St. Johns County

Mother of teen accused of killing Tristyn Bailey to appear in court on evidence tampering charge

By ActionNewsJax.com News Staff

Crystal Smith, mother of 13-year-old Florida boy accused of murder, arrested for tampering with evidence According to an arrest warrant, Crystal Smith, the mother of Aiden Fucci, was wanted for washing the jeans he wore when he allegedly killed 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey. (St. John's County Sheriff's Office/St. John's County Sheriff's Office)

By ActionNewsJax.com News Staff

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — The mother of 14-year-old Aiden Fucci, who is accused of killing 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey, has been assigned a court date for an evidence tampering charge in connection to Tristyn’s killing.

Crystal Smith is scheduled to appear in St. Johns County court on July 26 at 1:30 p.m., according to court documents. She will appear before Judge R. Lee Smith, who also presided over her son’s last court date.

STORY: Timeline of events in disappearance, death of St. Johns County teen Tristyn Bailey

Smith originally turned herself in at the St. Johns County Jail on June 5 and was released on a $25,000 the same day.

According to the arrest warrant, Smith washed the jeans Fucci was wearing when deputies say he killed 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey.

The warrant says Smith was present on May 9 while her 14-year-old son was being interviewed by investigators about Bailey’s death. After her son left with deputies, surveillance cameras inside the house captured Smith going into Fucci’s room, grabbing a pair of jeans, then scrubbing the jeans in a bathroom sink. Investigators say she returned the jeans to Fucci’s room a couple of hours later.

RELATED: Aiden Fucci pleads not guilty to the murder of Tristyn Bailey

The jeans were found while investigators searched Fucci’s home. According to the warrant, they tested positive for blood.

The drain in the sink where investigators say Smith washed the jeans also tested positive for the presence of blood.

After Smith’s arrest, State Attorney R.J. Larizza sent a statement to Action News Jax that said, “Tampering with evidence is tampering with justice and cannot be excused or tolerated.”

Fucci is charged with first-degree premeditated murder in Tristyn’s death and has pleaded not guilty. Larizza said the medical examiner found that Tristyn had been stabbed 114 times.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

Tristyn, who attended Patriot Oaks Academy, was reported missing on May 9 -- Mother’s Day -- and found dead later that day in the Durbin Crossing neighborhood.

PHOTOS: Remembering Tristyn Bailey, missing teen found dead in St. Johns County

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office announced the next day, on May 10, that Fucci was being charged with second-degree murder in Tristyn’s death.

On Tuesday, May 11, investigators revealed that Tristyn had been stabbed to death.

RELATED: Tristyn Bailey case: Juvenile law expert questions murder suspect Aiden Fucci’s past

A memorial service for Tristyn was held Tuesday, May 18 at Celebration Church.

On Friday, May 21, a judge allowed Fucci’s original attorney to withdraw from the case and the teen will now be represented by the public defender’s office.

On Thursday, May 27, the State Attorney’s Office made the decision to charge Fucci as an adult with first-degree premeditated murder, according to motions filed in court.

Because Aiden is a a juvenile, a death sentence is not an option, but the charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

On Thursday, June 3, Fucci entered a plea of not guilty in Tristyn’s murder.

Originally, he was set to be arraigned on June 10.

RELATED: Community’s mission is keeping Tristyn Bailey’s memory alive


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