Carly Gregg sentenced to life after found guilty on all charges in murder case. What we know
(This story was updated to add new information.)
On Friday, a Rankin County jury sentenced Carly Madison Gregg, 15, to life in prison shortly after they found Gregg guilty of murdering her mother, attempting to murder her stepfather and tampering with evidence.
For two hours, a jury deliberated before reaching a guilty verdict. For one hour, the jury deliberated on the sentencing for Gregg.
Gregg was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her mother and the attempted murder of her stepfather. Gregg was also sentenced to serve 10 years in prison for tampering with evidence. The sentences will run concurrently.
Gregg, who was 14 at the time of the offenses, murdered her 40-year-old mother, Ashley Smylie, and attempted to murder her 39-year-old stepfather, Heath Smylie, on March 19 at the family’s Brandon home in the 200 block of Ashton Way.
Before the sentencing was read, prosecutor Kathryn Newman asked the jury to sentence Gregg to life in prison without parole, stating Gregg has shown “zero remorse” about what she has done. Defense Attorney Kevin Camp asked the jury to let the judge make the determination for sentencing, stating “you have the opportunity to not make this worse on the family.”
Rankin County Circuit Court Judge Dewey Arthur previously gave detailed instructions on the law, and the prosecution and defense made their final remarks before the case went to the jury. The jury comprised of one Black woman, one Black man, seven white women and three white men handed down the guilty verdict.
Gregg previously turned down a plea deal offered by prosecutors that would have sent her to prison for 40 years.
At times when the guilty verdict and sentencing was read, Gregg broke down in tears. Gregg’s family sitting inside the courtroom — Heath, Ashely’s parents and other relatives — appeared to mouth words of encouragement to the teen.
Prosecutors describe Gregg’s actions as ‘cool,’ ‘calm,’ ‘collected’ and ‘callus’
The prosecution’s closing arguments focused on making one thing clear about Gregg: “She knew what she did.”
Prosecutor Michael Smith referred to home security footage located in the kitchen of the home, which showed Gregg peeking around the corner to retrieve a .357 Magnum revolver, heading to her own bedroom where she fires off three shots that killed Ashley.
‘God, why?” 911 call reveals disturbing account in Carly Gregg murder trial
“Ladies and gentlemen, there’s no doubt Carly Madison Gregg is the one who killed her mom, Ashley Smylie. There’s no doubt that she attempted to kill Heath Smylie, when she aimed the gun right at his head and shot and hit him. And there’s no doubt that she’s the one who hid the camera, thus tampering with evidence. We would ask that you go back there, and you find her guilty of all three, because she was not insane at the time that this happened. She knew exactly what she was doing, and she knew the difference between right and wrong,” Smith said.
Defense on the ‘undisputed truths’ with Gregg
During the defense closing arguments, Defense Attorneys Bridget Todd and Kevin Camp asked for the jury to consider that Gregg was “reaching out for help” when she was experiencing a “mental health crisis” on March 19.
Todd noted many “truths” she believes have been “undisputed” since the trial began. Some of those truths were that Gregg loved her mom, loved her stepdad and had no history of violence.
Todd told the jury that they must presume Gregg is innocent unless they believe the prosecution has met their burden to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
‘Please help me’: Defense expert testifies that journal shows Carly Gregg battled with mental health
“If Carly intended to kill her mom because her mom found out she was smoking pot, then why wouldn’t she have left the house after she killed her mom? Why not run? Why call all of her good friends asking for help, terrified and crying saying she couldn’t tell them what happened? Why text her stepdad anything? Why wait in the house? And what did her stepdad have to do with anything? He didn’t know about the marijuana usage. He didn’t have any skin in that game. It doesn’t make sense, and the state can’t tell you why she did any of those things, but they have to prove it to you beyond reasonable doubt,” Todd said.
State expert witnesses say Gregg denied hearing voices
Rebuttal witnesses for the state testified Thursday that Gregg denied hearing voices, conflicting with previous testimony given by the defense’s expert witness.
Olivia Leber, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, said she first met with Gregg in January 2024, at which time Gregg completed a form, checking she didn’t hear voices. Leber said she met with Gregg for the last time on March 12, a week before the shootings. At that appointment, a medication switch occurred after Gregg complained of feeling “like a zombie.” Leber said she told Gregg to taper off the Zoloft she was taking, while starting on a new medication, Lexapro. According to Leber, Gregg never reported hearing voices or having lapses in her memory.
Rebuttal witness Rebecca Kirk is a licensed professional counselor who met with Gregg nine times before the shootings. In January, Gregg and Ashley reported that Gregg was having intrusive and disruptive thoughts, was easily angered and was having trouble sleeping, according to Kirk’s testimony. But, Gregg denied hearing voices.
“Rebecca as a therapist, how many people do you see that have complaints about depression or anxiety?” asked prosecutor Newman.
See more details on: Experts say Carly Gregg denied hearing voices before killing mom
Rebecca Kirk, Carly Gregg’s licensed professional counselor, testifies during day four of Gregg’s trial at Rankin County Courthouse in Brandon on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024.
“Almost every single one of them,” Kirk said.
“And how many of them have gone on to kill their mom?” Newman said.
“Before that, none,” Kirk said.
‘Theatrical, concerning’: Experts say Gregg was aware she committed the alleged offenses
Dr. Jason Pickett, a forensic psychiatrist, also testified in court regarding his task to perform a mental evaluation of Gregg by using The M’Naghten Rule, a legal standard test of insanity. Pickett’s testimony occurred shortly after Dr. Amanda Gugliano testified in court that she performed a competency evaluation in which the Court later determined Gregg was competent to stand trial.
As part of his 85-page report, Pickett analyzed Gregg’s writings and statements that seemed to him “theatrical” and others “concerning.” He cited a text message dated Feb. 7 when Gregg told a friend, “You don’t understand how (expletive) psycho I was that day, I almost murdered my parents.”
“My opinion is that Carly does not meet Mississippi’s standard for insanity at the time of the offense and that she knew the nature, quality and wrongfulness of her actions during that day,” Pickett said.
‘Please help me’: Journals, sketchbook shows Gregg battled with mental health
Dr. Andrew Clark, a child and adolescent psychiatrist based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, testified that Gregg’s medical records indicated a long-standing struggle with depression and anxiety, while the majority of her school records show a pattern of good attendance and academic excellence. Clark said Gregg’s journal entries and a sketchbook, however, revealed an interest with “dark themes.”
During Clark’s testimony he revealed that at the age of 4, Gregg had a sister who died. Around the ages of 6 or 7, Gregg started hearing voices and having intrusive thoughts — one symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder. Clark said as Gregg grew older, she developed symptoms of depression. When Gregg was 11 or 12, she began self-harming herself by making superficial cuts in her thigh. Clark said that was not in effort to kill herself but to “cope” with her depression and anxiety.
Dr. Andrew Clark is sworn in during day three of Gregg’s trial at Rankin County Courthouse in Brandon on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024.
Clark read aloud in the courtroom a journal entry written on March 12, a week before the incident: “I think I had a psychotic break earlier. The whole ordeal is quite silly. I actually spoke with one of the voices in my head. Well, I didn’t hear them until earlier today, but I only do then. My particular friend and I were practically screaming bloodthirstily and ravenously. Thank God — physical confrontation was not possible. I sound crazy,” Clark read.
Clark said he believes the Lexapro combined with Gregg’s history of mental health issues and upbringing led to the violent outburst, which he said Gregg doesn’t remember due to her memory going “blank” at the time of the shootings.
More in-depth coverage: On Clark’s testimony on Gregg’s struggle wtih mental health. Defense rests case
“Her memory came back as she was standing by the side of the road, having crawled out of a drainage pipe wet, and the police officer came by and picked her up,” Clark testified.
‘A sweet little girl’: Gregg’s stepfather, who was shot by Gregg, takes the stand
On Tuesday, Heath was called by the state to testify. Heath said he remembered arriving at the home when a gun fired near his face. He testified it was all “a blur.” Heath said after the first shot, he recalls a struggle to remove a .357 Magnum from Gregg’s hand. Heath said he received a gunshot wound to the shoulder. During the struggle, Heath said two more shots rang out. Heath said he eventually was able to gain possession of the weapon.
“She was screaming out of her mind scared,” Heath said. “It was like she had seen a demon or something, and my first thought was, there was an intruder somewhere, and she thought she was after somebody else.”
Heath said he searched the house for Ashley and for an intruder. He said he checked the couple’s bedroom, bathroom, closet and checked a spare bedroom, before turning and entering into Gregg’s room. That’s where he said he found Ashley’s deceased body, lying straight on her back with a bloody towel draped over her face. He said he never found an intruder.
‘A sweet little girl’: Stepfather testifies in trial of Carly Gregg accused of killing mom
Heath Smylie, Carly Gregg’s stepfather, closes his eyes while describing finding his deceased wife Ashley Smylie on March 19, 2024, during day two of Gregg’s trial at Rankin County Courthouse in Brandon on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.
During cross-examination, Todd relied on the narrative that some of Gregg’s behaviors were early on influenced by her biological father, Kevin Gregg. Heath also said that the gun Carly used was located under Ashley’s side of the bed due to Ashley being scared of Kevin showing up at the home one day. Heath claims that Carly was also fearful of her biological father.
Heath said he was never scared of Carly before the shooting, and he is still not scared of Carly.
“She’s just a sweet, little girl,” Heath said.
‘God, why?’: 911 call, bodycam footage reveals disturbing account of shootings
Day 1 of the Carly Madison Gregg murder trial began with a somber atmosphere in the Rankin County Courthouse as a 911 call on the day of the shootings played in the courtroom. On the 911 call, 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.
‘God, why?’: 911 call reveals disturbing account of Heath saying Gregg killed her mother
In the audio, Heath can be heard saying, “God, why?” and “She killed her mother.” 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.
As seen on bodycam footage presented in the courtroom, the first deputy who arrived at the scene lifted the towel discovering Ashley had “a bullet in her head.”
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Carly Madison Gregg found guily on all charges murder trial day 5
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