Four teenagers accused of carjacking 73-year-old Linda Frickey and dragging her to death will be tried as adults on second-degree murder charges, Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams announced in a press conference.
The accused killers are 17-year-old John Honore and three 15-year-old girls; Briniyah Baker, Marquel Curtis, and Lenyra Theophile.
Frickey was killed in Mid-City on March 21 when police say the four juveniles carjacked her shortly after 1:30 p.m. and dragged her more than a block in Mid-City until her arm was severed.
In a press conference on Thurs., April 28, Williams said the juvenile court system is not set up to handle cases this severe.
“Four or five years is just not enough,” he said. “The juvenile sentencing limits would be inadequate to ensure that these young people are appropriately held accountable for taking a life.”
If convicted, all four will face life in prison, a mandatory sentence for second-degree murder in the state of Louisiana.
“This was one of the most violent carjackings we’ve ever seen; these young people dragged Mrs. Frickey, severing her arm as they all fled the scene in her car. Today’s grand jury decision to indict these young people for Second Degree Murder is fair and ensures they are appropriately held accountable,” Williams said in a statement.
New Orleans police chief Shaun Ferguson asked Williams’ office to try the teens as adults after the horrible details were released.
“I mean, look at the nature of the crime. Brazenness. Broad daylight. No regard for this woman hanging outside the car,” Ferguson said.
Williams issued a statement shortly after Frickey’s death decrying the crime, but initially stopped short of promising the juveniles would be prosecuted as adults.
“What occurred … was heinous and unthinkable,” Williams said. “I can’t help but think of my own mother and other elders in our community. While we will allow the NOPD to complete a thorough investigation, any and all persons that the evidence shows participated in the murder of this elder will be prosecuted to the absolute fullest extent of the law.”
“I’m not an advocate for incarceration, but sometimes people need to be locked up,” Ferguson said. “When you commit a crime like this, absolutely you need to be locked up.”
After surveillance images of the suspects were disseminated, Ferguson said the mother of one of the 15-year-old girls brought her in to surrender to police. Hours later, the parents of the 17-year-old boy also notified police of where he could be found. Police served a search warrant at another residence and found the male suspect with one of the girls also being sought. After news reports of the first three arrests circulated, the final 15-year-old girl surrendered to police.
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