Aiden Fucci Days He's Guilty Of Killing 13-year-Old Classmate Tristyn Bailey

Aiden Fucci Pleads Guilty to Murder for Stabbing 13-Year-Old Cheerleader Tristyn Bailey 114 Times

 

Aiden Fucci, now 16, apologized to the family of the 13-year-old girl he admitted to killing. He faces a possible life sentence in prison with a minimum of 40 years

 

 

The trial of Aiden Fucci, the Florida teenager accused of the brutal murder of 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey in 2021, was set to begin on Monday. However, Fucci has now entered a guilty plea for the first-degree murder charge related to Bailey's fatal stabbing.

 

Just before the start of jury selection at the St. Johns County Courthouse, 16-year-old Fucci entered a guilty plea for the murder of Tristyn Bailey.

 

According to News4Jax, Click Orlando, and First Coast News, Fucci changed his previous plea of not guilty and expressed remorse for his actions. 

 

"I would like to offer my sincerest apologies to the Bailey family," Fucci stated after entering his guilty plea.

 

 

As a result of his guilty plea, Fucci now faces a minimum sentence of 40 years in prison for life. At the time of Tristyn Bailey's murder, Fucci was just 14 years old, however, he was charged as an adult with first-degree murder.

 

Tristyn, a 13-year-old cheerleader, was found dead from stab wounds in a wooded area near her home on Mother's Day in 2021.

 

Tristyn was found dead on May 9, 2021, after her parents reported her missing.

 

According to 7th Judicial Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza, Tristyn Bailey suffered a total of 114 stab wounds, with a significant number of them being defensive in nature. Specifically, at least 49 of the wounds were on her hands, arms, and head. 

 

These details were shared during a press conference held at the time of the incident.

 

 

Fucci was arrested on May 10, 2021, and subsequently made several "admissions" of guilt, according to his arrest report.

 

The authorities discovered evidence linking Fucci to the crime, including clothing stained with blood and a hunting knife believed to have been used in the murder, which was found in a pond nearby.

 

According to State Attorney R.J. Larizza, Fucci had disclosed to his friends a few days prior to Tristyn's killing that he had plans to kill someone, but he did not specify the intended victim.

 

 

According to State Attorney R.J. Larizza, Fucci had disclosed to his friends a few days prior to Tristyn's killing that he had plans to kill someone, but he did not specify the intended victim.

 

 

After his arrest, Fucci posted to social media a selfie of himself in the back of a patrol car referencing Tristyn. In the photo, Fucci is seen giving a peace sign. The photo has the caption: "Hey guys has anybody seen Tristyn lately?"

 

During a pre-trial conference via video from a room in the Duval County Jail, Fucci was also heard talking about demons, saying, "Please don't let the demons take my soul. The demons are going to take my soul away."

 

Fucci then asked, "What's going on?" and then says, "Why am I here? I just want to talk to my mom and dad. What's going? What's going on?"

 

PEOPLE's call to his attorney, Josh Mosley, was not immediately returned.

 

Fucci's mother, Crystal Smith, is charged with tampering with evidence in her son's murder case, allegedly for washing blood off her son's jeans.

 

Attorneys for Fucci and his mother did not immediately return PEOPLE's requests for comment.

 

Fucci is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 23 for a hearing to discuss sentencing.