Mama Mystery with Kelly Evans

On September 30, 2026, Tennessee tried to execute Christa Pike, the only woman on its death row, and failed. She survived two lethal injections of pentobarbital and was rushed to a hospital. This week on Mama Mystery, I'm breaking down the full Christa Pike case from the beginning. In January 1995, 18-year-old Christa lured 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, a fellow student at the Knoxville Job Corps, into the woods on the University of Tennessee agricultural campus. With her boyfriend Tadaryl Shipp and friend Shadolla Peterson there, she tortured and killed Colleen, carved a pentagram into her chest, and kept a piece of her skull as a souvenir. We'll cover Christa's traumatic childhood, her confession, the 1996 trial that made her the youngest woman sentenced to death in modern U.S. history, her prison attack on another inmate, and the 2012 escape plot with a pen pal and a prison guard. Then I'll walk you through the last-minute court fight, the U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling, and the failed execution hour by hour. Most of all, we'll remember Colleen Slemmer, the girl at the center of this story. TW: graphic violence, torture, sexual abuse of a child (discussed, not described in detail), and a botched execution.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Las Vegas, Nevada — Mom Kills Pre-Teen Daughter and Then Herself in Hotel During Cheerleading TripPawtucket, Rhode Island — Targeted Hockey Rink Shooting Leaves Two Dead and Three Critically InjuredTipp City, Ohio — Ashley Flynn Shot and Killed in Apparent Home BurglaryBranson, Missouri — Magician Couple Garry and Janine Carson Face Federal Child Exploitation ChargesNorfolk, Virginia — International Manhunt for Navy Reservist David Varela Accused of Killing Wife Lina Guerra EchavarriaOoltewah, Tennessee — Former NFL Linebacker Darron Lee Charged With Murder in Death of Gabriella Carvalho PerpetuoReston, Virginia — Juliana Peres Magalhães Sentenced in the Banfield “Au Pair Affair” Double Murder CaseAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In 1992, the brutal murder of an 18-year-old young woman shocked a quiet English community and sent police searching for a violent, experienced predator. The crime scene suggested someone dangerous, deliberate, and deeply sadistic — but the investigation would eventually uncover a truth no one was prepared to face.This episode explores a case that defies expectations and challenges long-held assumptions about violence, psychology, and where evil comes from. It’s a story about how investigators got it wrong for years, how warning signs went unnoticed, and how one young woman’s life was reduced to evidence — while the person responsible hid in plain sight.Some cases force us to ask uncomfortable questions.This is one of them.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

When Christine Banfield was brutally attacked inside her own home, her husband Brendan claimed he had interrupted a violent intruder and acted in self-defense. But as investigators dug deeper, cracks quickly began to form in that story. What initially appeared to be a tragic home invasion soon unraveled into something far more calculated involving a hidden affair, digital evidence, and a chilling sequence of events that pointed not outward, but inward.In this episode, we take a deep dive into the murder of Christine Banfield and the death of Joseph Ryan, examining how a seemingly ordinary family life masked a web of deception, manipulation, and motive and how investigators ultimately pieced together what really happened inside that Fairfax County home.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome back to the Mama Minute — because sometimes, you just need a minute.A minute away from the weight of true crime.A minute away from the monotony. A break in tone. A minute to be yourself, take care of yourself, and let your mind go somewhere else — even if it’s just for a minute. 🫶🏼Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We begin with the latest developments in the murders of Spencer and Monique Tepe, including new context surrounding the suspect, his background, and unanswered questions investigators are still working through. From there, we move into a murder investigation in England following the discovery of human remains, a machete incident involving teenagers in Scotland, and multiple federal child exploitation sentences handed down across the U.S.We also cover a homicide-suicide near the Idaho-Wyoming border, a kidnapping and carjacking case that has now escalated to federal charges, and a violent gas station assault in Arkansas that left a young man seriously injured.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this week’s Weekly Docket, we’re breaking down the most significant crime and legal headlines making waves right now — with facts, context, and clarity.We begin by addressing online rumors surrounding the death of Renee Good and separate verified information from misinformation. From there, we take a fact-based look at what authority ICE agents do and do not have over U.S. citizens, including a clear explanation of constitutional rights, warrants, and lawful protest.This episode also covers:Federal wire fraud and money-laundering charges against the former executive director of Black Lives Matter Oklahoma CityA smash-and-grab robbery at a California shopping mallThe conviction of a Florida gang leader tied to violent racketeeringA suspicious disappearance in South Australia now treated as a major crimeA sentencing update in the Sarah Pender caseArrest in Monique and Spencer Tepe's double-homicideAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this week’s Weekly Docket, we break down several major crime stories making headlines across the U.S., focusing on confirmed facts, investigative updates, and what remains unanswered.We begin in Ohio, where investigators continue searching for answers in the unsolved double homicide of Spencer and Monique Tepe, a Columbus couple found shot to death inside their home while their two young children were left physically unharmed. We examine what police have confirmed, surveillance developments, and statements from grieving family members.Next, we head to New York City, where a Brooklyn medical student is charged with attempted murder after allegedly pushing a 73-year-old man into a moving subway train. The victim survived, but the case has renewed concerns about unprovoked violence in the subway system.In Minnesota, we look at the brutal Christmas Day killing of a hospital security guard by a patient, along with the broader scrutiny surrounding fraud investigations tied to daycare and social service programs as Governor Tim Walz announces he will not seek reelection.We also cover a disturbing case out of Florida, where a woman is accused of killing two ex-husbands in separate shootings on the same day, and an Ohio case involving a pregnant woman allegedly held captive and violently assaulted over New Year’s.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy