A Florida teenager has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to stabbing a 13-year-old classmate over 100 times.
On Mother's Day in 2021, Aiden Fucci fatally stabbed cheerleader Tristyn Bailey 114 times and left her body in the woods in St. Johns County in northeastern Florida.
At the time of Bailey brutal killing, state attorney R.J. Larizza revealed that "at least 49 of those stab wounds were to the hands, arms and the head" as the young teen tried to defend herself.
After entering a guilty plea last month, Fucci - now 16 - was charged as an adult for first-degree murder.
Speaking at the sentencing on Friday (March 24), Circuit Judge R. Lee Smith said: "This case is probably the most difficult and shocking case that this county, St. Johns County, has dealt with."
"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," Judge Smith said on Friday. "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."
For that reason - combined with Fucci's age - Judge Smith suggested that "there is a poor prognosis for rehabilitation" for the 16-year-old.
Judge Smith also paid tribute to Bailey, describing her as an "energetic, happy child" who had "suffered a painful and horrifying death from someone she trusted".
Speaking to the victim's family, Judge Smith added: "The loss which you have clearly suffered is unimaginable.
"Sometimes family members hope or expect that whatever the sentence is, that somehow or another that’s going to heal or provide closure. I cannot provide a closure to this [...] It may close a chapter, but... I cannot bring her back."
Judge Smith revealed that he had taken several factors into account when determining his sentence - and spoke of Fucci's young age, his "heightened level" of premeditation, and that the teen had been considered to have an "average maturity".
In the end, he was sentenced to life in prison - avoiding the death penalty due to his age when the crime was committed.
Per Florida law, Fucci's case may be received in 25 years.
Following the sentencing members of Bailey's family paid tribute to her, with her father saying: "Tristyn, I wanted to let you know we are so extremely proud of the person that you were in your time here."
Her sister, Alexis, also dropped 114 aqua-colored stone hearts into a jar before delivering her tribute - one for each wound inflicted upon her sister.
Our thoughts go out to Bailey's family and loved ones at this time.
