On May 8, 2021, the Bailey family returned to their home in St. Johns County, Florida, at 11:45 p.m. after a night out, and Tristyn Bailey was reportedly seen by a sibling around midnight before going to sleep in her bedroom.
The following morning, when Bailey was reported missing, local law enforcement authorities relied heavily on surveillance footage from private residences and community amenity centers. These recordings played a crucial role in the subsequent arrest of the killer, Aiden Fucci.
Video footage captured Bailey walking in the neighborhood at around 12:30 a.m., apparently on her way to the home of one of Fucci’s friends. The friend stated to the authorities that Fucci had asked for Bailey’s phone number and had convinced her to leave home that night. The footage also showed two individuals, believed to be Bailey and Fucci, walking together at around 1:14 a.m.
Another video from a residence showed two people, again believed to be Fucci and Bailey, walking east on Saddlestone Drive toward the area where Bailey’s body was later discovered at around 1:45 a.m. Approximately an hour and 45 minutes later, authorities observed someone they believed was Fucci heading away from the area on the same surveillance camera, but this time, he was alone and carrying a pair of white Nike shoes.
Just five minutes later, video surveillance captured Fucci entering his house while carrying a pair of white Nike shoes and wearing blue jeans and a light-colored hooded sweatshirt. He went straight to a bedroom and then to the bathroom. When he came out, he was wearing a bathrobe.
Tracey has been reported missing.
At about 10 a.m., Stacey Bailey, the mother of Tristyn, called 911 after a sibling discovered that Tristyn was missing when trying to wake her up. According to Stacey, Tristyn’s phone location was disabled, and Tristyn had never snuck out before to her knowledge. Tristyn’s father searched for her within the community and posted a message on social media requesting aid.
Officers arrived at the scene and commenced a search of the surrounding area, as well as conducting interviews with individuals, including Fucci. Fucci informed investigators that he and Bailey departed from his friend’s house at approximately 1 a.m. He stated that they walked together and then separated when she turned to return home. Fucci claimed that he returned home between 3 and 3:30 a.m. after walking around by himself when Bailey went home.
Fucci told authorities that Bailey could have been with a drug dealer.
Bailey’s body is found.
At approximately 6:06 p.m. on May 9, a resident who had been out for a run contacted the authorities to report a deceased body in the woods located east of the cul-de-sac on Saddlestone Drive. The authorities subsequently identified the body as belonging to Bailey.
Upon examination, the medical examiner discovered that Bailey had sustained 114 stab wounds, with at least 49 of these being defensive wounds.
Fucci’s home is searched
On May 10, around 12:44 a.m., investigators initiated a search of Fucci’s residence. During the search, they discovered the following items in his bedroom: a sheath for a Buck brand knife, a pair of white Nike shoes that were wet and stained with blood, a T-shirt with blood on it, a white piece of paper with handwriting that potentially had bloodstains, as well as a pair of wet blue denim jeans in a laundry basket.
Furthermore, blood and dirt were discovered on the drain in the bathroom sink located next to Aiden’s bedroom.
At approximately 3:30 a.m., Fucci was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Bailey. Later, the State Attorney’s Office for the 7th Circuit changed the charge to first-degree murder. Fucci was then moved to an adult facility.
Why Fucci Killed Bailey Tristyn
During the investigation, a detective interviewed someone identified as a close friend of Fucci’s and a fellow student at Patriot Oaks Academy.
According to her statement, Fucci had a tendency to discuss killing people, and approximately one month before Bailey’s killing, he expressed his intention to murder someone. Specifically, he indicated that he planned to target an individual walking alone at night, drag them into the woods, and fatally stab them. Furthermore, he confided in her that he intended to continue killing people beyond that.
Sentencing
Even though Aiden was 14 when he committed the crime, he was tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison for the first degree murder of Tristyn Bailey on Friday, March 24.