Teenager Carly Gregg Sentenced to Life for Killing Her Mother and Attempting to Kill Her Stepfather
In a shocking case that has captivated public attention, Carly Gregg, just 15 years old, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder. This tragic event took place in Brandon, Mississippi, in March 2021, when Carly, then only 14, fatally shot her mother, Ashley Smylie, using her mother’s own gun.
The violence didn’t end there—she also attempted to kill her stepfather, Heath Smylie, in an ambush but failed.
The details of the crime are both chilling and gruesome. After shooting her mother three times, Carly didn't run or hide. Instead, she did something truly disturbing—she invited a friend over to the house, allegedly asking, "Are you squeamish around dead bodies?" before leading the friend to the scene of her mother’s lifeless body, lying in a pool of blood.
For anyone who saw this, it was like stepping into a nightmare. The teenage girl showed no panic, no remorse, as if the horrific act had been just another moment in her day.
But the horror didn’t stop there. Carly lay in wait, plotting her next move, attempting to kill her stepfather when he returned home.
Fortunately, her plan failed, but the sheer terror of what could have unfolded lingers over the case.
On the day of the murder, Carly returned home from school and retrieved a .357 Magnum pistol from beneath her parents’ mattress. After confronting her mother in her own bedroom, Carly shot her three times. In a shocking twist, Carly then called a friend and invited her over to the house, reportedly asking, "Are you squeamish around dead bodies?" before showing her friend the gruesome scene of her mother’s lifeless body on the floor.
Later that day, Carly waited for her stepfather, Heath Smylie, to return home. Her plan was to ambush and kill him as well, but the attempt was unsuccessful. After shooting at him, Carly fled the house and was soon arrested near the scene of the crime.
Throughout the trial, Carly's defense team argued that her actions were the result of severe mental health struggles, including bipolar disorder, worsened by medication. They urged the jury to consider a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, presenting expert testimony that Carly was in a mental health crisis during the killings. However, the prosecution countered by stating that Carly’s actions were premeditated, citing her retrieval of the gun and her attempt to kill her stepfather.
In the end, the jury found Carly guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder, sentencing her to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Carly’s case has since raised questions about how mental health issues, particularly in teenagers, are handled in the criminal justice system. Although Carly will spend her life behind bars, her defense attorney noted that this was a young girl in the throes of a mental health crisis—a “perfect storm” that led to devastating consequences for her family.
The community has been left reeling from the tragic events surrounding the Gregg family. Friends and neighbors recall Carly as a once-loving daughter, but her troubled mental state seemed to escalate in the months leading to the killing.
Meanwhile, Carly’s stepfather, Heath Smylie, expressed his heartbreak over losing both his wife and the daughter he once knew.
As more details about Carly Gregg’s case emerge, it brings to light the critical issue of mental health support for adolescents. What can be done to prevent such tragedies in the future? How can families better recognize signs of distress in their children, and what role should the mental health system play in protecting at-risk youth? Share your thoughts on this devastating case and the broader issues it raises in the comments below.
