Fucci is not likely to face trial until late next year

Circuit Judge Lee Smith said during a pretrial hearing at the St. Johns County Courthouse Thursday, that he hopes to set a final trial date in late 2022 for 14-year-old Aiden Fucci and his mother Crystal Smith.

Fucci stands accused of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey, and his mother is accused of tampering with evidence in the case by washing blood out of her son’s jeans.  Bailey, a student at Patriot Oaks Academy, was found dead with 114 knife wounds to her body on May 9, 2021, in a wooded area near her home in the Durbin Crossing community.

Judge Smith granted a continuance requested by Fucci’s court-appointed attorney, Joshua Mosely, asking that the case be delayed allowing his office reasonable time for the evidence to be sorted, including questions for more than 200 witnesses.

Fucci remains in custody in the juvenile wing of the Duval County jail while his mother remains free on $25,000 bond.  With Mosely’s assurance that Fucci has been in regular contact, Smith granted the continuance until February 2, 2022.