Aiden Fucci appears in a squad car selfie video released by the 7th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office in Florida. Tristyn Bailey appears in an image provided by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
Accused teenage killer Aiden Fucci, now 16, reversed course ahead of scheduled jury selection on Monday and pleaded guilty to murdering 13-year-old former classmate Tristyn Bailey on Mother’s Day weekend back in 2021.
BREAKING: Teenager #AidenFucci pleading GUILTY. Today was the start of jury selection in his murder trial. Fucci charged with stabbing to death 13-yr-old Trystin Bailey. pic.twitter.com/T8lKVaKo4U
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) February 6, 2023
With the plea, Fucci faces a mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison rather than a sentence of life without parole. Because Fucci is a minor, the death penalty was not an option in the case.
Bailey was stabbed 114 times in the early morning hours of May 9, 2021, authorities have said.
“It has now been determined by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Predrag Bulic that the cause of death is sharp force trauma by stabbing,” St. Johns County Sheriff Robert A. Hardwick’s office previously wrote in a press release. “The manner of death is homicide.”
The case made national news not only because of the brutal nature of the crime and the ages of the suspect and victim, but also because of Fucci’s reaction upon being arrested.
Florida authorities have released videos of accused teen murderer Aiden Fucci in the back of a police car after Tristyn Bailey, 13, was stabbed to death.
Read more: https://t.co/TQbOqSvghG pic.twitter.com/hQZPVI2HLD
— Law & Crime (@lawcrimenews) August 25, 2021
“Hey guys has inybody [sic] seen Tristyn lately,” read the caption of a Snapchat selfie.
Fucci’s courtroom behavior was also cause for alarm.
Fucci apologized Monday in court to both the Bailey family and his own family.
“I just want to say I’m sorry,” he said.
See also Victim found on suspected serial killer’s property among thousands of remains is identified
This is a developing story.
[Image of Fucci via Twitter/screengrab, Tristyn Bailey appears in an image provided by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office]
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