4 teens charged as adults for dragging elderly woman to death in gruesome carjacking plead not guilty

The four teens in Louisiana accused of dragging a 73-year-old woman to her death in a grisly carjacking have pleaded not guilty.

The teens, who are being charged as adults in the heinous crime, are each being held on a $1 million bond.

What are the details?

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams said that the suspects — identified as 17-year-old John Honore, 15-year-old Lenyra Theophile, 15-year-old Marquel Curtis, and 15-year-old Briniyah Baker — all face charges of second-degree murder in the dragging death of 73-year-old Linda Frickey, who died during a carjacking in New Orleans.

Second-degree murder charges in Louisiana carry a penalty of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years.

"Four or five years is just not enough," Williams said in a late April statement on the charges. “The juvenile sentencing limits would be inadequate to ensure that these young people are appropriately held accountable for taking a life.”

He continued, “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.”

Frickey was leaving her job at an insurance agency when the teens stormed her vehicle as she was putting an item inside it. The teens then reportedly sped off with Frickey still tangled in the seatbelt and dragged her for more than a block. She was only freed from the vehicle when her arm detached from her body. The teens reportedly took off, leaving Frickey's body lying in the road. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to a report from the Titusville Herald, all four teens have pleaded not guilty in connection with Frickey's death.