Justice for Tristyn
By: Hanna Virts
On May 9, 2021, St Johns county was rocked by the news of Tristyn Bailey’s brutal
death. Now, around 2 years later her murderer, Aiden Fucci, pleaded guilty to first-degree
murder on February 6 before the jury selection for the trial due to the amount of overwhelming
evidence convicting Fucci. Crystal Smith, Fucci’s mother, was also charged with tampering with
evidence when investigators found wet jeans with Tristyn’s blood and DNA. Smith had tried to
wash out the blood, however, she was obviously unsuccessful and rightfully convicted for
attempting to hide her son’s crime. She is currently waiting on bond for a trial and is due back in
court on April 4.
During the jury selection, Fucci also apologized to Bailey’s grieving family, perhaps to
lighten his predicted sentence of 40 years to life. Though he is being tried as an adult, he is not
eligible for the death penalty because of his age. And under Florida law, he has the option to
have his case reviewed once officially sentenced. Fucci is being held at the Ducal County jail
and has reportedly threatened to kill several inmates, correctional officers, and their families.
Currently, there is no set date for his sentence. Fucci is scheduled back in court on
Thursday, February 23. Justice for Tristyn is in the hands of Circuit Judge R. Lee Smith.
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