Tennessee prepares to execute the first woman in over 200 years

Published September 29, 2026 9:42am ET | Updated September 29, 2026 9:42am ET



Tennessee is planning to execute a female inmate accused of murder on Wednesday, marking the first time in over 200 years that a woman has received the death penalty in the state.

Christa Pike, 50, is the only woman on Tennessee’s death row. She has been imprisoned for roughly 30 years in connection with the 1995 murder of her classmate. Pike and her boyfriend at the time were both involved in the crime.

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