The mother of a boy who fatally stabbed a cheerleader 114 times has been sentenced for evidence tampering after washing her son's bloody jeans.
As per the Independent, 16-year-old Aiden Fucci is currently serving life behind bars after he was prosecuted as an adult following the murder of 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey.
The murder occurred in Florida on Mother's Day (May 9) in 2021, after Bailey was reported missing from her family home.
Following the discovery of Bailey's body in the woods in St. Johns County, Police reported that the 13-year-old had been stabbed 114 times, including 49 stab wounds in her arms and right hand as it appeared as if she tried to defend herself.
A report by the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office in July 2021 revealed that Fucci had admitted to fantasizing about murder.
The then 14-year-old was arrested shortly after Bailey's body was recovered and he allegedly sent a Snapchat to his friends from the back of the police car with the caption: "Hey guys has anybody seen Tristyn lately?"
The two teenagers were aware of each other as they were classmates at Patriot Oaks Academy in St. Johns.
As reported by CNN, Fucci entered a guilty plea in February of this year and was sentenced to life behind bars, after he was determined to have been fully aware of his actions and tried as an adult.
Circuit Judge R. Lee Smith described the murder as a "devastating crime" while adding that Bailey "suffered a painful and horrifying death from someone she trusted."
Judge Smith went on: "This was not done out of greed, it was not done in retaliation, retribution, or revenge, it was not a crime of passion, it was not a crime that was committed because he felt rejected by her. It was not done in a fit of uncontrollable anger.
"There was no reason. There was no purpose. It was done for no other reason than to satisfy this defendant’s internal desire to feel what it was like to kill someone."
Following the hefty prison sentence of Fucci, his mother, Crystal Smith, has since been sentenced to five years of probation on the condition that she serves 30 days in prison.
As reported by CNN, the 38-year-old was accused of tampering with evidence of the case after she was reported to have washed her son's blood-soaked jeans following the murder.
Initially pleading not guilty, Smith soon changed her plea to no contest and will now serve the next month behind bars.
During the hearing, Stacy Bailey, the mother of the deceased 13-year-old, addressed Smith directly during a victim impact statement.
She said: "I will also pray that you will reflect upon your actions while you are without your children on this Mother’s Day."
Following his conviction, Fucci wrote a handwritten letter apologizing to Bailey's family, whilst also offering his apologies to his own family and the wider community.
Our thoughts continue to be with Bailey's loved ones.
