Two men charged with using a car to pin down a man and then shooting him several times while he couldn’t move are on the loose despite recently being indicted on first-degree murder charges.

NOPD

New Orleans Police are looking for cousins Andre and Telly Hankton in the killing of 23-year-old Darnell Stewart.

On May 13, police found Stewart dead in the 3400 block of South Claiborne Ave.

Witnesses said a car ran him down and pinned him against a dumpster and that the passenger in that car shot him more than ten times.

Police said Andre Hankton was driving the car, and that his cousin Telly Hankton did the shooting.

Both were booked on second-degree murder charges, and two months later, a grand jury upped the charges to first-degree murder. By that time however, they had already posted bond on the lesser charge.

NOPD spokesman Bob Young said that at the time the crime occurred, the facts led police to charge the Hanktons with second-degree murder.

Days after the original arrest, appointed Magistrate Commissioner Anthony Russo set Andre Hankton's bond at just $250,000.

According to the DA's office, they typically request $500,000 bonds for people facing second-degree murder charges.

“If a defendant is able to make such a high bond, there is nothing we can do about that," Landrum-Johnson said.

Court records show that the DA’s office argued during Andre Hankton’s preliminary hearing that the two men “…Should have been booked on first degree murder charges."

After hearing a New Orleans Police homicide detective testify about the seriousness of the charges, court records show that Judge Russo said, "The court finds probable cause for the arrest... and based upon these facts, I believe a $250,000 bond is a substantial bond in this case and will not increase it at this time."

"I think it would just depend on whatever facts and circumstances are presented to the court at that time,” Landrum-Johnson said about the $250,000 thousand bond, “I think that we would ask for bonds that are generally in line with what the individuals are accused of."

Russo set Telly Hankton's bond at $1 million. He posted it on June 2.

"I think that the unusual situation is that you don't have people that are able to post bonds at such high amounts. However, that is someone's right," Landrum-Johnson said.

Once the grand jury indicted the Hanktons on first-degree murder charges, the court revoked their bonds, but since they haven't shown up for court, Police say they are once again searching for the Hanktons.

Anthony Russo is one of four appointed magistrate commissioners who fill in for the elected Orleans Parish Magistrate Judges.

He didn't return our calls for comment, and neither did the Hanktons' original attorney James Johnson.

Court records show Johnson's father, a bail bondsman, helped the Hanktons post their high bonds.

If you have any information on the hanktons’ whereabouts, call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.