Carly Gregg is an accused killer from Mississippi whose trial began this week in the murder of her mother Ashley Smylie and the attempted murder of her stepfather Heath Smylie
According to police reports Carly Gregg, who was fourteen at the time of the murder, would fatally shoot her mother Ashley Smylie
After she shot and killed her mother Carly Gregg allegedly invited a friend over and asked the friend if she wanted to see a dead body. Gregg then led the other teen to view the body
The friend would tell police shortly after she heard several gunshots and this is when police allege that Carly Gregg had shot her stepfather Heath Smylie
Heath Smylie would phone police who would arrest Carly Gregg a short distance away from the home
Carly Gregg would be charged with murder and attempted murder as well as other charges
Prosecutors would offer Carly a forty year sentence if she would plead guilty to the charges she was facing. However the now fifteen year old girl would turn it down and elect to go to trial where if she is convicted could face life in prison
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Day 1 of the Carly Madison Gregg murder trial began with a somber atmosphere in the Rankin County Courthouse as the prosecution presented evidence to the jury, including a 911 call recording and body cam footage after the March shootings.
Gregg, 15, is accused of murdering her 40-year-old mother, Ashley Smylie, and attempting to murder her stepfather, Heath Smylie, on March 19 at the family’s Brandon home in the 200 block of Ashton Way. Gregg was 14 at the time of the alleged offense.
Gregg, who was dressed in a white dress with gold buttons, appeared to become emotional frequently throughout her Monday court appearance.
Around 3:20 p.m., the state called its first witness, Rankin County Dispatcher Kevin Collins, to testify about a 911 call from Heath which lasted about six minutes.
On the call, played inside the courtroom, Heath can be heard sounding hysterical and frantic saying Gregg shot him and killed her mother.
As the recording played, Gregg held her head downward. Gregg often rubbed her nose, letting out light whimpers with her shoulders shaking.
Later on in the audio, Heath can be heard saying, “God, why?”
As the call continued to play, Heath can be heard on the recording letting out more cries as he said he found Ashley’s deceased body in Gregg’s room.
At the same time inside the courtroom, Gregg was handed a tissue box. Gregg used the tissues to wipe her face.
Gregg appeared to become more emotional when prosecutors played the bodycam footage of the first deputy who arrived at the scene on March 19. The deputy was identified as Rankin County Patrol Deputy Hunter Lewis.
Lewis said when he arrived at the Brandon home, the front door was locked. While outside the door, Lewis testified that he heard someone screaming “hysterically” inside of the house. Lewis said that person was soon identified as Heath, who the deputy deemed “upset.”
The bodycam footage playing inside the courtroom showed Heath falling to the ground while telling Lewis that his wife, Ashley, was deceased inside the house. Heath told the deputy that he sustained a gunshot wound. Heath also told the deputy that Gregg ran out the back of the house after the shootings.
Bodycam footage showed Lewis making his way through the house where he found Ashley, lying straight on her back in Gregg’s room with a bloody towel draped over her face.
Lewis said he lifted the towel discovering Ashley had “a bullet in her head.”
The jury members sat in their chairs watching as the bodycam footage played on a monitor for 30 to 40 minutes before being cut off by the prosecutors.
After the jury was selected Monday, opening statements were presented before the first witness was called.
Katheryn Newman, one of the state prosecutors, began painting a picture to the jury about Gregg’s “secret life,” including a boyfriend, a secret phone, social media accounts and self-harm.
On the morning of March 19, Newman said Gregg and her mother rode together to Northwest Rankin High School. Gregg was a student, and Ashley was a teacher at the school.
Newman said on school grounds, Gregg got into an altercation with one of her friends, “cursing him out.” Newman said the friend was “so worried” about Gregg’s “marijuana use” that he sent an email to Ashley describing what he knew. Newman said the friend felt the “need to intervene.”
At approximately 3:30 p.m., Newman said Gregg and Ashley arrive back at the house. Newman said moments after arriving at the home, Ashley “took some items” out of Gregg’s bedroom. Newman identified one of those items as “four boxes that contained vape pens.”
Sometime after, Gregg allegedly shot her mother with a .357 Magnum gun she was concealing behind her back. Newman said one projectile was removed from Ashley’s brain and another from Ashley’s neck which matched the ballistics from the weapon Gregg used in the shooting. Newman said Gregg’s hands also tested positive for gunshot residue.
Newman said Gregg also called a friend, who came over. Gregg allegedly asked the friend if they were “squeamish around dead bodies” before showing the friend Smylie’s deceased body.
“I put three in my mom, three more for my stepdad,” said Newman, referring to an alleged statement Gregg made to the friend.
Defense Attorney Bridget Todd disputed the claims made by the prosecutors in her opening statement, stating Gregg “loved her mother” and was “a good student.”
Todd said jurors will hear from Heath, who is expected to stand beside Gregg. According to Todd, Heath believes Gregg didn’t recognize him when he came home. Todd said Heath believes the teen was terrified.
Todd told the jury that evidence will show that Gregg and her mother were “worried” that the teenager had the same mental illness that her father had.
Todd said, “while the events on March 19 were tragic,” they were not “intentional.” The defense’s plea is insanity.
If convicted, Gregg faces a potential sentence of life in prison. She previously turned down a plea deal offered by prosecutors that would have sent her to prison for 40 years.
Trial is set to resume at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17.
