The Carly Greg Case: Teen Murder, Mental Health, and a Mississippi Community in Shock
The shocking events of March 19th, 2024, forever changed the quiet community of Brandon, Mississippi. What began as an ordinary Tuesday afternoon quickly spiraled into tragedy when 14-year-old Carly Greg allegedly shot her mother, Ashley Nicole Smiley, and attempted to shoot her stepfather, Heath Smiley. This devastating case has left a community struggling to understand how a seemingly typical teenage conflict could escalate to such extremes.
Ashley, a beloved algebra teacher at Northwest Ranken High School and former "New Teacher of the Year" recipient, had recently confronted her daughter about suspected marijuana use and a secret boyfriend. These confrontations, coupled with underlying stressors including custody disputes and Carly's anxiety issues, created a complex backdrop to the tragedy. Court proceedings have revealed conflicting narratives, with prosecutors portraying a premeditated crime while the defense argues that undiagnosed mental illness played a crucial role in the events that unfolded.
Key Takeaways
A teenage conflict over typical adolescent issues escalated to violence that left one dead and another injured.
The accused showed concerning behavior both before and after the shootings, including messages to friends and attempts to conceal evidence.
Mental health considerations have emerged as a central element in understanding the case's complexity and the defense's strategy.
The Horrific Family Incident
What Happened That Day
On March 19, 2024, the typically peaceful community of Brandon, Mississippi—often recognized as the state's second safest city—was rocked by a tragic family violence case. A 14-year-old girl was arrested after allegedly shooting her mother and attempting to shoot her stepfather in their home on Ashton Way.
The events began to unfold after school when Ashley Smiley, an algebra teacher at Northwest Ranken High School, returned home with her daughter Carly Greg. According to evidence presented in court, Ashley had discovered that Carly was using marijuana vape pens and immediately went to search her daughter's bedroom.
Home surveillance footage captured Carly approaching the bedroom with an object concealed behind her back. Moments later, gunshots were fired. After the shooting, Carly texted her mother's phone to her stepfather Heath asking when he would return home.
When a teenage friend arrived at Carly's urgent request, Carly reportedly asked if they were "squeamish around dead bodies" before showing them Ashley's body. Carly allegedly told the friend, "I put three in my mom and I have three more for my stepdad when he gets home."
The Arrest and Legal Proceedings
Following the shooting of her mother, Carly removed an interior security camera and placed it in the refrigerator. When Heath Smiley arrived home around 5:03 PM, he was met with gunfire as he opened the kitchen door. The bullet grazed his neck area before Carly fled the scene by jumping over a backyard fence.
Law enforcement quickly responded, deploying deputies and a Mississippi Highway Patrol helicopter to search the area. Carly was apprehended approximately 30 minutes after the initial 911 call, taken into custody without further resistance.
The 14-year-old was charged as an adult with:
Murder
Attempted murder
Tampering with evidence
The court set bond at $1 million, and despite being offered a plea deal that would have resulted in 40 years of imprisonment, Carly rejected it through her defense team. Her trial began on September 16th, with potential sentencing including:
Charge Potential Sentence Murder Life imprisonment Attempted murder 20 years to life Tampering with evidence 10 years
Prosecutors portrayed Carly as leading a double life, concealing secret social media accounts, using burner phones to contact her boyfriend, and using marijuana. The defense, however, argued that mental illness played a significant role, suggesting that Carly herself was a victim alongside her mother and stepfather.
Victim Profile
Ashley Nicole Smiley
Ashley Nicole Smiley, born in April 1983 in Stuart, Florida, was a well-respected algebra teacher at Northwest Ranken High School. Before her position at Northwest Ranken, she dedicated five years teaching at Warren Central High School.
As a Florida native, Ashley maintained strong connections to her roots through her love of beaches and family trips to Disney World. Her professional dedication earned her recognition when she received the New Teacher of the Year award in 2022.
Ashley lived in a three-bedroom home on Ashton Way with her husband Heath Smiley, her 14-year-old daughter Carly Greg, and their two golden retrievers named Wyatt and Finn. Family members consistently described her as a devoted mother who treasured reading and quality family time.
In her role as a parent, Ashley faced typical teenage challenges with her daughter. Tensions arose when she discovered Carly had a secret boyfriend, leading to disciplinary actions like confiscating her phone. Ashley and Heath believed these conflicts represented normal adolescent development.
The family situation was complicated by a contentious custody arrangement with Carly's biological father, Kevin Greg, who reportedly struggled with substance abuse issues. Ashley's concerns for safety reportedly led her to keep a firearm in their home.
On March 19, 2024, Ashley returned home from school with her daughter around 4:00 PM. Upon arrival, she began searching Carly's room for suspected marijuana vape pens. This confrontation would tragically be her last, as she suffered fatal gunshot wounds to the head during the encounter with her daughter.
Ashley's death shocked the Brandon, Mississippi community, where she had established herself as a caring educator and mother.
Background of the Suspect
Carly Greg's Early Years and Learning
Carly Greg demonstrated exceptional academic capabilities from an early age, having advanced through her education by skipping the fourth grade. She attended Northwest Ranken High School, where her mother Ashley Nicole Smiley also worked as an algebra teacher. Prior to the incidents, Carly showed no significant behavioral concerns that would have alarmed her family or educators.
Her family situation included some complexity. Carly lived in a three-bedroom home on Ashton Way with her mother Ashley, stepfather Heath Smiley, and their two golden retrievers. Her biological father, Kevin Greg, reportedly struggled with substance abuse issues, and court testimony indicated he had allowed Carly to consume alcohol at age 12. The custody arrangements between her parents were described as contentious.
Behavioral Shift and Therapy
In the months preceding the incident, Carly began exhibiting troubling behavioral changes. According to court testimony from her stepfather, she was receiving therapy for anxiety and stress. Family tensions escalated when her mother discovered Carly had a secret boyfriend and subsequently confiscated her phone.
Carly's parents interpreted these challenges as typical adolescent development, viewing them as part of her natural progression toward independence. They were apparently unaware of more serious issues developing, including:
Secret communication with her boyfriend using burner phones
Marijuana use through vape pens
Hidden social media accounts
The discovery of Carly's marijuana use led to a confrontation on March 19, 2024, when Ashley searched Carly's bedroom for evidence immediately after they returned home from school. This conflict occurred shortly before the tragic events that followed.
Family Relationships
Parental Worries
Ashley and Heath Smiley viewed their daughter Carly's recent behavioral changes as typical teenage development. When they discovered Carly had a secret boyfriend, leading to her phone being confiscated, they considered this part of her natural quest for independence. The parents were unaware of deeper issues Carly was facing, though she had begun therapy for anxiety and stress.
Heath testified that Carly's behavior had changed, but they attributed these shifts to normal adolescent growing pains. On March 19th, 2024, Ashley confronted Carly about smoking marijuana through vape pens after receiving information about this activity. This confrontation occurred in Carly's bedroom shortly after they returned home from school at approximately 4:00 p.m.
Family Legal Conflicts
The relationship between Carly's biological parents was strained by a contentious custody battle. Her biological father, Kevin Greg, reportedly struggled with substance abuse issues. According to court testimony, he had allegedly allowed Carly to consume alcohol at the age of 12, creating additional family tension.
Ashley reportedly feared Kevin to such an extent that she kept a loaded firearm in the house for protection. This ongoing custody dispute added significant stress to the household dynamics. The defense later suggested that these complex family circumstances contributed to what they described as "three victims" of the tragic events: Ashley, Heath, and Carly herself.
The Day of the Incident
The events of March 19, 2024, unfolded with devastating consequences in Brandon, Mississippi—a community known for its safety. What began as a typical afternoon would soon shatter the lives of an entire family, leaving authorities and community members alike struggling to comprehend how a seemingly normal teenager could commit such an act against her own family.
Confrontation and Tragedy
Ashley Smiley and her 14-year-old daughter Karly returned home from school around 4:00 PM that Tuesday. Ashley had recently learned her daughter was using marijuana vape pens and immediately headed to Karly's bedroom to search for evidence. Home surveillance footage captured Karly following her mother while concealing an object behind her back, deliberately keeping it out of camera view.
Minutes later, prosecutors state that Ashley's phone sent a text message to Heath asking, "When will you be home honey?" After receiving his reply, Karly urgently messaged a teenage friend to come over for an "emergency." When this friend arrived, Karly made the chilling statement: "Are you squeamish around dead bodies?" She then led her friend to the bedroom where Ashley lay on the floor.
Karly allegedly told her friend, "I put three in my mom and I have three more for my stepdad when he gets home." The teenager then removed the home's interior security camera and placed it in the refrigerator—an apparent attempt to conceal evidence.
Heath Smiley arrived home at 5:03 PM, completely unaware of what awaited him. In court testimony, he described the horrifying moment: "Everything seemed pretty normal... when I opened the door to the kitchen, a gun went off in my face before the door was open more than 3 or 4 inches." Heath sustained a grazing wound to his neck during this ambush.
After the failed attempt on her stepfather's life, Karly fled the scene by jumping over a backyard fence. Law enforcement quickly established a perimeter and located her not far from the residence with assistance from a Mississippi Highway Patrol helicopter. She was taken into custody approximately 30 minutes after the initial 911 call.
Based on the evidence collected, authorities charged Karly as an adult with murder, attempted murder, and tampering with evidence. Her bond was set at $1 million. Five months after the shooting, she rejected a plea deal that would have resulted in a 40-year prison sentence, instead choosing to proceed to trial where she faced potential life imprisonment.
What Followed the Incident
After the tragic event at the Smiley residence, significant details emerged about what transpired before and after the shooting. The aftermath revealed not only the immediate consequences but also the actions taken by all parties involved.
Heath Smiley's Account
Heath Smiley testified in court about his experience on March 19, 2024. Upon arriving home around 5:03 PM, everything initially seemed normal to him. When he opened the kitchen door, a gun discharged directly at his face while the door was barely open.
"Everything seemed pretty normal," Heath recounted during his testimony. "When I opened the door to the kitchen, a gun went off in my face before the door was only 3 or 4 inches wide open."
The incident happened quickly, with Heath describing the moments as "blurry." He suffered a grazing wound to his neck area from the bullet. During the chaotic situation, he identified his 14-year-old stepdaughter as the shooter.
Immediate Response and Evidence Collection
After the shooting attempt, Carly fled the scene by jumping over a backyard fence. Law enforcement responded promptly, with deputies finding Heath lying outside the front door with his gunshot wound. He was wearing a gray t-shirt and shorts when officers arrived.
Emergency Response Timeline:
Deputies established a search perimeter
Mississippi Highway Patrol helicopter assisted in the search
Carly was located not far from the residence
She was taken into custody without incident approximately 30 minutes after the 911 call
Inside the home, investigators discovered Ashley Smiley deceased in a bedroom. According to witness statements, Carly had shown her mother's body to a teenage friend who arrived after receiving frantic messages about an emergency. The friend reported that Carly stated she had "put three in my mom and I have three more for my stepdad."
Evidence showed Carly had removed an interior security camera and placed it in the refrigerator shortly after the shooting. Home surveillance footage captured Carly walking toward her mother's bedroom with an object hidden behind her back just before the shooting occurred.
Based on the collected evidence, Carly was charged as an adult with:
Murder
Attempted murder
Tampering with evidence
Her bond was set at $1 million, and she pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Legal Action
Defendant Rejects Settlement Offer
In August 2024, prosecutors presented Carly Greg with a plea agreement that would have resulted in a 40-year prison sentence. Through her legal team, the teenager declined this offer, choosing instead to proceed to trial. This decision significantly increased the potential consequences she faced, as a conviction could result in life imprisonment for the murder charge, 20 years to life for attempted murder, and an additional 10 years for evidence tampering.
Court Proceedings Begin
The trial of Mississippi v. Carly Greg commenced on September 16, 2024, with both sides presenting their opening arguments. Prosecutors characterized the defendant as leading a "double life" before the violent incident, engaging in secret communications with her boyfriend through burner phones, using marijuana, and maintaining hidden social media accounts without her parents' knowledge. The prosecution emphasized the straightforward nature of the case, pointing to the autopsy report confirming gunshot wounds to the head as the cause of death.
The defense team acknowledged Carly's actions but focused on the crucial question of why the incident occurred. They argued that mental illness played a significant role, describing Carly as "an exceptional child with no History of Violence" who suffered from an undiagnosed condition. In their opening statement, defense attorneys positioned all three individuals involved—Ashley Smiley, Heath Smiley, and Carly Greg—as victims of the situation, referring to mental illness as "the invisible disease" that went unrecognized by those closest to the teenager.
The Prosecution vs. Defense Perspectives
The Prosecution's Case
The prosecution portrayed Carly Greg as a teenager living a double life, concealing significant aspects of her behavior from her parents. According to their argument, Carly was secretly maintaining contact with her boyfriend through burner phones, consuming marijuana before school, and operating hidden social media accounts—all without her parents' knowledge.
Prosecutors presented the case as straightforward, emphasizing the medical examiner's conclusion that Ashley Smiley died from gunshot wounds to the head, with the manner of death classified as homicide. They pointed to several pieces of evidence that they claimed demonstrated premeditation:
Home surveillance footage showing Carly hiding an object behind her back before the shooting
Carly's text message to her friend asking about being "squeamish around dead bodies"
Her statement to the friend that she "put three in my mom and I have three more for my stepdad"
The deliberate removal and hiding of the interior security camera in the refrigerator
The prosecution argued that Carly's actions both before and after the shootings demonstrated clear intent. They highlighted that the confrontation began when Ashley discovered Carly had been using marijuana vape pens and searched her room for evidence.
The Defense's Position
The defense team acknowledged Carly's role in the shootings but shifted focus to the crucial question of "why" rather than "who." Their opening statement framed the incident not as a simple murder case but as a tragedy with three victims: Ashley Smiley, Heath Smiley, and Carly Greg herself.
The defense built their case around mental illness, arguing that:
Carly had been suffering from an undiagnosed mental illness
Neither Carly herself nor her parents were aware of this condition
Even Carly's close friends who saw her daily at school didn't recognize signs of mental illness
They described mental illness as "the invisible disease," explaining that someone can exhibit symptoms without others—or even themselves—recognizing the underlying condition. The defense rejected the prosecution's narrative of a calculating teenager, instead suggesting that Carly's actions stemmed from serious mental health issues that had gone undetected despite her receiving therapy for anxiety and stress.
The defense also referenced stressors in Carly's life, including the contentious relationship with her biological father who struggled with addiction and had allegedly allowed her to drink alcohol at age 12.
