Tristyn Bailey Case Explained: What Happened to 13-Year-Old on Mother's Day? Stabbed 114 Times by Classmate Aiden Fucci

The murder of 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey, a cheerleader from St. Johns County, Florida, remains one of the most disturbing juvenile homicide cases in recent US history. On Mother's Day 2021, the teen was found dead after being stabbed 114 times by her classmate Aiden Fucci, then 14 years old.

The case, which shocked the nation, is now being revisited in TikTok: Murder Gone Viral, a true-crime documentary exploring how social media amplified both the crime and its aftermath.

Tristyn's Disappearance and Discovery

Tristyn Bailey was last seen in the early hours of 9 May 2021, after leaving her home in the Durbin Crossing area to meet Fucci, a fellow student at Patriot Oaks Academy. CCTV footage later captured the two walking together around 1:45 a.m., and just minutes later, Fucci was seen running alone, holding a pair of shoes.

When Tristyn's family realised she hadn't returned home, they reported her missing around 10 a.m. Her body was discovered later that day near a retention pond, south of Jacksonville, with extensive stab wounds, 49 of them classified as defensive, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.

The medical examiner concluded that Bailey died from 'sharp force trauma.' A knife fragment matching a Buck knife found in a nearby pond was recovered from her scalp. Blood was also discovered on Fucci's clothing and sneakers during a search of his home.

Aiden Fucci's Arrest and Social Media Posts

Fucci was arrested later that same day and initially charged with second-degree murder. While in the back of a police car, he posted a Snapchat selfie captioned: 'Hey guys, has anybody seen Tristyn lately?' The post, later released by prosecutors, fuelled outrage across social media.

A few days later, prosecutors upgraded the charge to first-degree murder, citing premeditation. State Attorney R.J. Larizza said Fucci had told friends he planned to 'take someone into the woods and stab them.' He added, 'Premeditation can be inferred from the sheer number of stab wounds,' leading to Fucci being charged as an adult with first-degree murder on 27 May 2021.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Fucci initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty in February 2023, just before his trial was set to begin. During sentencing, Judge R. Lee Smith of Florida's 7th Judicial Circuit called the killing 'one of the most shocking and senseless crimes' he had ever presided over.

'There was no reason. There was no purpose. It was done for no other reason than to satisfy the defendant's internal desire to feel what it was like to kill someone,' Judge Smith said in court.

In March 2023, Fucci was sentenced to life in prison — the maximum penalty possible since he was a juvenile at the time of the crime. He will be eligible for a review after 25 years. He is currently incarcerated at Cross City Correctional Institution in Florida. His appeal, filed in 2024, was denied.

Impact and Legacy

During the sentencing, Tristyn's sister Alexis Bailey delivered an emotional victim impact statement, dropping 114 heart-shaped stones — each representing a stab wound — into a glass jar. 'It symbolises all the pain you caused,' she said in court.

The Bailey family has since launched community initiatives promoting kindness and safety under the #BaileyStrong movement, which continues to receive support from across the state of Florida.