Federal Court Halts Execution of Christa Gail Pike, Sole Woman on Tennessee Death Row

Birmingham, AL, September 30, 2026 —

A federal court has issued a stay halting the scheduled execution of Christa Gail Pike, the only woman currently on Tennessee’s death row.

Pike was convicted in 1995 for the murder of Colleen Slemmer, an event that occurred on the University of Tennessee campus. Her execution, which had been set for a specific date, was stopped by the federal court’s intervention.

Pike’s impending execution carried significant historical context. If carried out as scheduled, it would have marked the first execution of a woman in Tennessee in at least two centuries. This detail highlights the rarity of such an event in the state’s penal history.

A letter attributed to Christa Gail Pike has also been noted, in which she reportedly stated she was not afraid to die. The specific circumstances and timing of this letter in relation to the court’s decision were not detailed.

The federal court’s decision to halt the execution means further legal proceedings or considerations will take place before any potential new execution date could be set. Information regarding the specific grounds for the federal court’s intervention or the next steps in the legal process was not immediately available.

Pike’s conviction stems from the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer. The crime took place on the University of Tennessee campus, leading to Pike’s sentencing and subsequent placement on death row.

The historical significance of Pike’s case is underscored by the fact that no woman has been executed in Tennessee for at least 200 years. This prolonged period without female executions makes any potential execution a notable event.

The stay of execution by the federal court introduces a new phase in the legal proceedings surrounding Christa Gail Pike.

Story summarized from the original created by Camruinn Morgan-Rumsey, Gray News staff, Amanda Alvarado on www.wbrc.com, see more information here.

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