On a quiet March day in Mississippi, 15-year-old Carly Gregg executed a plan that left her family shattered. What seemed like a normal day ended in horror, as she shot her mother in the face and wounded her stepfather shortly after. But what was happening behind closed doors, in the mind of this troubled teen?
Psychiatrists later revealed Carly had been struggling with severe mental health issues for years. One of the voices she heard may have driven her to commit the unthinkable.
The Day It All Happened
March 19. Carly Gregg sends a message from her mother’s phone to her stepfather: “When will you be home, sweetie?” Minutes earlier, she had shot her mother, Ashley Smiley, a 40-year-old high school teacher, in the face. The message was a trap. It was designed to lure Heath Smiley back to the house.
When Heath returned, Carly was waiting. She shot him too, but only injured his shoulder.
The incident was caught on surveillance cameras. The footage shows Carly, wearing a Nirvana shirt, pacing awkwardly around the house with a gun hidden behind her back. It captures the moments before she walked into her mother’s bedroom and fired three fatal shots. Ashley’s screams echoed through the home, a haunting sound that still lingers.
The Chilling Mind of a Teen Killer
After her arrest, psychiatrists unraveled Carly’s dark mental state. Dr. Amanda Guliano, who interviewed Carly, said the teen had been hearing a male voice since she was five years old. It was always there, in the background, criticizing her and making harsh comments about the people around her. Carly admitted she usually managed to ignore it, but on that day, the voice may have taken control.
“She said she heard a voice, a male voice, from when she was about five or six years old,” said Dr. Amanda Guliano, who interviewed Carly after her arrest.
Carly’s lawyers argued she was mentally unfit at the time of the murder. They claimed she couldn’t understand the weight of her actions. In Mississippi, this could lead to a not guilty verdict by reason of insanity if proven.
However, not all experts agreed. Psychiatrist Jason Pickett, who examined Carly for four hours after her arrest, had a different view. He called her actions “evil.” Pickett testified that Carly knew exactly what she was doing. He pointed to the chilling detail of her sending messages after the murder as proof.
He added, “This act was deliberate and calculated. Carly Gregg does not meet the legal standards for insanity in this case. She understood the consequences of what she did.”
Horrifying Footage Shows Moments After Carly Gregg Allegedly Shot Her Mom…
— Kristy Tallman (@KristyTallman) September 18, 2024
As the trial continues, surveillance footage was shown of Carly Gregg, 15, moments after she allegedly shot her mother, Ashley Smylie, and ambushed her stepfather. The footage, presented in court, is… pic.twitter.com/fbwAaHkr5R
A Troubling Secret Life
The violence stemmed from a family confrontation. Carly’s parents had discovered she was involved in drugs, living a secret life that they hadn’t seen coming. This revelation led to a boiling point on that fateful day in March. After learning the truth, Ashley and Heath confronted Carly. The argument escalated, and in moments, tragedy unfolded.
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What makes this case more horrifying is the coldness Carly displayed. After shooting her mother, she sent messages as if nothing had happened. She even messaged a friend, telling her to come over because something urgent had occurred. When her friend arrived, Carly asked, “Have you ever seen a dead body? My mom is in there.”
The casual tone she used in such a shocking moment left many speechless.
The Shocking Evidence in Court
Prosecutors presented the surveillance video during the trial. Carly’s calculated movements were evident. She avoided showing the gun on camera, careful not to turn her back towards the lens. Later, she retrieved her mother’s phone from the kitchen, calmly taking a seat while her family’s two dogs sat next to her. This chilling behavior sent shivers through the courtroom.
The murder weapon was identified as a .357 Magnum revolver, a powerful handgun that ended Ashley Smiley’s life in a matter of seconds.
Carly’s defense team is still fighting to prove her insanity. But with experts split, and the prosecution focusing on her cold, calculated actions, the outcome of this case remains uncertain.
A Troubled Mind or Cold Killer?
Carly Gregg’s trial has divided the courtroom. Some see her as a mentally ill teen, plagued by years of inner torment. Others believe she knew exactly what she was doing when she pulled the trigger.
As the court weighs the evidence, one thing is certain—this case has left a deep scar on those who witnessed it.
From the calculated messages to the brutal execution, the Carly Gregg case has become one of Mississippi’s most shocking crimes in recent memory.
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