Man Gets Fifty Years in Shooting Death

TYLER � A man who pleaded guilty earlier this month to the shooting death of a Longview teen has been handed a hefty prison sentence. Gregory Dewayne Polley, 26, of Longview, was sentenced by State District Judge Christi Kennedy to 50 years in prison Tuesday morning. He also relinquished his right to appeal. He had pleaded guilty to last year�s Christmas Eve shooting death of Nicole Cartwright, 15. The shooting occurred at a car wash on West Bow Street in Tyler.

Investigators say the teen had come from Longview to meet with family and friends, who were also from Longview. While they were at the car wash, a disturbance occurred in the parking lot involving four females in two separate cars. Shots were fired, and Cartwright was struck; she later died at a Tyler hospital. Investigators say the bullet was not intended for the girl, she was just an innocent bystander.

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 January 4th for a parole violation in Longview, with Smith County officials tacking on the first-degree murder charge after an arrest warrant was issued.