Shooter in Death of Teen Pleads Guilty

TYLER — Gregory Dewayne Polley, 26, of Longview, waived a jury trial Monday and pleaded guilty to the Christmas Eve shooting death of 15-year-old Nicole Cartwright. Jury selection had been scheduled to start Monday in a Smith County district court, with testimony beginning Tuesday. Instead, Polley chose to plead guilty and sentencing has been scheduled for May 31. Cartwright, also of Longview, was killed at about 1:30 a.m. Christmas Eve by a stray bullet. She was visiting family and friends at the time of the shooting.

Polley is the second man to be arrested in connection with Cartwright’s death. Adrian Earl Blankenship Jr., 22, of Longview, also is charged in the teen’s death. He remains in Smith County Jail on $500,000 bond and his trial is scheduled for July. Polley was initially arrested Jan. 4 for a parole violation in Longview, with Smith County officials tacking on the first-degree murder charge after an arrest warrant was issued.