A 15-year-old Mississippi girl, Carly Madison Gregg, was found guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder on Friday.
Gregg was convicted of fatally shooting her mother, Ashley Smylie, and attempting to kill her stepfather, Heath Smylie, in an attack at their home in March. In addition to these charges, Gregg, who was 14 at the time of the murder, was also found guilty of tampering with evidence.
The jury swiftly delivered two life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murder and attempted murder convictions after only deliberating for around two hours earlier in the day. She also received a 10-year sentence for tampering with evidence, which will run concurrently with the life sentences.
During the trial, the prosecution portrayed Gregg as calculated and deliberate. They argued that her actions on the day of the murder showed clear intent.
Video footage from a kitchen camera revealed Gregg hiding a gun behind her back as she walked toward her bedroom, where she shot her mother multiple times.
The shooting allegedly occurred after her mother, also a teacher, discovered vape pens in her daughter’s bedroom, which prosecutors described as evidence of Gregg’s “secret life,” involving vapes, burner phones, and self-harm.
After the murder, Gregg allegedly texted her stepfather from her mother’s phone, writing, “When will you be home honey?” in an effort to lure him back to the house.
Once he arrived, she allegedly ambushed him at the door, shooting him in the shoulder before he wrestled the gun away from her.
The prosecution emphasized that these actions demonstrated a clear awareness of her wrongdoing and an intent to cover up her crime. Prosecutors argued that the defendant’s behavior—both before and after the killings—was consistent with someone who knew the difference between right and wrong.
The defense focused on Gregg’s mental health, arguing that she was suffering from severe psychological issues and had experienced a psychotic episode on the day of the murder.
They pointed to her history of depression, anxiety, and self-harm, as well as her recent switch to a new medication one week prior to the shooting. The defense argued that the medication worsened her mental state and contributed to the breakdown that led to the attack.
Gregg’s attorneys cited her journal entries and the testimony of her best friend, which showed that she had been hearing voices and feared inheriting schizophrenia from her biological father.
The defense further claimed that Gregg’s post-murder actions—such as inviting her friend over to the house, showing her mother’s body, and asking if she wanted to go outside while she “took care” of her stepfather—were indicative of confusion, not premeditation.
They argued that Gregg did not fully comprehend her actions and asked the jury to consider a not-guilty verdict by reason of insanity.
Heath Smylie, the stepfather who survived the attack, described in testimony how he walked into the house, only to be shot by Gregg as soon as he opened the door.
A struggle ensued, during which more shots were fired, one grazing his shoulder. Heath Smylie recalled seeing Gregg in a state of terror, saying she looked like “she had seen a demon or something” and speculated that she may not have even recognized him at the time.
After being shot, the stepfather wrestled the gun from the girl’s hands. After locking the door behind her, Heath Smylie discovered his wife’s body in their daughter’s bedroom and called 911.
He emphasized that, despite the horrific attack, he believed Gregg was not herself during the incident and described her actions as completely out of character.
Gregg broke down in tears as the verdict was read by the judge.
While the defense argued that Gregg could one day be rehabilitated, the prosecution pressed for life imprisonment, stating that releasing her would be a danger to society.
“She may look like a little girl, and they have said she’s sweet little Carly, but unfortunately we all know that that’s not true,” prosecutor Kathryn White Newman said in urging the jury to sentence her to life without parole.
The judge imposed the life sentences to run concurrently, along with the 10-year sentence for evidence tampering. Gregg’s attorneys have not yet indicated whether they will appeal the conviction.
