Colleen Anne Slemmer was 19 when she was killed in Knoxville, Tennessee, in January 1995. She is the victim in a case that drew national attention, and searches for her name have risen again because Tennessee scheduled an execution connected to her death for September 30, 2026. This page focuses on who Colleen was, based on her family’s public remarks and public records, and explains the current status of the case.
Latest Update: September 30, 2026
As of September 30, 2026, Tennessee had scheduled the execution of Christa Pike, convicted of Colleen’s murder, for today. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, Governor Bill Lee denied Pike’s clemency request on September 28, 2026. WBIR reports that the U.S. Supreme Court declined to halt the execution. I have not verified whether the execution was carried out, so check the Tennessee Department of Correction or major news outlets for the latest status.
This is not a new death notice. Colleen died in 1995, and I found no traditional funeral-home obituary from that time online. This page draws on a Find a Grave memorial, WKRN and WVLT reporting from September 2026, and case summaries from advocacy and news organizations.
Who Was Colleen Slemmer?
According to WVLT, Colleen was born on September 20, 1975, and raised in a close family with her mother, May Martinez, a stepfather and a younger sister. Her mother told WKRN that Colleen was easygoing, often smiling, and loved roller-skating. WVLT says her caring side grew while she helped around her mother’s daycare business. She babysat, volunteered with the Special Olympics and often helped children with special needs.
She became interested in computers and joined the federal Job Corps program to train for work in the field. Her family says leaving home was hard, but she wanted to build her own opportunities. A few months later, in January 1995, she was killed. Her mother told WKRN that Colleen also looked for ways to help other students at school.
What Happened in 1995
Colleen died on January 12, 1995, in Knoxville, at age 19. The case became known as the “Job Corps murder.” Pike was 18 at the time. Prosecutors said she and two other teenagers took Colleen to a wooded area, where she was beaten and killed. The Death Penalty Information Center says Pike was the only one of the three who was capitally charged. She was convicted in 1996 and sentenced to death.
Pike’s supporters, including Amnesty International, argue that she endured severe abuse and neglect as a child and that her trial lawyers did not present it well. Colleen’s mother has said she hopes the outcome brings justice and may protect others. These are conflicting views on a contested issue, and this page does not take a side.
Where Colleen Is Buried
A Find a Grave memorial lists Colleen’s burial at Our Lady of Grace Cemetery in Langhorne, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The same memorial gives her birthplace as Bucks County, while WVLT says she was born in Orange Park, Florida. The two sources disagree, and I could not resolve it from a primary record.
Quick Table
| Full Name | Colleen Anne Slemmer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | September 20, 1975 (per Find a Grave and WVLT) |
| Birthplace | Sources disagree: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, or Orange Park, Florida |
| Date of Death | January 12, 1995 |
| Age at Death | 19 |
| Place of Death | Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Mother | May Martinez |
| Known For | Victim in the 1995 “Job Corps murder” case |
| Burial | Our Lady of Grace Cemetery, Langhorne, Pennsylvania (per Find a Grave) |
Reader Questions
Who was Colleen Slemmer?
She was a 19-year-old Job Corps student from a family that remembers her as caring and outgoing. She was killed in Knoxville, Tennessee, on January 12, 1995.
When did Colleen Slemmer die?
She died on January 12, 1995, according to Find a Grave and other public records.
How old was Colleen Slemmer?
She was 19 years old.
Who was convicted of killing Colleen Slemmer?
Christa Pike was convicted in 1996 of her murder and sentenced to death. Pike was 18 when the crime happened.
Has Christa Pike’s execution been carried out?
It was scheduled for September 30, 2026. I have not verified the outcome, so check the Tennessee Department of Correction or major news outlets.
What was Colleen Slemmer like?
Her mother describes her as easygoing, often smiling and eager to help others. She volunteered with the Special Olympics and wanted a career in computers.
Is there an official obituary for Colleen Slemmer?
I found no funeral-home obituary online from 1995. A Find a Grave memorial and recent news profiles are the main public records of her life.
Wrap-Up
Colleen’s story is often told through the case that followed her death, but her family asks people to remember the young woman first: a daughter, sister, volunteer and student who was working toward a career. Those details come from her mother and loved ones, and they are the most reliable picture of who she was.
The legal case stays a matter of public debate, with strong views on both sides. This page does not try to settle it. It aims to keep an accurate record of Colleen’s life and the verified facts around her death.
As of September 30, 2026, Colleen Slemmer is remembered by her family, and the execution scheduled for today had not been confirmed as carried out in the sources I checked.
Disclaimer
This article is based on publicly available reports and records reviewed on September 30, 2026. Conflicting details, such as her birthplace, are identified as such. The page may need updating as the legal case develops.
