In a chilling case that has gripped Rankin County, Mississippi, 15-year-old Carly Gregg is on trial for the brutal murder of her mother, high school teacher Ashley Smylie, and the attempted murder of her stepfather, Heath Smylie.
The shocking events unfolded in March, when Carly, then 14, allegedly shot her mother in their Brandon home, followed by an attempt to kill her stepfather upon his return.
Carly Gregg’s Cold Blooded Murder
Surveillance footage presented in court captured Carly Gregg walking through their house with a gun hidden behind her back, moments before the fatal shooting.
The video shows her calmly moving through the kitchen, where moments later, gunshots and a scream were heard. Her mother, Ashley, who had been a teacher at Northwest Rankin High School, was killed instantly.
What makes the case even more disturbing is Carly’s actions immediately following the murder. According to prosecutors, Carly Gregg sent text messages to her stepfather, Heath, to lure him home.
When Heath arrived, the teenager allegedly shot him as well, though he managed to survive with a graze wound to his shoulder and wrestled the weapon away from her. Gregg fled the scene, but was apprehended roughly half a mile from their home.
Court testimony has brought further alarming details to light. Mental health experts, including psychiatrist Dr. Jason Pickett, testified about Carly’s mental state leading up to the killings. Dr. Pickett, who interviewed the girl for over four hours and reviewed extensive evidence, concluded that she did not meet the criteria for insanity under Mississippi law. He testified that Carly was fully aware of the nature of her actions on the day of the shooting.
@courttvlive “Most shocking day of my life.” #CarlyGregg‘s therapist recalls her final session with the teen, one day before she killed her mother. Rebuttal witness Rebecca Kirk told the jury the then 14-year-old had no suicidal or homicidal indications #CourtTV What do YOU think? #courttvlive #shocking #courttvtiktok #carlygreggcase #courttvshow #therapist #courttvnetwork #rebuttal #courttvlivestream #jury #mental #therapy #deadly #deadlydaughter ♬ original sound – Court TV
Speculation about her mental health has been a focal point in the trial. Witnesses mentioned a family history of bipolar disorder, particularly on her father’s side. However, Dr. Pickett dismissed this possibility in Carly’s case, emphasizing that she showed no clear signs of the disorder.
Defense attorneys, however, have pointed to Carly’s struggles with depression, arguing that a new medication may have caused her mental state to deteriorate rapidly before the shooting. Testimony from Carly’s defense suggested that she had been hearing voices in the days leading up to the crime, and her emotional highs and lows had become more pronounced. Despite this, the prosecution maintains that Carly was acting deliberately when she carried out the killings.
One particularly haunting detail emerged during the testimony of a close friend, identified only as B.W., who said Carly had texted her after the shooting, asking her to come over for an “emergency.” When B.W. arrived, the girl allegedly asked if she had ever seen a dead body before, then showed her mother’s lifeless form. She then instructed B.W. to wait outside, stating that her stepfather was about to come home. Moments later, B.W. heard gunshots.
@dailymail This is the moment Mississippi teen Carly Gregg giggled in court, where she is on trial for allegedly fatally shooting her own mother. #truecrime #carlygregg #trial #cctv #footage #news ♬ Horror, suspense strange sound – DN.FACTORY
Carly rejected a plea deal from prosecutors that would have sent her to prison for 40 years. Now, she faces the possibility of a life sentence for her mother’s murder, along with up to 30 years for the attempted murder of her stepfather.
