About this episode

Catherine and Jessica discuss Tennessee's upcoming execution dates and the complexities of capital punishment.

Catherine and Jessica discuss how Tennessee prepares for a grim milestone as new execution dates are set for 2026, including the only woman on death row in Tennessee, Christa Pike. In this episode we examine the state's latest capital punishment decisions, and the uneasy tension between justice, mercy and the ghosts of crimes past. We also have an update on the past episode "Murder in the Holler", set in Townsend, TN.

People in this episode

Host: Jessica Crowe

Guest: Catherine

Topics covered

• capital punishment
• death row
• Tennessee crime
• justice
• mercy
• crime history

Keywords

• Tennessee
• execution dates
• Christa Pike
• capital punishment
• Murder in the Holler
• justice
• mercy

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Murder in the Holler

Places: Tennessee, Townsend, TN

More episodes of Dark Thirty

• Triangle of Evil · April 15, 2026 · 44 min
• Taco Bell Bloodshed · February 25, 2026 · 46 min
• Snowpocalypse Episode: Elizabeth Smart · January 24, 2026 · 50 min
• Double Murder in Marble City · January 7, 2026 · 25 min
• Bitter Blood · November 26, 2025 · 42 min
• The Case That Started It All · October 21, 2025 · 48 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Dark Thirty podcast page.