The Mississippi Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed the convictions of 17-year-old Carly Gregg for first-degree murder, attempted murder and tampering with evidence in a case that has drawn attention across the state since the March 2024 shooting at the family's Brandon home.
High court upholds sentences despite procedural challenges
Gregg, who was 14 at the time of the incident, was convicted in September 2024 of killing her mother, Ashley Smylie, a teacher at Northwest Rankin High School, and of shooting her stepfather, Heath Smylie, then 39. The Supreme Court’s decision leaves in place the sentences imposed after the jury’s guilty verdict: concurrent life terms without the possibility of parole on the murder and attempted murder counts and a separate 10-year term for tampering with evidence.
Attorneys for Gregg had raised multiple issues on appeal. They argued the trial court erred by denying continuances, ordering psychiatric evaluations, allowing certain testimony, and providing jury instructions they contend were flawed. Her lawyers also challenged the constitutionality of life-without-parole for someone who committed the crimes as a juvenile and said the court failed to hold a Miller hearing — a proceeding that considers a juvenile offender’s youth and attendant characteristics when imposing a life sentence without parole.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court acknowledged some minor errors during the trial but characterized them as harmless and insufficient to overturn the convictions or the sentences. The court therefore left intact the terms that will keep Gregg incarcerated for the remainder of her life under the current judgment.
Mental health defense and jury findings
At trial, Gregg pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, asserting she suffered from mental illness at the time of the shootings. The jury rejected that defense, finding her criminally responsible for the actions that resulted in her mother’s death and her stepfather’s injury. Prosecutors also secured a conviction for tampering with evidence related to the case.
The guilty verdicts led to the September 2024 sentencing, which came months after Gregg’s 15th birthday. The prosecution sought life terms; the defense urged for lesser punishment on grounds of Gregg's age and mental state at the time of the offenses.
Local impact and legal context
The case reverberated through the Brandon community and the Northwest Rankin school system, where Ashley Smylie taught. Beyond local grief, the matter raised broader legal questions about juvenile sentencing in Mississippi — an issue courts nationwide have grappled with since the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the 2010s that limited automatic life without parole for juveniles and required individualized sentencing consideration.
Gregg’s appeals package pressed those constitutional concerns, arguing Mississippi courts should apply the Miller framework and evaluate youth-related factors before imposing the state's most severe penalties on someone who was a minor at the time of the offense.
What remains and next steps
With the state Supreme Court ruling, Gregg’s convictions and sentencing remain final unless she pursues federal relief, such as a habeas corpus petition in U.S. District Court. Her legal team previously sought review in the state's highest court to address procedural and constitutional claims; Thursday’s decision closes that chapter at the state level.
- Convicted offenses: first-degree murder, attempted murder, tampering with evidence
- Sentences: concurrent life without parole for murder and attempted murder; 10 years for tampering
- Victims: Ashley Smylie (deceased), Heath Smylie (wounded)
| Charge | Sentence |
|---|---|
| First-degree murder | Life without parole (concurrent) |
| Attempted murder | Life without parole (concurrent) |
| Tampering with evidence | 10 years |
Attorneys for Gregg had argued several trial errors, including the handling of psychiatric evaluations and certain courtroom testimony. The Supreme Court’s opinion determined that while not every ruling below was flawless, the cumulative effect did not meet the standard for reversing a criminal conviction under state law.
The decision closes a significant state-court review but does not preclude further federal litigation claims. It also underscores continuing tensions in Mississippi and nationwide between evolving juvenile-sentencing standards and state court interpretations of constitutional protections for young offenders.
Reporting for this story included review of court filings and prior trial coverage related to the March 2024 shootings in Brandon.
