Christa Pike showed no remorse when describing murder, ex-police chief says

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 29 Oct, 15:19 · Archive

Former Knoxville police chief Phil Keith said Christa Pike was 'ruthless' and 'almost giddy' describing how she killed Colleen Slemmer in 1995.

Christa Pike, 50, survived Tennessee's attempt to execute her by lethal injection on 30 September. She has since returned to prison, and questions have arisen about whether the state could attempt to execute her again.

Pike was sentenced to death for the brutal 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer, 19, a fellow Job Corps participant in Knoxville. She lured Slemmer to an isolated area of the University of Tennessee's campus in a fit of jealousy, suspecting Slemmer wanted to steal her boyfriend. Pike and an accomplice tortured Slemmer with a meat cleaver and box cutter, cut a pentagram into her chest, and Pike bashed her head in with asphalt before keeping a piece of Slemmer's skull as a souvenir.

Former Knoxville police chief Phil Keith, who investigated the case, recalled Pike's demeanor during interrogation. 'I heard somebody that was ruthless, without any remorse, almost giddy,' Keith said. 'You know, she was describing what took place, like, almost the sense that she was bragging about it.' Keith said the brutality of the crime was shocking even to veteran detectives.

Governor Bill Lee addressed Pike's fate, saying she remains incarcerated under Tennessee law and that her death sentence is unlikely to change unless determined otherwise by the courts. Pike's attorneys have called on Lee to commute her sentence to life without parole following the failed execution.

How it is being reported

• Ex-chief says Christa Pike was 'almost giddy' describing murder as governor weighs in after botched executionA former Knoxville police chief recalled Christa Pike being "ruthless" and "almost giddy" while describing Colleen Slemmer's brutal 1995 murder.Fox News · 29 Oct, 14:59
• Christa Pike was ‘ruthless,’ ‘almost giddy’ while being interrogated about twisted murder, police chief recallsChrista Pike was "ruthless, without any remorse, almost giddy" when describing to cops how she committed the brutal murder which landed her on death row, according to the police chief who handled her case.New York Post · 28 Oct, 18:03

In this story: Christa Pike · Colleen Slemmer · Phil Keith · Bill Lee · Tennessee · Knoxville · University of Tennessee

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