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Christa Pike. The Devil in the Details.



The Deadly Obsession of Christa Pike: The Devil in the Details

Christa Gail Pike’s name is synonymous with one of Tennessee’s most shocking and brutal murders. Known as the youngest woman ever sentenced to death in the United States, Pike’s crime against Colleen Slemmer in 1995 reads like something out of a horror movie. But this wasn’t fiction. It was real, and the brutality of it still haunts those who hear the story.


Who Was Christa Pike?

Born on March 10, 1976, Christa Pike grew up with a difficult family life. Her troubled upbringing involved abuse, neglect, and struggles with mental health—factors that, while tragic, would never justify the choices she made as a young woman. By her late teens, Christa found herself at Job Corps, a program designed to help troubled young adults get back on track by providing them with education and training. Here, she met and quickly fell for 17-year-old Tadaryl Shipp, a charismatic young man who would become more than just a boyfriend. Together, they would ignite a deadly obsession.


The Backstory: Love, Obsession, and Dark Beliefs

Christa Pike and Tadaryl Shipp’s relationship was intense and volatile. They were both drawn to the occult, dabbling in devil worship and dark rituals, something that set them apart and fed their shared intensity. Pike’s obsession with Shipp was fierce, almost possessive, and she was jealous of anyone she thought might interfere. | One person, in particular, fueled Christa’s jealousy: Colleen Slemmer. Colleen, a fellow Job Corps student, had reportedly irritated Christa with minor slights. Pike became convinced that Colleen was trying to seduce Tadaryl, a suspicion that spiraled quickly in her mind. Driven by paranoia and jealousy, Christa began plotting what she thought would be the ultimate way to eliminate her “rival.”


The Crime: A Night of Horror

On January 12, 1995, Christa Pike, Tadaryl Shipp, and a mutual friend named Shadolla Peterson lured Colleen Slemmer into a secluded, wooded area on the University of Tennessee’s agricultural campus in Knoxville. Colleen thought they were going for a walk, perhaps to resolve whatever tension had built up between them. But what awaited her was no peace talk—it was a nightmare. | For the next thirty minutes, Colleen endured torture at the hands of Christa and Tadaryl. The details are gruesome. Pike and Shipp took turns cutting Colleen with a box cutter and beating her. Christa, feeding off her twisted rage, taunted and berated Colleen as she tortured her. At one point, she even carved a pentagram into Colleen’s chest—a disturbing reminder of their fascination with the occult. | The torture culminated in a horrific end. Christa Pike smashed Colleen’s skull with a large chunk of asphalt, ultimately killing her. But Pike wasn’t finished. As a final, chilling souvenir, she kept a piece of Colleen’s skull, carrying it with her as if it were a trophy of her conquest.


The Aftermath: An Unraveled Crime

Christa Pike’s arrogance proved to be her undoing. Bragging about the murder to friends, she showed off the fragment of Colleen’s skull as though it were a badge of honor. News of her boasting quickly spread through the Job Corps community and reached the ears of authorities. Within 36 hours, Christa Pike and Tadaryl Shipp were arrested. | During questioning, Pike showed no remorse, relaying the horrific details of the murder with chilling indifference. The physical evidence against her was overwhelming, including Colleen’s blood on her clothes and the skull fragment she had so brazenly kept as a memento. | In 1996, Christa Pike was found guilty of first-degree murder. The court, clearly appalled by the brutality of the crime, sentenced her to death. She was just 20 years old, making her the youngest woman on death row in the United States at the time.


Pike’s Life on Death Row

Since her conviction, Christa Pike has made headlines multiple times, attempting appeals and even making a dramatic escape attempt in 2012, which was thwarted before it could unfold. Now in her late forties, she remains the only woman on Tennessee’s death row. Over the years, her appeals have been denied, and she’s faced continued scrutiny from both the media and the public. | But Pike’s case is far from straightforward. Some argue that her troubled past and untreated mental health issues contributed to her actions, raising questions about whether the death penalty is truly appropriate in her case. Others, particularly Colleen Slemmer’s family, feel that nothing less than Pike’s execution will bring true justice for the horrific crime she committed.


A Legacy of Loss

The murder of Colleen Slemmer remains one of the most tragic and senseless crimes in Tennessee’s history. Colleen was only 19 years old, with her whole life ahead of her. She was described as a kind-hearted, friendly young woman who wanted nothing more than to improve her life through the Job Corps program. Her death left an unfillable void in the lives of her family and friends, who continue to mourn the daughter, sister, and friend they lost that cold January night. | Christa Pike’s story is a reminder of how jealousy, obsession, and unchecked rage can twist into something deadly. While Pike sits in a prison cell, awaiting a fate yet to be fully decided, Colleen Slemmer’s memory lives on, a reminder of the tragic consequences of a young life cut short.


This case is one that keeps people up at night. It's haunting not just because of the brutality of the crime, but because of the chilling reminder that jealousy, obsession, and darkness can consume anyone if they’re not careful. Pike’s actions shocked a nation, and her story continues to be one of Tennessee’s most infamous cases of murder and betrayal. Let’s remember Colleen, not for how she died, but for the life that was stolen from her.


Sources used for this podcast:

1. Tennessee Courts. (n.d.). Response to motion [PDF file]. Retrieved from https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/docs/response_-_to_motion_1.pdf

 3. WBIR. (n.d.). Judge dismisses death row inmate Christa Pike’s bid to reopen her criminal case. Retrieved from https://www.wbir.com/article/news/crime/judge-dismisses-death-row-inmate-christa-pikes-bid-to-reopen-her-criminal-case/51-3fa010db-b30f-4d60-a1db-241d210bc10a

 6. WBIR. (n.d.). Christa Pike asking the courts to reconsider her death sentence [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.wbir.com/video/news/local/christa-pike-asking-the-courts-to-reconsider-her-death-sentence/51-ac730ac6-0ac4-4cb7-bdc6-411d09ff101e

 7. Murderpedia. (n.d.). Christa Pike. Retrieved from https://murderpedia.org/female.P/p/pike-christa.htm

 8. Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Christa Pike. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christa_Pike

 9. Dutton, S. (2021, June 6). Christa Pike, only woman on Tennessee’s death row, fights execution. Newsweek. Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com/christa-pike-only-woman-tennessees-death-row-fights-execution-1600414

 10. Dutton, S. (2021, June 9). Colleen Slemmer mom wants Christa Pike, Tennessee death row, executed. Newsweek. Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com/colleen-slemmer-mom-wants-christa-pike-tennessee-death-row-executed-1600738

11. Dutton, S. (2021, June 11). Death row inmates executed electric chair: Brad Sigmon, Freddie Owens. Newsweek. Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com/death-row-inmates-executed-electric-chair-brad-sigmon-freddie-owens-1601139

 12. Bacon, J. (2024, May 21). Christa Pike, Tennessee death row. USA Today. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/05/21/christa-pike-tennessee-death-row/73793044007/

 13. Nashville Banner. (2024, September 17). Christa Pike death sentence isolation. Retrieved from https://nashvillebanner.com/2024/09/17/christa-pike-death-sentence-isolation/

 14. Newspapers.com. (n.d.). Image of Colleen Slemmer article. Retrieved from https://www.newspapers.com/image/802611984/?match=1&terms=Colleen%20Slemmer

 

Photos

1. The Sun. (2021, May 14). Cold-blooded murder satanic killer Christa Pike. Retrieved from https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15394141/cold-blooded-murder-satanic-killer-christa-pike/

 2. MurderPM. (n.d.). The murder of Colleen Slemmer. Retrieved from https://www.murderpm.com/p/the-murder-of-colleen-slemmer

3. Job Corps. (n.d.). Job Corps. Retrieved from https://www.jobcorps.gov/

4. Times Free Press. (2012, March 24). Pair planned copy jail key escape. Retrieved from https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/mar/24/pair-planned-copy-jail-key-escape/

 5. Fraulein Motte. (2023, May 22). Christa Gail Pike: The only woman on Tennessee death row. Medium. Retrieved from https://frauleinmotte.medium.com/christa-gail-pike-the-only-woman-on-tennessee-death-row-333699eae87b

 

Video Clips

New Girl | S2 E14 | Pepperwood | Fox

Succession | S2 E6 | Argetes | HBO

Murder She Wrote | 1984 | S1 E7 | Hit, Run and Homicide |  CBS

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom | 1984 | Paramount Pictures, Paramount Home Entertainment

The Owl House | 2021 | S1 E6 | Hooty’s Moving Hassle | Disney Channel





DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

All information contained in this video presentation is provided for entertainment purposes only. The authors leave any and all conclusions to individual members of the audience. The author offers no statements of fact beyond those available through diligent private research or through information freely available in the public record. To the extent that pending or settled criminal matters or crime or possible crimes, are discussed in this video presentation. All parties or defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. To the extent that any pending or settle civil matters are discussed in this video presentation, all parties or defendants are presumed not liable unless proven liable in a court of law. Copyright for material incorporated and presented under Fair Use is retained by the original author or copyright holder where applicable. Our cases are researched using open source and archive materials, and the subjects are real crimes and people. We strive to produce each episode with respect to the victims, their families and loved ones. At Hitched 2 Homicide we are committed to always discussing how victims lived, and not just how they died. All podcast information is gleaned from sources given. All opinions in the podcast are solely of Hitched 2 Homicide and are for entertainment purposes only.

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