A 15-year-old girl from Rankin County, Mississippi has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her mother and the attempted murder of her stepfather. After two hours of deliberation, the jury found Carly Gregg guilty on all counts. She was charged with first-degree murder for killing her mother, Ashley Smylie, and attempted murder for shooting her stepfather, Heath Smylie. Additionally, Gregg was charged with tampering with evidence for hiding a security camera after the shooting.
The jury had the option to find Gregg guilty or not guilty by reason of insanity. However, they ultimately decided that she was responsible for her actions. District attorney Bubba Bramlett described Gregg as “evil” and stated that she deserved to spend the rest of her life in prison.
During the reading of the verdict, Gregg cried while Heath Smylie and Gregg’s grandparents were present in court offering words of encouragement. In addition to a life sentence for murder and attempted murder, she received a 10-year sentence for tampering with evidence.
Defense attorney Kevin Camp acknowledged that this case has been difficult for Gregg’s family and asked the jury not to further punish her by sentencing her to life behind bars. Despite their efforts, the jury made their decision based on the evidence presented.
Gregg’s attorneys have announced plans to appeal this verdict.
