May Martinez, the mother of Colleen Slemmer, has spoken publicly after Christa Pike’s attorneys announced that the convicted killer is now conscious and speaking following a failed execution attempt. Pike was sentenced to death for Slemmer’s 1995 murder in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Martinez traveled from Florida to witness the execution.

Pike’s execution took place on September 30, but the procedure failed to kill her after she was administered two doses of pentobarbital. She was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she remained unconscious and required a ventilator for several days. Her attorneys later announced that she had regained consciousness and was speaking, although her prognosis remains unclear.

According to her legal team, Pike suffered severe damage to her arms during the failed execution and remains handcuffed and shackled to her hospital bed while receiving critical care. Her attorneys described her recovery as medically unprecedented and said they expect a long recovery, while stressing that it is still too early to know how well she will ultimately recover.

Martinez said she had a feeling Pike might survive the execution and told WBIR that she does not believe another attempt will necessarily happen. Asked whether she wants Pike to receive another lethal injection, Martinez replied, “It doesn’t matter what I think,” adding that authorities will make that decision. Pike’s unexpected survival has now raised new questions about what happens next in the long-running case.