Investigating Tristyn Bailey’s murder, Sheriff says “Our investigators are not done”

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office will continue to search for evidence Tuesday into the murder of 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey.

14-year-old Aiden Fucci was arrested yesterday relating to her death. He is being charged with second-degree murder. However, the Sheriff Office will continue to look for evidence to provide a stronger case when presenting it to the State Attorney’s Office.

“We just want to continue to make the case stronger and stronger every day. And I can commit to, you know, at the time that we’re talking about this, this time right now, we are going to make this case stronger. Our investigators are not done. You know, a lot of times with the arrest, the case stops. And with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, it does not,” Sheriff Rob Hardwick told WOKV.

Hardwick joined Jacksonville’s Morning News Tuesday and said that the Sheriff’s Office will continue their search in the retention ponds in the area surrounding where Bailey’s body was found.

“I think there’s two more retention ponds in the immediate area. And our dive team is committed to complete the mission, based on weather, of completing any place where they might have walked. We can prove that they walked or possibly walked to and from the area where her body was located to and from where Fucci went prior to and after. So, again, we’re going to search every retention pond and body of water that we can find available in that immediate area,” Hardwick said.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, multiple items of ‘evidentiary value’ were found at Fucci’s home and due to the statements Fucci made during questioning, Fucci was arrest. Hardwick says that Fucci is the only suspect at this time involved in the death of Bailey.

“Based on the evidence that we have, you know, as far as the murder of Tristyn goes and we have the person in custody, that person has been charged, Mr. Fucci. And at this time, again, based on the evidence we currently have, that is the suspect that actually we know killed Tristyn,” Hardwick said.

Social media is playing a role in the case for both gathering tips, but also for evidence. The Snapchat photo of Fucci in the back of a police car is being used in the case against him.

“I know it looks egregious with him making those statements in that car, but that is now evidence that we gather and use against him. So that just makes our case a better case to present to the State Attorney’s office and to present to a jury down the road saying this was his mindset. This is what he’s doing, was he’s proud of what he did. So, you know, this is going to help our case and make it stronger to, you know, his intentions,” Hardwick said.

A cause of death still has not been released and it is unknown at this time if Fucci will be charged as an adult.

Fucci did appear in Volusia County Regional Detention Center in front of Circuit Judge Michael Orfinger Tuesday morning. The Judge has ordered Fucci to stay in juvenile detention for 21 says until the State Attorney makes their decision on if he will be charged as an adult.

Cox Media Group