Mother of Aiden Fucci arrested on evidence tampering charge in death of Tristyn Bailey

Teresa Stepzinski, Florida Times-Union
·2 min read
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The mother of a teenager accused of killing 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey was arrested Saturday morning on a warrant charging her with tampering with evidence following the killing.

Crystal Lane Smith, the mother of 14-year-old Aiden Fucci, surrendered to St. Johns County sheriff's detectives about 11:50 a.m., State Attorney R.J. Larizza said in a news release.

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Fucci has pleaded not guilty after being indicted as an adult on a charge of first-degree, premeditated murder. He is jailed without bail in the case.

Smith, 35, was released on $25,000 bail a short time after being booked into jail, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.

She could not be reached for comment Saturday, and information regarding whether she had an attorney wasn't available Saturday.

Smith is accused in an arrest warrant of scrubbing a pair of Fucci's blue jeans in a bathroom sink after he returned home following Trystyn's death. Investigators said a security surveillance camera recorded the incident, the warrant states.

Investigators said both the jeans and the sink drain subsequently tested positive for blood, according to the warrant.

Tampering with evidence is a third-degree felony in Florida, Larizza said in the release that "‘tampering with evidence is tampering with justice and cannot be excused or tolerated."

Sheriff Robert Hardwick said the investigation continues.

“Crystal Smith will be held responsible for her role in this case and justice will be served for Tristyn Bailey and her family,” Hardwick said in a written statement.

Bailey, a student at Patriot Oaks Academy, was found dead on May 9 in a wooded area  near her home in Durbin Crossing in northwest St. Johns County.  She had been stabbed 114 times, Larizza has said.

Clothing with traces of blood was found in Fucci's home. The presumed weapon, a buck knife typically used for hunting, was recovered in a pond near the crime scene.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Aiden Fucci's mom accused of evidence tampering in Tristyn Bailey death