Three teenagers from Louisiana have struck a plea deal after being charged with the carjacking and dismemberment of a 73-year-old woman in New Orleans. The teens, Briniyah Baker (17), Lenyra Theophile (16), and Mar’Qel Curtis, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of attempted manslaughter. Instead of facing life imprisonment, they will now be sentenced to 20 years in jail.
The incident involved the tragic death of Linda Frickey, who was dragged for a considerable distance after getting her arm caught in the seatbelt. The teens stopped the vehicle, opened the door, and callously kicked Frickey onto the street, even though her arm had already been severed.
Briniyah Baker, Lenyra Theophile, and Mar’Qel Curtis will each serve a minimum of 15 years. During their court appearance, two of the teenagers expressed remorse for their actions, while the attorney for one of the girls offered prayers.
The fourth defendant, John Honore, who is 18 years old, still faces a charge of second-degree murder and a potential life sentence. Linda Frickey’s sister, Jinnylynn Griffin, outside the courtroom stated, “We want him to get the maximum. He drove the car. He stomped on her. The girls, they were all there for the ride, but the issue we had with them is they didn’t do anything to stop it.”
The guilty pleas come over a year after the tragic death of Linda Frickey. In March 2022, she was dragged down North Scott Street in New Orleans when the teens stole her car. Witnesses reported that Frickey was trying to put something in her vehicle when one of the suspects jumped in, kicked her out, and her arm got caught in the wheel well.
Leanne Mascar, a neighbor, rushed to cover Frickey with a sheet after finding her lying naked in the road. Reflecting on the horrific scene, Mascar told Fox 8, “She was laying there naked, and I thought the indignity she just suffered, it was already too much.”
Frickey’s official cause of death was listed as “blunt force injuries.” Her gray SUV was recovered 13 blocks away from the crime scene. Police released surveillance footage of the suspects, and two of the teens were turned in by their own parents.
Lenyra Theophile was deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial in March 2023 and was sent to a mental health facility for 60 days. Kathy Richard, Frickey’s sister-in-law, expressed gratitude that the three teens admitted their guilt and accepted their punishment. She hopes they will get involved in programs while incarcerated to become examples that actions have consequences.
John Honore’s trial is scheduled to begin on November 27, and a jury has already been seated.
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