UPDATE 3/24/23 3:55 P.M.: Aiden Fucci has been sentenced to life in prison. The sentence was handed down Friday by Judge R. Lee Smith, according to State Attorney rep Haley Harrison, after the 16-year-old pleaded guilty to first degree murder and was tried as an adult.
Harrison explained that the sentence will be eligible for review by a judge in 25 years time, leaving the teen behind bars until he’s at least 41 years old. The decision comes at the end of a week of excruciating victim impact statements…
[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
Tristyn Bailey‘s family is speaking out days before Aiden Fucci is expected to receive his sentencing in the teenager’s murder trial.
As you may know, Tristyn was killed on Mother’s Day in 2021 when she was just 13. It has become one of the most horrific deaths we’ve heard of in a long time. She was stabbed 114 times and found with 49 defensive stab wounds to the hands, arms, and head (meaning she was fighting for her life). The tip of the knife also broke off during the attack and was located in her scalp by the medical examiner. Truly, truly brutal. She was then left in the woods to die… and all of this was allegedly done by her own classmate.
Aiden, who was just 14 at the time of the killing, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder last month. He now faces at least 40 years behind bars — and the Bailey family is doing everything in their power to make sure Circuit Judge Lee Smith seeks an appropriate punishment for their loss.
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Tristyn’s Family
In the St. Johns County courtroom in Florida on Wednesday, several of the young cheerleader’s family members took the stand to make impact statements.
Tristyn’s older sister Alexis Bailey was first. She simply placed 114 aqua-colored stones in a glass jar, one by one. The process took around three minutes. She then added a white heart-shaped stone, representing herself, as each family member following her did the same. All of the testimonies were filled with grief and explained the traumatic ways they’ve been impacted by the murder, including failing relationships, physical deterioration, and a dependency to “numb” the pain. Tristyn’s father Forrest Bailey said:
“You can only imagine how the pain he put her through stays with us.”
He also spoke directly to the alleged killer while declining to accept his previous apology:
“I loathe your very existence and know that there is nothing within you that reflects the smallest amount of goodness or human decency.”
It was the young girl’s mother who gave the most gut-wrenching testimony, however. While taking the stand, Stacey Bailey recounted her difficult pregnancy and very close bond with Tristyn. She then turned the attention to the horrors of Mother’s Day 2021 and the way it has impacted the community (especially other teenagers). After praising Tristyn’s best qualities, the mother expressed:
“I, however, failed in one lesson. I did not know that I needed to teach Tristyn to be afraid of the evil in her own school. To be cautious and fearful of the people you think are your friends. Aiden Fucci, you betrayed us all.
I have seen the traumatic impact of Aiden’s horrific actions and how they have affected all that knew and love Tristyn. I have watched her friends become afraid to go to school and fearful of who they could and could not trust. I have watched the depression, the PTSD, the anxiety take over so many. Worse than anything, some of these feelings go so deep that several kids have tried to take their own lives from this incident.”
So devastating. At one point, she read a painfully emotional journal entry reflecting on how terrified her daughter must have been at the time of her death, saying:
“How terrified she must have been. What went wrong in that moment of betrayal from someone she thought was her friend? Did she know it was coming? Did you [Fucci] wait for her back to be turned? The first strike of the knife. The fearful shock she must have had. The second strike: ‘What is happening?’ I can only imagine she tries desperately to fight him off. ‘Why is this happening?’ He continues to strike, over and over and over, as she continues to fight. …Was she screaming for help? Did she try to reach for her phone to call for help? Tristyn’s desperation to live and get away from him continues until he overpowers my child. … I cannot get it out of my head about the pain Tristyn felt.”
She heartbreakingly added:
“Aiden Fucci, you have destroyed me. You have destroyed my family. You have destroyed Tristyn’s friends. You have destroyed the community that we live in. You have caused a divide amongst friends and neighbors that should have never been. You have taken away my baby girl. My past, my present, my future by your calculated, vile actions.”
You can read the full testimony HERE and hear the entire family speak in court (below).
So, so sad.
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Aiden’s Apology
In a shocking attempt to sway the judge into giving him a lighter sentence, the 16-year-old wrote a handwritten letter apologizing to his classmate’s family. Remember, he already apologized when he switched his plea to guilty, but at the time, he simply offered a one-sentence message, saying:
“I’m sorry to the Bailey family and to my family.”
Not so remorseful… This letter is a lot longer, but mostly about what he’s missing about his life before his senseless actions. Obtained by News4Jax, the letter was dated March 12, 2013, and stated:
“My name is Aiden Fucci, I am 16 years old.
First off I want to say that I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all the pain I caused to the Baily [sic] family. I sorry to the friends, brothers, sisters, mom, dad and any other family relatives. I’m sorry that you didn’t get to know her that long. You did not have any long relationships with Tristen [sic] and for that I’m sorry.
For the community, I’m sorry I brought all this pain on everybody and I’m sorry and I know my apology will not fix anything or bring her back but I hope it help in some way,” he continued, before then addressing his father.
And for my dad, I’m sorry that he had a bad spot in his work because of me. I miss being outdoors with my dad and brothers. I miss the fun we had like four-wheeling, paint-balling, going on the long car trips … Dad your [sic] special because you made fun out of nothing. Love you.
To my mom I want to send my [apologies] as well. I’m sorry that she had to move her house because people were sending threats to the house and my family … and that my little brother and sister had to change schools because of me.” He added, “Mom now I miss your lemon paper chicken. I miss your hugs. I miss you. The longer I’m in here, the more I forget, the more memories I lose. I’ll never forget you love me.”
Aiden’s Family
Interestingly, the Bailey family was not the only family submitting letters to the court. Fucci’s loved ones also begged the judge to go easy on their family member. In a statement written by Aiden’s father Jason, dated February 22, he said:
“There are no words to right this wrong. Those words don’t exist in this situation. All we can do is express the absolute sorrow we feel within ourselves as parents and for everyone impacted by what occurred. Aiden truly is a kind and caring boy who has the love and support of an entire community of family … this tragedy blindsided all of us.”
Aiden’s mother Crystal also added:
“[I grieve] for the devastating loss of Tristyn, I grieve for the subsequent arrest of my son and I grieve for the irreparable agony inflicted on the Bailey family, as well as all other friends and families affected. Most of all, however, I grieve for Stacy Bailey as a mother.”
Lastly, his grandmother insisted there is still “some good in Aiden” and hoped with proper counseling and therapy “he can be rehabilitated.” Wow. Polar opposite reactions to this upcoming sentencing. The court is reportedly in recess until Friday when Aiden is expected to hear his fate. Because Aiden was a minor at the time of the crime, he is not eligible for the death penalty.
We hope justice will be served for the young cheerleader and her family…
[Image via St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office & Law&Crime Network/YouTube]
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