on March 19th 2024 Heath Smiley returned home from work unaware that a chilling confrontation awaited him moments after entering the house a gunshot rang out as his 15-year-old stepdaughter Carly lay in wait hit by a bullet in the neck Heath barely escaped with his life in a 911 call he reported I think my wife has been shot I just got home and there is blood everywhere with urgency in his voice he detailed the chaos surrounding him and informed the dispatcher that Carly had fled the scene leading law enforcement into a rapidly escalating crisis what could
drive a teenager to such a horrific act despite what should have been clear-cut evidence surveillance footage eyewitness accounts and confessions this case only proved one thing things were not as they seemed proving what truly happened that day and why would be a nearly impossible task hi I'm Mark and welcome to true crime stories today we're looking at a case that left a small Mississippi town in disbelief and had law enforcement and the courts searching for answers the investigation into Carly Greg's actions revealed family secrets mental health issues and an unexpected twist this is the story
of the Carly Greg case let's Dive In the day began like any other for Carly and Ashley Carly an exceptional student who had skipped a grade was known for her intelligence but had recently shown signs of distress she was undergoing therapy for anxiety and stress largely stemming from her tumultuous relationship with her biological father Kevin Greg who struggled with drug addiction meanwhile Ashley a dedicated algebra teacher from Northwest rank in high school and a beloved figure in the community was focused on her teaching career and her family life at school that day Carly interacted with
friends and teachers but kept her struggles hidden despite her outwardly normal behavior she was secretly dealing with significant issues including conflicts with her mother over drug use Ashley had recently discovered that Carly was using marijuana through vape pens which added tension to their relationship Carly and Ashley arrived at their residence shortly after 4 P.M Ashley had received information regarding cley's alleged marijuana use through vape pens which prompted her to confront Carly Upon returning home as soon as they entered the house Ashley proceeded to Carly's bedroom to search for evidence of drug use at this point
only the two were present in the home home surveillance footage captured Cari holding an object behind her back as she approached her mother the nature of this object would soon become critical to the investigation Ashley had kept a loaded firearm in the house for protection due to concerns about Carly's biological father Kevin Greg who had a history of drug addiction Carly had retrieved the same firearm located underneath the bedside where Ashley slept seconds after the confrontation began Ashley was shot by Carly three times after shooting her mother Point Blank Carly sent a frantic text message
to her friend asking to come over and help with an emergency this call for assistance indicated Carly's immediate need for support for shooting upon receiving the message the friend quickly made her way to Carly's home when Carly's friend arrived at the front door she was greeted with a chilling question are you squeamish around dead bodies the statement said a grim tone as Carly had led her friend into the bedroom where Ashley lay on the floor Carly then allegedly revealed I put three in my mom and I have three more for my stepdad when he gets
home after showing her friend the scene Carly reportedly took down an interior camera from its Mount and placed it in the refrigerator this action suggested an attempt to tamper with evidence and indicated a level of premeditation regarding her actions prior to leaving the office Heath Smiley who was Carly's stepfather had received a text from Ashley's phone asking when he would be returning home from work he replied he would be working a little late Heath arrived home at approximately 5:03 p.m. he initially perceived nothing unusual as he entered the house however as he opened the kitchen
door a gunshot rang out as he stepped onto the threshold Carly was waiting to pounce but fortunately for Heath she could not get a good enough shot Heath was grazed by a bullet in the neck area during this encounter he subsequently attempted to follow Carly as she fled outside Heath Smiley played placed a frantic 911 call shortly after being shot by his own stepdaughter in the call he reported I think my wife has been shot I just got home and there is blood everywhere his voice was urgent as he provided details about the situation he
described being shot in the neck and indicated that Carly had fled the scene he' stated she shot me in the head and informed the dispatcher that Carly had a firearm which he believed was left on the kitchen counter he provided a description of Carly and her direction of flight saying she ran towards Magnolia place this information was critical for law enforcement as they began the response deputies from the rank and County Sheriff's Office arrived on the scene within minutes of the 911 call upon arrival they found Heath outside the front door visibly injured and in
need of medical attention officers quickly assessed his condition and called for medical assistance while securing the area as deputies entered the home they discovered Ashley lying on the floor of her bedroom the scene was chaotic evidence of a violent confrontation was immediately apparent the deputies noted multiple gunshot wounds on Ashley's body confirming that she had been shot at close range this discovery marked a significant turning point in the investigation the initial assessment by law enforcement included securing the crime scene and Gathering evidence they noted the position of Ashley's body and collected any potential ballistics evidence
from both inside and outside the home the deputies also examined surveillance footage from both inside and outside the residence to piece together a timeline of events leading up to the shooting Heath provided a detailed account account of what he had encountered when he returned home which would later serve as crucial testimony in court his statements about Carly's actions immediately before and after the shooting were vital for understanding her State of Mind as part of their investigation deputies also began a search for Carly utilizing outdoor surveillance footage to track her movements after she fled a Mississippi
Highway Patrol helicopter was deployed to assist in locating her Carly was apprehended approximately 30 minutes after the shooting without further incident she was taken into custody and charged with multiple offenses including murder and attempted murder based on evidence gathered at the scene and Heath's statements the Swift response by law enforcement and their methodical approach to Gathering evidence laid the groundwork for what would become a complex legal case involving serious charges against Carly Greg after the shooting incident from March 19th 2024 Carly Greg was taken into custody shortly after law enforcement arrived at the scene she
was held at Ranken County Jail in Brandon Mississippi where she remained pending trial Carly was charged as an adult with murder attempted murder and tampering with evidence her bond was set at $1 million a significant amount reflecting the severity of the charges throughout this period Carly remained in custody awaiting the legal proceedings that would follow during her time in custody Carly's legal team began to prepare for her defense the prosecution's case was based on the evidence collected at the scene including eyewitness accounts and forensic analysis Carly pleaded not guilty to all charges maintaining her innocence
as the case progressed Carly also underwent several mental health evaluations to assess her psychological State these evaluations were crucial in understanding her behavior leading up to the incident discussions around her history of anxiety and previous therapy sessions were significant as they became Central to the defense's argument in the months following her arrest Carly was offered a plea deal that would result in a 40-year prison sentence however she rejected this device through her defense team opting to go to trial instead this decision indicated her desire to contest the charges against her fully as the trial date
approached Carly's legal team focused on Gathering evidence and witness testimonies they sought to build a comprehensive defense that would address both the factual elements of the case and Carly's mental health issues this preparation involved reviewing surveillance footage analyzing text messages and Consulting with mental health experts what would you do if you found yourself in the same situation as the defense team the complexities of such a case often raised challenging questions about accountability and mental health the case of Carly Greg took a dramatic turn on August 19th when the defense attorneys faced scrutiny from the prestigious
judge while Carly had been deemed competent to St trial questions Rose about her mental state at the time of the alleged crime in a courtroom drama that received national attention judge Dewey Arthur questioned the defense's tactics regarding a crucial mental health evaluation report the judge expressed concern about the report's delayed submission suggesting it might have been a strategic maneuver to gain an advantage on the trial the defense attorneys Bridget Todd and Kevin Camp maintained the delay was unintentional they emphasized the complexity of obtaining the report and assured the court that they would share it with
the prosecution as soon as it was finalized judge Arthur however remained skeptical he warned that withholding the report could be seen as a deliberate attempt to manipulate the trial proceedings he stressed the importance of transparency and fairness in the legal process as the case prog ressed the focus shifted on the mental health evaluations conducted on Carly Dr Amanda Gano the psychologist who assessed Carly's competency testified that medication changes in the months leading up to the incident could have influenced her mental state however Dr Galiano acknowledged her expertise did not extend to the potential side effects
or impact of these medications the defense team recognizing the limitations of Dr gano's evaluation contracted another doctor Dr Mark Webb to conduct a comprehensive mental health assess mment the defense intended to present Dr web's finding as evidence in court the case of Carly Greg continued as the date of the trial approached on September 10th 6 days before the trial a motion was put forward in front of the judge by the defense in an attempt to exclude a crucial piece of evidence a urine test administered upon her admission to the Detention Center the defense argued that
the test was conducted without proper authorization and should be deemed inadmissible prosecutors counted this very test was necessary for safety purposes and that Greg had voluntarily admitted to using marijuana they argued that the evidence of marijuana use was relevant to Greg's potential mental state at the time of the crime judge dwey Arthur after careful consideration ruled in favor of the prosecution denying the defense's motion to surpass the drug test the judge found the search to be reasonable based on the circumstances and the potential risks involved in a separate development the judge issued a gag order
prohibiting Greg's attorneys from speaking to the media about the case this decision came in response to the allegations that the defense had violated procedural rules by commenting on the facts of the case the first day of the Carly Greg murder trial unfolded in a somber courtroom atmosphere prosecution presented evidence including a 911 call recording and body cam footage of the day of the shooting Carly Greg now 15 was accused of murdering her mother Ashley Smiley and attempting to murder her stepfather Heath smileing on March 9th the trial began with the testimony of Ranken County dispatcher
Kevin Colin who played the 911 call made by Heath Smiley in the recording Heath could be heard sounding hysterical and frantic describing the shooting in the tragic discovery of his wife's body the prosecution then presented body cam footage from Ranken County Patrol Deputy Hunter Lewis who arrived at the scene the footage captured the chaos of the situation as Heath Smiley visibly distraught informed the deputy of the shooting in the location of his deceased wife the jury watched as the body cam footage revealed the tragic scene inside the home where Ashley smil finally lay lifeless the
footage provided a stark visual of the aftermath of the crime during opening statements the prosecution painted a picture of Carly Greg's secret life including her relationship with a boyfriend her use of social media and her self harm they alleged that on the day of the shooting Cari had an altercation with a friend at school and that her mother had discovered her vape pens in her bedroom the prosecution argued that Carly had shot her mother with a 357 Magnum gun and she was concealing behind her back they presented evidence supporting their claims including ballistic evidence and
gunshot residue found on Carly's hands the defense however painted a different perspective they argued that Karly loved her mother and was a good student they suggested that Carly might have been terrified and confused when her stepfather returned home leading to the tragic events the trial continued with the aim of uncovering the truth behind the tragic murder of Ashley Smiley as the evidence unfolded the jury faced the difficult task of determining Carly Greg's guilt or innocence and what would you do if you were a juror in this case how would you weigh the evidence and determin
Carly's fate the second day of the Carly Greg murder trial delved deeper into the events surrounding the tragic incident Heath Smiley Carly's stepfather took the stand to provide his account of the day Heath described his positive relationship with Carly and his admiration for Ashley as a mother he recounted the morning of the shooting as normal with no apparent signs of distress from Carly Heath detailed the moments leading up to the shooting including receiving a text message from Ashley and arriving home he described the chaos of the situation when he opened the door and was confronted
with the gun Heath recounted the struggle to disarm Carly in the subsequent gunshots he described Carly as appearing scared and hysterical after the shooting Heath also testified to searching the house for an intruder but found none friends of Cari testified about her character and changes in her behavior they described her as a good girl with no History of Violence but noticed increasing drug use and concerning statements about harming her parents one friend BW recounted the conversation with Carly after the shooting she was the friend who came over when Carly had asked for help after shooting
her mother BW also told the court that Carly had allegedly admitted to shooting her mother and expressed a desire to harm her stepfather BW also testified hearing gunshots after she ran into the backyard traumatized by Carly's confession of killing her own mother the trial also explored Carly's relationship with her biological father Kevin Greg Heath testified that Kevin had a history of drug use and that his presence in Carly's life had caused concern he mentioned specific instances where Kevin's Behavior had negatively impacted Carly like forcing her to drink at such a young age the defense used
the biological father as a means to divert the attention from the murder being a deliberate act and instead a haphazard mishap due to cari's vola mental health defense also continued to present their case emphasizing Carly's mental health issues and her love of her mother they argued that the tragic events were a result of her mental state rather than a deliberate act of violence the third day of the Carly Greg murder trial delved deeper into the complexities of the case the defense presented a comprehensive picture of Carly's mental health history drawing from medical records school records
journal entries and a Sketchbook Dr Andrew Clark a renowned Child and Adolescent psychiatrist testified as an expert witness as part of the defenses Witnesses he diagnosed Carly with bipolar 2 disorder a condition characterized by fluctuating moods in periods of mania or depression Dr Clark presented detailed evidence from Carly's medical records highlighting her long-standing struggles with depression and anxiety he discussed specific incidents of self harm and concerning behavior that dated back several years the analysis of Carly's journal entries and Sketchbook revealed a darker side of her mental state Dr Clark read aloud excerpts that expressed feelings
of Despair hopelessness and aggression the entries provided insights into Carly's inner turmoil and potential struggles with intrusive thoughts the defense argued that Carly's mental health issues combined with the stressors in her life created a perfect storm that led to her violent actions they emphasized her difficult childhood including the loss of a sister and her parents' divorce the prosecution however challenged Dr Andrew Clark's assessment they questioned the reliability of cari's self-reported symptoms and argued that she was capable of understanding the difference between right and wrong at the time of the crimes Carly's relationship with her biological
father was once again at hand on the third day too Heath Smiley Carly's stepfather had previously testified about Kevin's history of drug use and its negative impact on Carly the defense presented evidence suggesting that Carly's relationship with Kevin was strained and she experienced emotional trauma as a result of his behavior this information further supported the argument that cari's mental health was influenced by her family Dynamics as the trial progressed the jury faced the complex task of weighing the evidence and determining Carly Greg's guilt or innocence nonetheless the details provided on the third day provided a
more comprehensive understanding of Carly's mental health struggles and the potential impact they had on her actions the fourth day of the Carly Greg murder trial featured testimonies from rebut Witnesses called by the state these Witnesses aimed to counter the defense's expert testimony regarding Carly's mental state first up was Olivia Leber a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner she first met with Carly in January 2024 conducting a comprehensive evaluation she testified that during her initial assessment and throughout the sessions she had with Carly Carly explicitly denied hearing voices it was also Leber who had prescribed medication changes
to address Carly's depression and anxiety as per Le's testimony despite despite the medication changes Carly did not report any hallucinations or delusions during subsequent sessions the next witness to come in front of the jury was Rebecca Kirk a licensed professional counselor she had met with Carly for counseling on nine different occasions prior to the tragic events of the 19th of March she testified that throughout their sessions Carly did not express any suicidal or homicidal Tendencies or thoughts she also emphasized that depression and anxiety were common among her clients suggesting that Carly's symptoms were not unusual
last to testify against the jury on the fourth day was Dr Jason pigot a forensic psychiatrist he had been in charge of assessing Carly's mental State against the legal criteria for Insanity in Mississippi he analyzed various types of evidence including Carly's journal entries statements and circumstances surrounding the case based on his analysis Dr picket told the court that Carly understood the nature and wrongfulness of her actions at the time of the incident another analysis of Dr Piet which she incurred after analyzing both Carly's writings and statements was that some of them were theatrical and others
were concerning it was Dr picket who further emphasized in front of the court that the low dosage of Lexapro which Karly had been switched to recently could not be the reason for Karly Grigg to commit those alleged atrocities she did on the fateful day of March 19th 2024 hence the states expert Witnesses provided accounts that differed significantly from the testimonies of the defenses expert Dr Andrew Clark Dr Clark had previously testified that Carly was experienced a mental health crisis at the time of the shooting he cited her struggles with mood swings Eating Disorders self harm
and hearing voices as evidence of her deteriorating mental state the morning of the fifth day of Carly Greg's murder trial marked a significant Moment In the case the jury having deliberated throughout the previous day was set to deliver their verdict as the courtroom fell silent the judge announced the jury's decision in a solemn tone he declared Carly Greg guilty of all three charges murder attempted murder and tampering with evidence following the verdict the jury turned their attention to the sentencing phase of the trial they would now determine the appropriate punishment for Carly Greg based on
the evidence presented and the severity of her crimes the judge considering the severity of the crimes and the evidence presented sentenced Carly Greg to life in prison without parole for the murder of her mother and attempted murder of her stepfather additionally Greg was sentenced to 10 years in prison for tampering with evidence however the judge ruled that that sent would run concurrently meaning that Carly Greg would serve a total to life in prison the courtroom was filled with emotions as the sentence was announced Carly Greg overcome with grief and despair broke down in tears her
family members including HEI Smiley Ashley Smiley's parents and other relatives also expressed their emotions before the jury could deliver their final verdict on the sentencing the prosecution and defense presented their final arguments prosecutor Katherine Newman argued that Carly Greg showed no remorse for her actions Newman also emphasized that Carly understood the nature and consequences of her actions she also presented evidence to support the claim that Greg acted with premeditation and intent on the other hand the defense attorneys Bridget Todd and Kevin Camp pleaded for leniency highlighting Greg's mental health struggles they also emphasized Greg's love
for her mother and her positive relationship with her stepfather they also argued that karly's actions were influenced by her mental health issues and that she may not have fully understand the consequences of actions the jury composed of diverse members deliberated for two long hours before reaching a unanimous verdict Carly Greg was found guilty in all three charges murder attempted murder and tampering with evidence Carly Greg was sentenced to life in prison without perole for killing her mother attempting to kill her stepfather and tampering with evidence both judge and jury were on the same page as
they found her guilty of all three offenses and agreed upon the decided sentence the judge did not show a slight bit of leniency and he added the 10 concurrent years for evidence tampering as for Carly she's not done yet just a couple of weeks after the outcome of the initial trial she's already seeking a new trial should she have taken the 40 years offered as a plea or did she do the right thing to go through the trial what do you think about her seeking a new trial let us know in the comments below that
was the case of Carly Greg thank you once again for joining me for now I'm Mark this is true crime stories and I'll see you in the next one
