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'Sorry I brought all this pain': Aiden Fucci's letter to Tristyn Bailey's family revealed as her mom says killer is 'beyond saving'

Aiden Fucci faces at least 40 years in prison but is not eligible for the death penalty as he was a minor when he committed the crime

ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA: Florida killer Aiden Fucci and his family have written letters to victim Tristyn Bailey's family in an attempt to push for a lighter sentence. Aiden, now 16, killed his classmate Bailey, 13, by stabbing her 114 times in 2021 and then dumping her body in a wooded area near Jacksonville. In February, he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. Aiden faces at least 40 years in prison but is not eligible for the death penalty as he was a minor when he committed the crime. He is being tried as an adult.

"My name is Aiden Fucci, I am 16 years old," he wrote in a handwritten letter to the judge dated March 12, 2023. "First off I want to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the pain I caused to the Baily [sic] family. I sorry to the friends, brothers, sisters, mom, dad and any other family relatives. I'm sorry that you didn't get to know her that long. You did not have any long relationships with Tristen [sic] and for that I'm sorry."

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'I know my apology will not fix anything'

"For the community, I'm sorry I brought all this pain on everybody and I'm sorry and I know my apology will not fix anything or bring her back but I hope it help in some way," The apology letter, obtained by News4Jax, continued. "And for my dad, I'm sorry that he had a bad spot in his work because of me. I miss being outdoors with my dad and brothers. I miss the fun we had like four-wheeling, paint-balling, going on the long car trips ... Dad your [sic] special because you made fun out of nothing. Love you."

He said to his mom that he felt bad she had to move "people were sending threats to the house and my family ... and that my little brother and sister had to change schools because of me." "Mom now I miss your lemon paper chicken. I miss your hugs. I miss you. The longer I'm in here, the more I forget, the more memories I lose. I'll never forget you love me," he wrote. 

What is Aiden Fucci's family saying?

In a statement dated February 22, 2023, Aiden's father Jason wrote, "There are no words to right this wrong. Those words don't exist in this situation. All we can do is express the absolute sorrow we feel within ourselves as parents and for everyone impacted by what occurred. Aiden truly is a kind and caring boy who has the love and support of an entire community of family ... this tragedy blindsided all of us." He went on to seek the court's "compassion and mercy" in sentencing.

Aiden's mother, Crystal Smith, said that she grieves "for the devastating loss of Tristyn, I grieve for the subsequent arrest of my son and I grieve for the irreparable agony inflicted on the Bailey family, as well as all other friends and families effected. Most of all, however, I grieve for Stacy Bailey as a mother," according to Toofab. She also asked for the court's mercy, noting that her son "is not beyond saving."

In a letter Crystal directly wrote to Bailey's family, she said that although she did not meet them, she wanted to "express my deepest condolences for the tragic loss of your daughter." "As his mother, I cannot and have never stopped loving Aiden, but I understand that my love for him cannot change what has happened," she said.

She concluded, "I understand your family is forever scarred, but I also wanted you to know that we grieve with you. My prayers go out to you and your family."

Aiden's grandmother said she knew there was still "some good in Aiden," but could not comprehend "what [built up] in him to make him want to do something so terrible. She shared her belief that with proper counseling and therapy "he can be rehabilitated." "Please don't take him out of our lives forever," she told the judge. 

'He is beyond saving'

Bailey's mother, meanwhile, has said that Aiden is "beyond saving." "Your Honor, I plead with you, please consider everything he has done to our daughter and our family. Aiden Fucci made a heinous decision on May 9, 2021, and took the very life that I brought into this world," Stacy said on the second day of the sentencing hearing held before Judge R Lee Smith in a 7th Judicial Circuit courtroom in St Augustine. "Please do not for one second think that he could be rehabilitated at any point. He is beyond saving," she added.

"Visions flood my head how terrified she must have been. What went wrong in that moment of betrayal from someone she thought was her friend? Did she know it was coming? Did you wait for her back to be turned for the first strike of the knife?" Fox News quoted Stacy as saying. "She fought, and our beautiful daughter suffered for so long as he took no mercy. Aiden Fucci, you have destroyed me, you have destroyed my family."