Tennessee may soon carry out its first execution of a woman in over 200 years. Christa Gail Pike, now 49, was sentenced to death for a brutal murder committed when she was 18.

In 1995, Pike lured 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer to a wooded area with the help of two others. Driven by jealousy, she carried out a violent attack that shocked investigators. After the crime, her behavior stood out. A detective recalled, “During the interview, she was very giddy, laughed, very cooperative. She wanted to tell us all about it.”

Pike was later found with part of the victim’s skull, which she kept as a “trophy.” The same detective said, “She had a piece of the skull wrapped up in a napkin in her coat pocket,” highlighting the disturbing nature of the case. She was convicted in 1996 and sentenced to death, while her accomplices received lesser penalties.

Over the years, Pike’s case has gone through many appeals. Her legal team argues that her age at the time and her troubled past should be considered. They state, “Christa’s childhood was fraught with years of physical and sexual abuse and neglect,” and say she now shows remorse.

If the execution proceeds, it will mark a historic moment in Tennessee. The case continues to raise difficult questions about justice, mental health, and the long-term impact of early trauma.