On September 30, 2026, Tennessee attempted to execute death row inmate Christa Pike by lethal injection for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. Despite receiving two doses of pentobarbital, Pike survived. She lost consciousness but continued breathing, and her heart was still beating more than an hour after the procedure began. She was eventually transported to a hospital, where she regained consciousness and recovered enough to return to prison.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes back board-certified forensic pathologist Dr. Priya Banerjee to discuss what may have gone wrong during Pike’s failed execution. She explains how pentobarbital affects the brain and breathing, why improper IV placement may have prevented the full dose from entering Pike’s bloodstream, and why her recovery was so unexpected. Sheryl and Dr. Priya also discuss previous execution failures, the ethical questions surrounding physician involvement, and the emotional toll these failures can have on victims’ families and everyone involved.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl introduces Christa Pike’s failed execution and welcomes back Dr. Priya Banerjee

(1:30) Dr. Priya explains Tennessee’s single-drug lethal injection protocol and how pentobarbital works

(3:15) How improper IV placement may have contributed to the failed execution

(5:15) The medical response after Pike survived the lethal injection attempt

(7:00) Why Pike’s recovery was so unexpected

(9:15) Previous execution failures involving John Wayne Gacy and problems with lethal injection

(11:15) Questions about who administers lethal injections and the ethical restrictions on physician involvement

(15:15) How lethal injection protocols vary from state to state

(16:30) Pike’s attorneys requested an alternative execution method before the procedure

(17:30) Statistics on failed executions and the need to prevent medical errors

(19:15) The emotional impact of failed executions on victims' families and everyone involved

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Dr. Priya Banerjee is a board-certified forensic pathologist and former Rhode Island state medical examiner. She previously co-hosted Pathology with Dr. Priya, a Zone 7 series, and uses her forensic expertise to help audiences better understand complex medical evidence and death investigations.

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Sheryl’s work has included high-profile investigations involving the Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur, and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching. She is an Emmy Award-winning crime scene investigator and was inducted into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:

Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7pod

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.