Tennessee is preparing to carry out a rare execution that could make history. Christa Gail Pike, the only woman on the state’s death row, may become the first woman executed there in over 200 years.

Pike was 18 when she committed the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer near the University of Tennessee. Driven by jealousy, she lured the victim to a secluded area with help from others and carried out a brutal attack. The crime shocked investigators and the community.

After her arrest, her behavior stood out to authorities. A detective said, “During the interview, she was very giddy, laughed, very cooperative. She wanted to tell us all about it.” Evidence later revealed she had kept part of the victim’s skull, which the detective described as “a trophy.”

Pike was convicted in 1996 and sentenced to death. Over the years, her case has gone through many appeals. Her legal team argues her age at the time, along with severe abuse and mental health issues, should be considered. They said, “Christa’s childhood was fraught with years of physical and sexual abuse and neglect,” adding that she now shows “deep remorse for her crime.”

If the execution proceeds as scheduled in 2026, it will mark a historic moment in Tennessee’s legal system. The case continues to raise difficult questions about justice, punishment, and how past trauma should be weighed in serious crimes.