brutality but also highlights the complexities of the American penal system. Although nearly three decades have passed since her crime, Pike is still awaiting the conclusion of her case, which remains undetermined.
