Photo credits: People
Author’s note:
Too much of anything is bad for you. This statement can be applied to social media usage, working, and drug consumption. Over the past few years, teenagers have turned to drugs due to peer pressure and internet influence, many believing the negative health effects of drugs are not very impactful or serious. However, this is not the case—drugs are not just detrimental to one’s health, but also incredibly addicting. Drugs have put teenagers around the globe in a chokehold, making them feel dependent on them, so much so that they refuse to give it up. In the extreme case of 15-year-old Carly Gregg, the threat of her drugs being taken away led to her murdering her own mother. The fact that Gregg committed such a horrific and permanent crime primarily motivated by the desire to keep her drugs illustrates the tight hold that the substance has on teenagers and the necessity for parents to be extremely cautious of potential addictions that their children may be at risk of developing.
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She felt horrified. A million words ran through her mind, ranging from disgusted, worried, and angry, but the one that most perfectly described it was horrified. She could not form any other thoughts than ones regarding the drugs she had found in her 15-year-old daughter’s room.
Where had it all gone wrong? She asked herself the question over and over again. Should I have been more cautious? Taken away her phone? Pulled her out of school?
She tried to calm herself down—the worst was over now. A stern lecture had been given, the drugs had been taken away, and her daughter had seemed accepting of having her drugs confiscated. There was a way to pivot her daughter back to the right path, and she was going to find it.
Before that, she had to find her daughter. She called out her name inside the house and began to hear footsteps. A knock on the door came and, preparing what to say, she opened the door. However, the only things her eyes processed were her daughter and a gun in her hand before a scream sounded and her world went dark.
This was how Ashley Smylie, a math teacher at Northwest Rankin High School, was murdered by her daughter, Carly Gregg, after they had gotten home from school on March 19th. The murder was committed with a .357 magnum gun and, according to prosecutors, was carried out because Smylie had been informed of Carly’s “secret life” with drugs by one of her teen friends. By citing Carly’s burner phones, hidden vape pens with marijuana, and history of academic dishonesty, prosecutors depicted Carly as a dangerous killer.
After murdering her mother, Carly lured her stepfather, Heath Smylie, home by pretending to be her mother and texting, “When will you be home, honey?” When Smylie arrived home, Carly shot him in the shoulder before he was able to wrestle the gun out of her hands. Soon after, she was arrested.
Carly’s attorneys argued that she was undergoing severe mental health issues that drove her to commit such actions. They stated that while she was having a “state of psychosis in an episode of acute stress on March 19th, she lost herself in what was the perfect storm.”
During the trial, the jury watched a video from security cameras within Carly’s home. In it, she can be seen walking through the house with something hidden behind her back, presumably to hide the gun from the cameras. Then, after she leaves the screen, three gunshots and a scream are heard.
Merely two hours of deliberations later, the jury found Carly Gregg guilty of all charges, leading her to be sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her mother and the attempted murder of her stepfather.
Carly Gregg is currently being held at the Youthful Offender Facility as her attorneys file a motion for a new trial, claiming that new evidence and material were recently discovered that could produce a different result at a new trial.
Though it is undeniable that Carly’s motives behind the murder were more complex than her drugs being taken away, the restriction of her drug use was a large factor in her choice to murder her mother. The rising dependence of teenagers on drugs has led to them prioritizing unhealthy substances over other aspects of their lives, including schoolwork and family time.
Carly Gregg’s case is an extreme example, but it provides a warning to parents and teenagers alike to identify and stop the issue of substance abuse as early as possible to prevent it from growing into a large and uncontrollable problem that takes over a teenager’s life and may ruin it forever.
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Jurisview Journal is a student-led blog that publishes biweekly articles about interesting criminal cases. Our aim is to shed light on cases that require justice or further exploration and provide input on controversial legal events. We also publish infographics to help victims or those who wish to educate themselves on legal issues.
Works Cited
Howell, Kaitlin. “Attorneys for Carly Gregg file motion for new trial.” WJTV, 27 September 2024, https://www.wjtv.com/news/local-news/attorneys-for-carly-gregg-file-motion-for-new-trial/. Accessed 5 October 2024.
Roy, Reena. “Teen convicted, sentenced to life in prison for killing mother, attempted murder of stepdad.” ABC7 Chicago, 23 September 2024, https://abc7chicago.com/post/mississippi-teen-carly-madison-gregg-convicted-sentenced-life-prison-killing-mother-attempted-murder-stepdad/15343386/. Accessed 5 October 2024.
Thomas, Louise. “Teenage girl, who killed mom and invited friend to see corpse, gets life in prison.” The Independent, 23 September 2024, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/carly-gregg-murder-trial-verdict-b2616303.html. Accessed 5 October 2024.
Williams, Angela. “Request for new trial made after teen convicted of killing her mother.” WAPT, 27 September 2024, https://www.wapt.com/article/carly-gregg-housed-at-mdoc-youth-offender-unit/62413032. Accessed 5 October 2024.
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