A violent carjacker has been found guilty of murder over the brutal slaying of an elderly woman in 2022.
An elderly resident of New Orleans, Louisiana named Linda Frickey was brutally and gruesomely murdered in a horrific carjacking incident in March last year.
The carjacking was carried out by a violent gang.
The ringleader of the gang, the fourth of four charged assailants, faced trial this week.
On Monday, that trial concluded with the jury rendering a unanimous verdict that 18-year-old John Honore was guilty of second-degree murder, local NBC affiliate WDSU reported.
He now faces a mandatory life sentence.
In response to the verdict, a member of Frickey’s family asserted that Honore “deserves no mercy.
“We will give him the same mercy he gave Linda. None.”
According to The National Desk, Honore was one of four individuals who participated in the ghastly slaying of 73-year-old Frickey during a carjacking in March 2022.
The killing began with the four thugs approaching the woman’s vehicle and pepper-spraying her in the face while pulling her partially out of the vehicle.
Honore then stomped on Frickey’s head and beat her mercilessly before attempting to drive off in the stolen vehicle.
However, Frickey was still entangled in the seat belt and was dragged along the street for more than 700 feet until her arm was dismembered from her torso by a utility pole.
Her battered body was left with multiple severe injuries, including a torn aorta and fractured collarbone, ribs, and vertebrae.
In April, after indictments were issued by a grand jury, local Fox affiliate WVUE reported that Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams told reporters:
“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.”
In explaining why the four juvenile suspects were all charged as adults, the DA explained:
“Four or five years is just not enough.
“The juvenile sentencing limits would be inadequate to ensure that these young people are appropriately held accountable for taking a life.”
Ironically enough, the outlet reported at that time that Honore had previously been charged as an adult for a separate alleged violent carjacking two years earlier.
However, that charge had been dropped by DA Williams in favor of home confinement and brief incarceration at a juvenile facility.
On Monday, WVUE reported that the jury needed less than four hours of deliberation to reach the unanimous conclusion that Honore was guilty of second-degree murder.
For the conviction, he faces a mandatory lifetime sentence and won’t be eligible for parole until after he has served at least 25 years.
Prosecutors had laid out a graphic play-by-play accounting of what had occurred and highlighted all of the gruesome and horrifying details of the brutal crime, which included emotional testimony from multiple bystander witnesses and first responders who tried unsuccessfully to save Frickey’s life.
Honore’s defense attorney acknowledged his client’s participation in the deadly carjacking but pleaded with the court for leniency on account of the young man’s immaturity and tough upbringing.
The lawyer argued that Honore should be given a “second chance” to make better life decisions, despite his criminal past.
Prosecutors countered, however, and told the court, “Nothing about today is about taking responsibility.
“It’s too little too late.
“[The defense] is going to get up here and ask you to not take away his life — give him another chance at life.
“We’re going to ask that you hold him accountable for what he did.
“We’re going to ask you to follow the law and that the ‘second chance’ is a decision that the parole board makes in 25 years.”
In the end, Honore was the only one of the four charged suspects to be tried and convicted for the murder of Frickey.
Honore’s three female accomplices had all accepted plea deals right before the start of the trial a couple of weeks ago.
According to WDSU reporter Aubry Killion, the three accomplices — Briniyah Baker, Marquel Curtis, and Lenyra Theophile — all teenagers, pleaded guilty to attempted manslaughter and were sentenced to serve 20 years in prison.
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