Florida teen gets life imprisonment for stabbing 13-year-old classmate 114 times

A 16-year-old boy from Florida was sentenced to life imprisonment for fatally stabbing his 13-year-old classmate over 100 times on Mother’s Day in 2021.

On Friday, Circuit Judge R Lee Smith handed out the verdict to Aiden Fucci, who had pleaded guilty in February to the first-degree murder of Tristyn Bailey.

Bailey's body was found on May 9, 2021, after her family had reported her missing the previous day. According to the state attorney, she was stabbed 114 times and sustained 49 defensive wounds on her head, hands, and arms.

Fucci was a juvenile when the killing occurred and was not eligible for the death penalty. US media reports said that his sentence can be reviewed after he spends 25 years behind bars.

"This case is probably the most difficult and shocking case that this county, St. Johns County, has dealt with," Judge Lee R Smith said before ordering Fucci to prison for life, according to CBS News.

During the sentencing, Judge Smith said that he factored in several facts while pronouncing his verdict. He said that he took into account Fucci’s young age, the “heightened level” of premeditation, and that he was the “sole participant” who was not pressured by anyone to commit the “devastating crime”.

He noted that Fucci was considered of “average maturity” by his peers and that he understood the consequences of his actions.

Fucci has 30 days to appeal the sentence if he intends to do so, the judge said.

The judge noted that there was no reason for Fucci to murder Bailey, adding that he just had an “internal desire to feel what it was like to kill someone”.

“This was not done out of greed. It was not done in retaliation or 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,” Judge Smith said.

“It was done for no other reason than to satisfy this defendant’s internal desire to feel what it was like to kill someone. This leads this court to the conclusion that there is only one appropriate sentence in this case,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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