Additional Coverage:
- ‘Evil’ Mississippi 15-year-old slaughtered her mom then played with dogs in sick crime (themirror.com)
A 15-year-old Mississippi girl, Carly Madison Gregg, has been convicted of murdering her mother and attempting to kill her stepfather in a case that has shocked the community. Surveillance footage from the family home revealed chilling details of the crime, including Gregg calmly playing with her dogs beside her mother’s body after the shooting.
On March 19, 2024, prosecutors say Gregg shot her mother, Ashley Smylie, a 40-year-old high school math teacher, in the face. The violent act reportedly followed a confrontation after Smylie learned about her daughter’s marijuana use. Gregg’s defense team argued she was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time.
The video evidence presented to the jury showed Gregg pacing with a gun concealed behind her back before gunshots rang out. After shooting her mother, Gregg appeared unfazed-returning to the kitchen, texting on her phone, and interacting with her pets.
When her stepfather, Heath Smylie, arrived home, she fired a shot at him as well. Heath managed to wrestle the gun away and called 911, urgently telling dispatchers, “She killed her mom.”
The harrowing 911 call was played during the trial, and Heath testified that the gun discharged near his face before he even opened the door. The trial lasted five days, during which prosecutors painted Gregg’s actions as cold and calculated. Prosecutor Kathryn Newman emphasized the deliberate nature of the shootings, challenging the defense’s insanity plea.
After just two hours of deliberation, the jury found Gregg guilty on all charges. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. District Attorney Bubba Bramlett described Gregg as “evil,” noting the disturbing reality that such malevolence can come from someone so young.
Gregg’s defense attorney, Kevin Camp, vowed to appeal the verdict, citing what he called an “exceptionally compressed” trial schedule and a series of legal errors that compromised the fairness of the proceedings. The defense argues that the rapid pace of the case-moving from indictment to trial within six months-was unusual for a case involving extensive mental health evaluations and complex background investigations.
Gregg’s legal team has requested oral arguments before the Mississippi Supreme Court, hoping either to overturn the conviction or secure a new trial and sentencing.
The case remains a tragic reminder of the complexities surrounding juvenile crime, mental health, and the justice system’s challenges in addressing both.