Mother of Murder Victim Says She Wanted to Kill Killer Herself After Botched Execution

Mother of Colleen Slemmer says she wanted to kill Christa Pike after failed execution. Details on the botched lethal injection and emotional aftermath.

Editorial Desk

October 2, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Nashville, Tennessee — The mother of a woman murdered by death row inmate Christa Pike has expressed deep frustration over the failed execution of the killer, admitting she felt a desire for revenge.

Pike, 50, was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer but her execution at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville collapsed earlier this week when two doses of pentobarbital failed to end her life. She was rushed to the hospital for emergency care.

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May Martinez, who was present in the witness room with her husband, Raul Martinez Jr., described the moment as deeply unsettling. She told People, “If I could have gotten in that room, I would have taken the box cutter and cut her up like she did Colleen.” The couple returned to Florida to await further developments as Pike remains in critical condition following the incident.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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