Krista Pike, sentenced to death, spared from execution in Tennessee
1 october 2026 в 21:28
Krista Pike, the only woman on death row in Tennessee, was delayed for an hour before her execution, which was scheduled for September 30, 2026. A federal appeals court halted the process to consider whether her childhood sexual abuse allegations were fully taken into account.
Pike was convicted in March 1996 for the murder of 19-year-old Collin Slimmer, with whom she attended a Job Corps center in Knoxville. At the time of the crime, she was 18 years old. Court documents claim that Pike, who was in a relationship with a 17-year-old boy, viewed Slimmer as a «romantic rival». In January 1995, Pike, along with accomplices, lured Slimmer to a remote location where the murder took place.
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, if the execution had taken place, Pike would have become the first woman executed in Tennessee in over 200 years. She would also be the only person executed for a crime committed at the age of 18, 19, or 20 in the modern era of the death penalty.
Pike and her accomplices pleaded guilty. Her accomplice, Tadaril Shipp, received a life sentence with the possibility of parole, as he was a minor at the time of the crime. The third participant, Shadolla Peterson, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting and received a six-year probation sentence in exchange for testimony against Pike and Shipp.
Pike has a troubled childhood and has suffered from mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. In 2023, she wrote that she has «changed a lot» since committing the crime.
In recent years, her attorneys have challenged the death sentence, arguing that life imprisonment would be a more appropriate punishment. In January 2026, Pike filed a lawsuit claiming that the method of execution—lethal injection—violates her religious rights. She also requested the possibility of execution by a female execution team, as she feared that the injection would be painful due to a rare blood condition that complicates finding veins.
Pike was convicted in March 1996 for the murder of 19-year-old Collin Slimmer, with whom she attended a Job Corps center in Knoxville. At the time of the crime, she was 18 years old. Court documents claim that Pike, who was in a relationship with a 17-year-old boy, viewed Slimmer as a «romantic rival». In January 1995, Pike, along with accomplices, lured Slimmer to a remote location where the murder took place.
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, if the execution had taken place, Pike would have become the first woman executed in Tennessee in over 200 years. She would also be the only person executed for a crime committed at the age of 18, 19, or 20 in the modern era of the death penalty.
Pike and her accomplices pleaded guilty. Her accomplice, Tadaril Shipp, received a life sentence with the possibility of parole, as he was a minor at the time of the crime. The third participant, Shadolla Peterson, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting and received a six-year probation sentence in exchange for testimony against Pike and Shipp.
Pike has a troubled childhood and has suffered from mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. In 2023, she wrote that she has «changed a lot» since committing the crime.
In recent years, her attorneys have challenged the death sentence, arguing that life imprisonment would be a more appropriate punishment. In January 2026, Pike filed a lawsuit claiming that the method of execution—lethal injection—violates her religious rights. She also requested the possibility of execution by a female execution team, as she feared that the injection would be painful due to a rare blood condition that complicates finding veins.
© Artemenko Olga
