"It's hard to tell if he's feigning mental illness or if something is really happening with him."
UPDATE 9/2/2021 7:35 AM
Aiden Fucci made his first pre-trial appearance in a video hearing on Wednesday, looking dazed and confused.
Wearing an orange jumpsuit, the 14-year-old was led into a room in Duval County Jail, and engaged in some bizarre behavior after being handed a phone by a guard.
Rocking back and forth, his eyes darted around the room at nothing, before he started muttering "Please don't let the demons take my soul.... The demons are going to take my soul away."
"What's going on?" he repeatedly asks. "Why am I here? I just want to talk to my mom and dad. What's going on? What's going on?"
He did not interact with anybody on the line; according to News4Jax which has been closely following the case, his lawyer waived the right to a speedy trial — which is common — moving the next hearing to October 28.
Forensic psychologist Dr. Justin D'Arienzo, who is not affiliated with the case, told the outlet it was hard to tell if he was faking or not.
"He definitely looked disoriented and confused. It's hard to tell if he's feigning mental illness or if something is really happening with him," he said. "From my perspective, it seemed genuine, given the pattern of behavior today and from what else we know."
As yet, the judge has not ordered a mental health competency evaluation; if one is ordered, it could drag the case out for months more.
Fucci's mother Crystal Smith, who is accused of evidence tampering, also had her hearing moved to October 28; she is currently out on bond.
UPDATE 8/25/2021 11:42 AM
Police have released several new videos in the case against Aiden Fucci.
One, captured by a home surveillance camera, shows two people walking together shortly after midnight on May 9 — the last time Tristyn Bailey was seen alive.
According to prosecutors, the suspect and the victim are headed towards the wooded area of their neighborhood where the 13-year-old's mutilated body would later be found.
Less than two hours later, that same camera captured the person sprinting barefoot — alone — in the opposite direction.
Separate security footage from Fucci's own home that same night show him returning to his front door barefoot, carrying his trainers in his hand.
Yet another video from inside Fucci's home allegedly shows his mother, Crystal Smith, attempting to wash blood out of his jeans just hours after Bailey was killed.
According to an arrest report, both the jeans and the bathroom drain tested positive for blood.
Smith has also been charged with one felony count of evidence tampering.
Also among the cache of evidence released Tuesday was some of the infamous Snapchat videos Fucci posted while sat in the back of the police car, in which he addressed Bailey directly.
UPDATE 7/16/2021 7:30 AM
Grisly new details have emerged in the horrific murder of 13-year-old cheerleader Tristyn Bailey, who was found stabbed 114 times in Florida on Mother's Day.
According to new documents released by the 7th Judicial State's Attorney's Office, when police put Aiden Fucci -- the 14-year-old accused of killing Bailey -- into an interrogation room and told him Bailey's body had been found and he was the last to have seen her, he responded, "How is that my problem?"
Investigators also found bloody clothes and sneakers in Fucci's bedroom, but also a notebook containing "drawings of a violent nature," with one "depicting a Satanic element to them, to include a pentagram."
Another illustration showed a naked female with red X's over her breasts and genitals, and blood spurting out from severed arms.
The documents also claim friends of Fucci said he was vocal about wanting to murder someone. "If he were to kill someone, it was going to be planned, he would find a random person walking at night, drag them into the woods, and stab them," a friend told detectives.
Fucci's girlfriend also told police he would sneak up behind her and pretend to slit her throat with his knives, which he nicknamed "Picker" and "Poker."
"Aiden knew something was wrong with him and wanted to reach out for help," a friend reportedly said to authorities.
update at 11:00am on Friday, May 28 2021
Prosecutors have decided to charge Aiden Fucci -- the 14-year-old Florida teen accused of killing 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey -- as an adult. His charge was also upped to first-degree murder on Thursday.
During a press conference, State Attorney R.K. Larizza told reporters Fucci told his friends "he intended to kill someone" and "indicated to witnesses that he was going to kill someone by taking them in the woods and stabbing them." Larizza added Fucci "didn't say who that was" and pointed out how that statement fit the "facts of the case."
"It brings me no pleasure to be charging a 14-year-old as an adult with first-degree murder," he continued. "But I can tell you also the executive team and I reviewed all the facts, all the circumstances, the applicable law and it was not a difficult decision to make, that he should be charged as an adult."
Grisly new details also emerged in the case, as Larizza revealed Bailey was stabbed 114 times, with 49 defensive stab wounds to the hands, arms and head. The tip of the blade broke off and was "located by the medical examiner in the scalp of our victim."
"To say that it was horrific could arguably be made as an understatement," Larizza said. "Bottom line, premeditation can be inferred certainly from just the sheer number of stab wounds that Tristyn Bailey had to suffer."
Fucci hasn't entered a plea -- but the Sheriff's office previously said he changed his story several times during interviews after his arrest and made several "admissions" at the time.
original story below
A 14-year-old posted a selfie from the back of a squad car mocking the teen cheerleader he is suspected of killing, according to police.
On Monday, Aiden Fucci was arrested and charged with the second-degree murder of 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey, who was found stabbed to death in a remote wooded area of St. Johns, Florida the night before.
After being taken into custody, the teenager allegedly posted a photo of his reflection in the police car to Snapchat, flashing a peace sign, with the caption: "Hey guys has inybody seen Tristyn lately". [sic]
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View StoryAccording to St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, they received a missing persons call at 10 AM Sunday morning; Bailey's family told detectives they had not seen her since midnight Saturday.
Police immediately issued a missing persons report, asking for public assistance in locating her, telling local residents she was last seen wearing a white cheerleading skirt and a dark colored shirt.
But by 6 PM Sunday the worst was confirmed; a body was located in the woods by a volunteer, and identified.
According to the arrest report obtained by First Coast News, deputies discovered security footage that showed two teens walking together at around 1:45 AM Sunday morning; later footage showed one person walking alone shortly before 3:30 AM, holding a pair of shoes.
The report states that while being interviewed in the presence of his mother, she mentioned something about the video depicting him carrying his shoes, to which Fucci replied his feet hurt.
After obtaining a warrant, investigators said that among the evidence they found was an outfit that matched the one the suspect was wearing in the video; they also said some of the items seized tested positive for the presence of blood.
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View StoryAccording to the Sheriff's office, Fucci changed his story several times during interviews, and made several "admissions".
Sheriff Rob Hardwick told WOKV the cop car selfie will likely be used against him in court.
"I know it looks egregious with him making those statements in that car, but that is now evidence that we gather and use against him," he said. "So that just makes our case a better case to present to the State Attorney's office and to present to a jury down the road saying this was his mindset. This is what he's doing, was he proud of what he did."
"So, you know, this is going to help our case and make it stronger to, you know, his intentions."
On Tuesday, SJSO said a number of other people were trying to "gain fame and followers" by pretending to have knowledge of the crime and posting inflammatory things to social media.
"First, we want to thank each of you for your continued efforts by sending in tips to us. We have gained valuable information and look into everything that is being sent," they wrote.
"There are a number of accounts however that are using this case to try to gain fame and followers. Please know that these individuals had nothing to do with this incident."
"At this time, the below accounts have already been investigated and no longer need to be forwarded to the Sheriff's Office," they added, listing a number of Instagram user names they had determined to be fakers.
Meanwhile, Fucci made his first appearance in court on Tuesday morning:
Judge reading 2nd degree murder charge to Aiden Fucci as he fights back tears. He is charged with the 2nd degree murder of #TristynBailey pic.twitter.com/k6jgfh113L
— Bridgette Matter (@bridgetteANjax) May 11, 2021 @bridgetteANjax