Christa Pike
Encyclopedia
Christa Gail Pike is the youngest woman to be sentenced to death in the United States
during the post-Furman period. She was 20 when convicted for a torture and murder she committed at age 18.
According to a piece published in Singapore
's English language newspaper The Straits Times
on April 22, 2001, Pike lived a troubled life and dropped out of high school. She joined the Job Corps
, a government program aimed at helping low-income youth by offering vocational training and career skills, and attended the now closed Job Corps center in Knoxville, Tennessee
. Pike, who is white, fell for a young black male named Tadaryl Shipp, one year her junior. Together they "dabbled" in the occult
and devil worship.
. Along with friend, Shadolla Peterson, 18, Pike planned to lure Slemmer to an isolated steam plant that was abandoned close by on the University of Tennessee Campus.
On January 12, 1995, Pike, Shipp, Peterson, and Slemmer signed out of the dormitory
and proceeded to the woods where Slemmer was told they wanted to make peace
by offering her some marijuana. Upon arrival at the secluded location Slemmer was attacked by the other three. Per later court testimony, for the next 30 minutes she was taunted, beaten, slashed and a pentagram
was carved in her chest. Finally, Pike smashed Slemmer's skull with a large chunk of asphalt
paving, killing her. Pike kept a piece of her victim's skull.
Pike began to show off the piece of skull around the school and within 36 hours, the three were arrested. The log book showed that the four of them left together and only three returned. They also found the piece of skull in Pike's jacket pocket. Their rooms were searched and a Satanic Bible was found in Shipp's room. Pike insisted they were merely trying to scare her and it got out of control.
and conspiracy to commit murder. On March 22, 1996 after only a few hours of deliberation
, Pike was found guilty on both counts. On March 30, 1996, Pike was sentenced to death by electrocution for the murder charge and 25 years in prison
for the conspiracy charge. Shipp received a life sentence with the possibility of parole
. Peterson, who had turned informant
, received probation for pleading guilty to being an accessory.
) strangled fellow inmate Patricia Jones with a shoe string, nearly choking her to death. She was convicted of attempted first degree murder on August 12, 2004. Although it is the position of the Tennessee Department of Corrections that Natasha assisted in this crime, their investigators concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge her with helping Pike attack Jones.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the post-Furman period. She was 20 when convicted for a torture and murder she committed at age 18.
According to a piece published in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
's English language newspaper The Straits Times
The Straits Times
The Straits Times is an English language daily broadsheet newspaper based in Singapore currently owned by Singapore Press Holdings . It is the country's highest-selling paper, with a current daily circulation of nearly 400,000...
on April 22, 2001, Pike lived a troubled life and dropped out of high school. She joined the Job Corps
Job Corps
Job Corps is a program administered by the United States Department of Labor that offers free-of-charge education and vocational training to youth ages 16 to 24.-Mission and purpose:...
, a government program aimed at helping low-income youth by offering vocational training and career skills, and attended the now closed Job Corps center in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. Pike, who is white, fell for a young black male named Tadaryl Shipp, one year her junior. Together they "dabbled" in the occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
and devil worship.
Crime
Pike became jealous of fellow student Colleen Slemmer, 19. She thought Slemmer was trying to steal her boyfriend from her. Though friends of Slemmer deny the accusations, Pike was set on a vendettaFeud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
. Along with friend, Shadolla Peterson, 18, Pike planned to lure Slemmer to an isolated steam plant that was abandoned close by on the University of Tennessee Campus.
On January 12, 1995, Pike, Shipp, Peterson, and Slemmer signed out of the dormitory
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
and proceeded to the woods where Slemmer was told they wanted to make peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
by offering her some marijuana. Upon arrival at the secluded location Slemmer was attacked by the other three. Per later court testimony, for the next 30 minutes she was taunted, beaten, slashed and a pentagram
Pentagram
A pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
was carved in her chest. Finally, Pike smashed Slemmer's skull with a large chunk of asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paving, killing her. Pike kept a piece of her victim's skull.
Pike began to show off the piece of skull around the school and within 36 hours, the three were arrested. The log book showed that the four of them left together and only three returned. They also found the piece of skull in Pike's jacket pocket. Their rooms were searched and a Satanic Bible was found in Shipp's room. Pike insisted they were merely trying to scare her and it got out of control.
Trial
There was evidence and a confession. Pike was charged with murderMurder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
and conspiracy to commit murder. On March 22, 1996 after only a few hours of deliberation
Deliberation
Deliberation is a process of thoughtfully weighing options, usually prior to voting. In legal settings a jury famously uses deliberation because it is given specific options, like guilty or not guilty, along with information and arguments to evaluate. Deliberation emphasizes the use of logic and...
, Pike was found guilty on both counts. On March 30, 1996, Pike was sentenced to death by electrocution for the murder charge and 25 years in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
for the conspiracy charge. Shipp received a life sentence with the possibility of parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
. Peterson, who had turned informant
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
, received probation for pleading guilty to being an accessory.
Appeal of Conviction
Following the guilty verdict Pike “launched, canceled and then relaunched” an appeal of her conviction in the Tennessee state courts. In June 2001, then again in June 2002, against the advice of her lawyers, Pike asked the courts to drop her appeal and sought to be executed via electrocution. Criminal Court Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz granted the request and an execution date of August 19, 2002 was set. Pike soon thereafter changed her mind and on July 8, 2002 defense lawyers filed a motion to allow the appeal process to continue. This motion was denied. However on August 2, 2002 a three judge state appeals court panel ruled that the proceedings should be continued and the execution was not carried out. In December 2008 Pike’s latest request for a new trial was turned down and she was returned to death row. This denied request is believed to be the final allowed under the appeals procedures in the State of Tennessee. As of this writing (December 2009) no execution date has been set and it is unknown whether or not she has undertaken any appeal of her conviction in the federal court system.Attempted murder conviction
On August 24, 2001, Pike (with assistance from inmate Natasha CornettNatasha Cornett
Natasha Wallen Cornett is currently serving a sentence of life without parole at the Tennessee Prison For Women in Nashville. Cornett, then 19, was convicted in March 1998 with five other youths in the notorious Lillelid murders. The youths, aged 14 to 20, had left Pikeville, Kentucky, headed to...
) strangled fellow inmate Patricia Jones with a shoe string, nearly choking her to death. She was convicted of attempted first degree murder on August 12, 2004. Although it is the position of the Tennessee Department of Corrections that Natasha assisted in this crime, their investigators concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge her with helping Pike attack Jones.