Explained: Why didn't Krista Pike die despite two toxic injections? First case in 207 years

On the night of September 30, 2026, in the US state of Tennessee, an incident occurred that shocked the whole world. Death row prisoner Krista Pike was given poisonous injections, but she did not die. Even after the first injection, the heart kept beating, so the second injection was given. After the second, she still survived and continued to snore. Eventually, she had to be taken to the hospital, where she is undergoing treatment. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee then halted all the remaining death sentences of 2026 and ordered a third-party investigation. But how did Krista survive after two toxic injections?

Krista Pike and what did she do?

A pentagram (diabolical symbol) was carved on Colleen's chest and a piece of her skull was kept as a marker. For this reason, Krista has been called a 'Satanist Killer' in the media.

Why so much controversy over the death penalty?

Krista Pike's case is not just a murder case. Behind this is her extremely traumatic childhood. According to court records and her lawyers, Krista was a victim of sexual abuse and abuse since childhood. She was raped at the age of 11 and was sexually abused as a teenager. Medical reports also told her of mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which she never treated properly.

injection?

The answer lies in a drug called pentobarbital. It is a powerful sedative that slows down the body's nervous system. In large doses, it stops breathing and stops the heartbeat. Tennessee's protocol says that if the prisoner survives after the first injection, a second injection should be administered.

In Krista's case, she survived even after being injected twice. The reason for this is that the amount of pentobarbital in her blood did not reach as much as was necessary for death. Dr. Joel Zivot, a medical expert on Krista's legal team, told the BBC, "Pike's blood level never rose enough to stop breathing and stop heart."

So what caused this?

This is not the first time this has happened in Tennessee. Earlier in May 2026, an inmate named Tony Carruthers was left paralyzed with a vein that did not get while injecting. That case also involved the same doctor who injected Krista.

Tennessee's Protocol and Raising Questions

Tennessee changed its approach in 2024 to use only pentobarbital instead of three drugs. But this protocol does not clearly state what to do if the prisoner is still alive after the second injection. This is why in Pike's case, the authorities did not understand what to do next.

So what's next with Krista now?

Krista has been taken to the hospital, where she is undergoing treatment. Dr. Zivot said that due to the late start of treatment, she may also have a brain injury. The question now is whether Tennessee will try to kill her again. Legally, it can be tried again, but the governor has currently suspended all death sentences.

The last time a woman was sentenced to death in the state of Tennessee was in 1819. That is, before the Krista Pike case came in 2026, no woman had been hanged or poisoned in the state for nearly 207 years.