Woman Murdered by Christa Pike Remembered as 'Computer Geek' with Nurturing Heart
May Martinez says the failed execution has shifted attention away from her daughter, whose 1995 killing led to Pike’s death sentence.
- On Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, May Martinez, mother of murder victim Colleen Slemmer, traveled from Florida to Nashville to witness the execution of Christa Pike, but the procedure was botched, leaving Pike alive.
- In January 1995, Pike, then 18, murdered Colleen Slemmer near Knoxville, Tennessee, after Slemmer moved to the state to attend the Job Corps program.
- Martinez told WTLV she feels the state failed her family, saying, "The criminals get so much attention," while her daughter has been "forgotten" by the system.
- Criticizing the state's handling, Tennessee resident Michelle Nowell stated, "We have paid for Christa Pike," citing mounting legal fees, hospital bills, and potential lawsuits.
- Justice for her daughter remains Martinez's focus; she told the Associated Press, "Holidays are the worst," emphasizing her unrelenting pursuit of accountability.
37 Articles
37 Articles
Murderer Christa Pike's name has been making headlines around the world after her botched execution. But who was Colleen Slemmer, the victim of an exceptionally brutal crime at just 19 years old?
Colleen Slemmer, murdered by Christa Pike, remembered as a ‘computer geek’ with a nurturing heart
By Avni Trivedi, CNN (CNN) — A driven and caring 19-year-old packed her belongings in Florida and traveled over 500 miles to live out her dream of studying computing in Knoxville, Tennessee. It was there, in January 1995, that Colleen Slemmer’s life was cut short. She was murdered by her 18-year-old classmate Christa Pike. Pike
A botched execution has reignited the pain of a mother who has been waiting for justice for three decades for the brutally taken life of her 19-year-old daughter.
Ekzekutimi i Christa Pike dështon, nëna e 19-vjeçares së vrarë: Vajza ime po harrohet ndërsa autorja merr gjithë vëmendjen
Colleen Slemmer u largua nga Florida drejt Tennessee për të ndjekur ëndrrën e saj për të studiuar teknologjinë, por jeta e saj u ndërpre tragjikisht në janar të vitit 1995. [...] Read More...
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