A Florida teen accused of stabbing a 13-year-old cheerleader 114 instances almost two years in the past has pleaded responsible to first-degree homicide, authorities stated.
The plea within the brutal stabbing of Tristyn Bailey got here in the future earlier than jury choice was to start within the trial of Aiden Fucci, who was 14 when he was arrested, the state’s lawyer’s workplace for Florida’s Seventh Judicial District stated in an announcement.
“Right now was a serious occasion on this case,” State Lawyer RJ Larizza stated.
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Prosecutors will search the utmost penalty, he added – a life sentence.
The workplace’s assertion stated no plea provide had been made. A lawyer for Fucci didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
In an announcement, Tristyn’s household stated that they had been assured prosecutors would have secured a responsible verdict however that the shock plea introduced “vital aid,” according to the NBC affiliate WTLV of Jacksonville.
“Simply as Tristyn fought for her life, we equally fought for her and wouldn’t conform to any plea deal,” the assertion stated. “We had been absolutely aligned with the prosecutor in rejecting the proposed plea offers talked about by the Public Defender through the plea listening to.”
Tristyn was discovered lifeless within the woods outdoors Jacksonville.
In accordance with a possible trigger affidavit, Fucci informed authorities that he acquired into an argument with Tristyn and pushed her to the bottom after they left a mutual pal’s earlier than daybreak on Could 9.
Whereas he was nonetheless thought-about a witness, Fucci snapped a photograph of himself behind a police automobile flashing a peace signal and posted the picture to social media with the caption: “Hey guys has inybody(sic) seen Tristyn these days.”
He was arrested on Could 10 and initially accused of second-degree homicide.
Days later, a grand jury indicted him on a first-degree homicide cost, and Fucci was to be tried as an grownup. On the time, Larizza stated the sheer variety of stab wounds the woman suffered supported the cost and confirmed the assault was premeditated.
Fucci is anticipated to return to courtroom on February 23, when a decide will schedule a sentencing date.
