Welcome to The Book of the Dead
The Book of the Dead
The Book of the Dead
A weekly true crime podcast, hosted by Courtney Liso, where every chapter we turn the page to dive into a crime and victim's story that we refuse to let be forgotten. From unsolved crimes, missing persons cases, and interviews with experts in the field, every chapter aims to give a voice back to those who had it taken from them.
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Sept. 29, 2026

Epilogue-Christa Pike Revisted

Epilogue-Christa Pike Revisted
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Key Takeaways

  • This episode serves as a follow-up to Chapters 31 and 32 of The Book of the Dead, focusing on the case of Christa Pike on the eve of her execution.
  • Host Courtney Liso addresses the recent influx of posts and videos calling for clemency for Christa Pike, explaining why the death penalty is a fitting punishment for her crimes.
  • Christa Pike was convicted for the brutal 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville, Tennessee.
  • Over three decades after taking Colleen's life, Christa Pike has never once shown any real remorse for her actions.
  • Christa received 32 more years of life than Colleen Slemmer was ever allowed to experience.

In this follow to Chapters 31 and 32 of The Book of the Dead, I sat down to discuss Christa Pike and the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville, Tennessee on the eve of Christa's execution, 3 decades after she brutally took Colleen's life. This is in response to the countless posts and videos I've seen calling for clemency and why this is a situation where the death penalty is a fitting punishment. At the end of the day, Christa got 32 more years than Colleen would ever have, and she has, not once, shown any real remorse.


For more background information on this case, you can listen to:

Chapter 31: Christa Pike- The She Devil of Tennessee Part 1

Chapter 32: Christa Pike-The She Devil of Tennessee Part 2

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Clemency | Christa Pike. (n.d.). My Site 1.

Creekmore, B. (2018, October 8). Job Corps Student Murdered on Agriculture Campus - Volopedia. Volopedia.

FindLaw. (n.d.). FindLaw’s Supreme Court of Tennessee case and opinions. Findlaw.

Freeman, R., PhD. (2019, January 17). Are women with Borderline Personality Disorder & Psychopathy similar in Relationships? Neuroinstincts | Dr. Rhonda Freeman.

Gross, G., & Pike, C. (2019). Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In United States Court of Appeals (No. 1:12-cv-00035). Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Holt, E. (2012, March 22). Christa Pike woos Donald Kohut and Justin Heflin to help plan escape. 5KSDK.

Lejserowits, A. (2022, January 26). America’s Youngest Woman Sentenced to Death: Christa Pike. Living Magazine.

Lyon, R. (2022, January 7). The Sacrifice and Mutilation of Colleen Slemmer - Rivy Lyon - Medium. Medium.

Margaritoff, M. (2022, October 5). Christa Pike: The Youngest Woman Ever Sentenced To Death In America. All That’s Interesting.

Mother of Christa Gail Pike’s slaying victim outraged over for-profit website. (n.d.).

Ng, C. (2012, March 22). Tennessee Death Row Woman’s Escape Plot Foiled. ABC News.

North, J., & Matheny, J. (2020, January 31). The Job Corps killing: Passage of time can’t erase Christa Gail Pike’s savage crime. 10News

Pike ’s own words did her in - Court not convinced killer reacted to save another inmate’s life. (n.d.).

Rahman, K. (2021, June 15). Colleen Slemmer’s Mom Wants Christa Pike, Only Woman On Tennessee’s Death Row, Executed. Newsweek.

Staff, C. (2012, March 21). Two men arrested in alleged attempt to break out Tenn. death row inmate Christa Gail Pike. CBS News.

Times-Union, K. M. H. F. (2012, March 23). Tennessee says it foiled Death Row breakout plot; victim was Orange Park woman. Florida Times-Union.

Travis Dorman, Knoxville News Sentinel. (2021, June 13). How young is too young for a death sentence? Christa Pike fights move to set execution date. Knoxville News Sentinel.

Trusting others too much cost Colleen Slemmer her life. (n.d.).

Victim begged for life as killer panicked, tape says. (n.d.).

Women on Death Row. (n.d.).


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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Christa Pike?

Christa Pike is a convicted murderer who was sentenced to death for the 1995 killing of Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville, Tennessee, when she was a Job Corps student.

What is the background of the Christa Pike case on The Book of the Dead?

The case is covered extensively across multiple episodes, starting with Chapter 31 and Chapter 32 titled 'Christa Pike- The She Devil of Tennessee,' followed by this retrospective epilogue.

Why is there controversy surrounding Christa Pike's execution?

Countless social media posts and videos have recently circulated calling for clemency for Christa Pike, prompting discussions about the appropriateness of her death sentence versus the brutality of her crimes and lack of remorse.