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Tennessee Fails to Execute Christa Pike for Colleen Slemmer's Murder, Two Doses and She Survived, Governor Halts All 2026 Executions
Published 5 days, 11 hours ago
Description
Tennessee failed to execute Christa Gail Pike on Wednesday night. After the Sixth Circuit stayed her execution an hour before its scheduled 10 a.m. start and the U.S. Supreme Court vacated that stay hours later, the state administered two doses of pentobarbital — the maximum its protocol allows — and Pike, 50, remained alive. Media witnesses reported she was still breathing more than 40 minutes later. She was taken by ambulance to a hospital, and her attorneys say they still have not been told her condition. Gov. Bill Lee has paused the state's remaining 2026 executions and called for a comprehensive third-party review. Pike was sentenced to death in 1996 for the 1995 torture killing of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville; she was 18 at the time, and her lawyers had warned a blood disorder created a substantial risk of a prolonged and painful execution. Also: Judge William Sullivan is weighing a motion that would end the Lindsay Clancy case permanently, and former Stoughton detective Matthew Farwell is asking to move his federal trial out of Massachusetts days before jury selection in the death of Sandra Birchmore, 23. Garret Fisher reports.
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Join the Daily Crime & Justice community on social media! We're building a passionate group of true crime enthusiasts who love diving deep into the most shocking cases in America.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram by searching "Daily Crime & Justice" on either platform.
You'll get exclusive behind-the-scenes content, breaking news updates on cases we're covering, and early alerts when new episodes drop. Our social media is where Garret Fisher's hottest takes live, including reactions that don't make it into the show.
But more importantly, it's where YOU come in. Share your theories, debate the verdicts, and connect with fellow listeners who are just as obsessed with justice as you are. Did the jury get it right? What questions do you still have? Your comments and insights often shape future episodes.
We cover the trials that matter, but our community makes the conversation unforgettable. Come for Garret's signature cynical commentary, stay for the incredible discussions with thousands of true crime fans who get it.