RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. ( WJTV ) – The stepfather of the Rankin County teenager accused of killing her mother testified during her trial on Tuesday, September 17.

Heath Smylie, the stepfather of Carly Gregg, took the stand Tuesday morning. Investigators said Smylie was shot by Gregg after she killed her mother , 40-year-old Ashley Smylie, in March 2024.

Health Smylie recounted the moment he found his wife’s body.

“She (Ashley) was laying on her back and had her hands kind of across her and a towel over her face,” he said.

Video evidence was also presented to the court that showed the moment Health Smylie entered the home, and screams could be heard once shots were fired.

Friends of Gregg said they noticed her risky behavior prior to the shooting. They said Gregg would smoke weed, consume mushrooms and drank hand sanitizer. Health Smylie said he could not recall Gregg being visibly upset and said she rarely got into trouble.

The state rested its case on Tuesday, and court will resume Wednesday morning. The defense plans to call more than one witness to the stand on Wednesday.

Last week, the court denied a motion to transfer Gregg’s case to Youth Court. The state said Gregg cannot plead insanity because of voluntary intoxication. They said she admitted she used marijuana just days before her mother was killed.

During a court appearance in August, Gregg rejected a plea deal in which she would be sentenced to 40 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC). The case will now go to trial, and Gregg faces up to life in prison.

A grand jury previously indicted Gregg on the counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder and tampering with evidence.

The shooting happened just after 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19 in the 200 block of Ashton Way.

When deputies arrived at the location, they found Health Smylie suffering from a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He told deputies that he arrived home and found his wife deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. He claimed his 14-year-old step-daughter was armed with a pistol.

According to Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey, the victim stated Gregg shot him in the shoulder. The man was able to take the weapon from the teenager, who then ran into the backyard and jumped over a fence.

Bailey said additional deputies responded to the scene, along with the Mississippi Highway Patrol’s (MHP) helicopter. Just after 5:30 p.m., Gregg was located not far from the residence and taken into custody without incident.

During her initial court appearance, Gregg pled not guilty to the charges. Her bond was set at $1 million. She is being held in the Rankin County Adult Detention Center.

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