Colleen Slemmer
In short
Colleen Slemmer was a 19-year-old student whose 1995 murder in Knoxville, Tennessee, is the subject of recent news following statements made by her killer, Christa Pike, regarding a botched execution attempt.
Who they are now
Slemmer was a victim of a high-profile murder case in the mid-1990s. She is deceased, having been killed by Christa Pike and an accomplice in a wooded area.
Why they are in the news
Her name is appearing in news reports because Christa Pike has recently broken her silence to describe the physical and psychological suffering she endured after a failed lethal injection attempt in September 2026.
An example of their work
Her death became a landmark case in Tennessee legal history. It led to the death sentence of Christa Pike, who became one of the youngest women on death row in the United States.