Teenage Girl Invites Friend to See Mother's Body After Fatal Shooting

Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary

A 14-year-old girl from Mississippi, Carly Gregg, is facing trial as an adult after allegedly shooting her mother, high school teacher Ashley Smylie, three times in the face. The harrowing details emerged during the trial, shedding light on a chilling sequence of events.
The incident, which occurred in March at the family's suburban Jackson home, has gripped the community with its grisly nature. Testimony from Rankin County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Zachary Cotton revealed the disturbing actions of the accused.
Cotton testified that the accused entered her bedroom carrying a firearm and fatally shot her mother. She then sent a text message to her stepfather using her mother's phone, coaxing him back to the residence. In addition, she allegedly contacted one of her friends, urging them to come over under the pretense of an "emergency." While awaiting her friend's arrival, she engaged in mundane activities such as playing with her dogs and singing to them.
Once the friend arrived at the house, she asked “if she had ever seen a dead body before” before leading the witness to the victim’s body and saying her stepfather was next.
Heath Smylie told investigators he was shot as soon as he walked into the house, said Cotton, noting that Health said Carly's "eyes were really big" and "it looked like she had seen a demon." Health told investigators Carly was screaming and then ran off.
The friend was outside in the backyard when the second shooting took place, Cotton said.
Cotton's testimony, supplemented by home security footage, painted a picture of calculated brutality. The defense, however, hinted at underlying mental health issues, citing Gregg's recent switch in medication and reports of hearing voices while in custody.
Judge David Morrow, presiding over the case, emphasized the severity of the crime and the potential danger posed by Gregg to the community. Despite arguments regarding her mental state, Morrow upheld Gregg's $1 million bond, considering her a "special danger to others."
"I do believe that Miss Gregg does pose a special danger to others," Morrow said. "The heinous nature of the crime, the premeditation that seems to have been involved here is pronounced -- it's severe and it does concern me that there is a danger to the community. Whether there's a mental component to this or not, I think anybody could argue that to kill another human being there is going to be a mental component involved."
She is currently at the Rankin County Adult Detention Center.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com