Florida teen pleads guilty to stabbing of 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey

Aiden Fucci, the Florida teenager who stabbed 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey greater than 100 instances in 2021 has pleaded responsible to first diploma homicide, in response to the seventh Judicial Circuit court docket clerk.

Fucci entered his responsible plea Monday at a listening to meant to get jury choice for his trial underway, CNN affiliate WJXT mentioned.

Shortly after getting into the courtroom, an lawyer for Fucci, 16, informed Judge R. Lee Smith they have been altering their plea to responsible.

Aiden Fucci has been charged with the murder of Tristyn Bailey. — Aiden Fucci has been charged with the homicide of Tristyn Bailey. (St Johns County Sheriff’s Office)

Fucci stood earlier than the decide and mentioned “I’m sorry for the Bailey family and my family,” WJXT reported.

In 2021, in response to the prosecutor, a witness mentioned then 14-year-old Fucci allegedly made statements he meant to kill somebody by taking them into the woods and stabbing them, CNN beforehand reported.

Bailey, a faculty cheerleader, had been reported lacking on May 9 in St. Johns County, the place her physique was discovered later that day.

She suffered 114 stab wounds, together with 49 defensive wounds to her head, arms and arms prosecutors mentioned on the time.

Later that night time, Fucci posted a photograph on Snapchat of himself doing the peace signal from the again seat of a police patrol automobile.”Hey guys has inybody (sic) seen Tristyn lately,” he captioned the photograph posted on Snapchat.

Aiden Fucci posted this Snapchat photo from the back of a police car. — Aiden Fucci posted this Snapchat photograph from the again of a police automobile. (Snapchat)

Following the responsible plea, St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick launched a press release commending the exhausting work of his staff and investigators.

“Aiden Fucci’s decision to enter a guilty plea today is nothing more than a testament to the hard work and dedication of the exceptional men and women of the St. Johns County Sheriffs Office,” the assertion learn. “This was an all-out agency effort.”

Hardwick thanked the Bailey household.

“The cooperation between our agency and the Bailey Family has been unparalleled. Their strength and grace throughout this case has been incredible. This agency will forever be connected to the Bailey Family,” he mentioned.