ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Having pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of his 13-year-old St. Johns County schoolmate, Tristyn Bailey, Aiden Fucci is awaiting a sentencing hearing.
News4JAX has been told the hearing could go several days, and now we see that 41 people have been listed as potential witnesses.
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The prosecution has 19 people on its witness list, including the lead investigator for the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the medical examiner, a psychologist and two juveniles identified only by their initials.
The defense list has 22 individuals, including four members of the Sheriff’s Office, eight juveniles identified only by their initials and Fucci’s juvenile probation officer. His parents are not on the list.
Neither of Tristyn’s parents is listed. One of the juveniles does have a last name that starts with the letter “B.”
The scheduling hearing is Feb. 23. That’s when a sentencing date could be set.
RELATED: Tristyn Bailey: The murder that sent shockwaves through St. Johns County
Fucci, now 16, stood before the judge, pleaded guilty and apologized to Bailey’s family on Feb. 6, the same morning jury selection was scheduled to begin in Fucci’s murder trial.
Without a trial, the case is now in the hands of Circuit Judge R. Lee Smith, who will rule on Fucci’s sentence.
Bailey was found stabbed to death on May 9, 2021, Mother’s Day, in Durbin Crossing, less than a half-mile from Fucci’s home in the neighborhood where Bailey also lived. Fucci, who was 14 at the time, was arrested in the early morning hours of the next day.
Because of his age, Fucci is not eligible for the death penalty but faces 40 years to life in prison. Under Florida law, he can request a review of his case after 25 years with a chance of resentencing.