ST JOHNS, Fla. — Hours after then-14-year-old Aiden Fucci stabbed his classmate to death in the wee hours of Mother's Day 2021, he sat with is parents in a holding cell AT the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.
His father, keenly aware they were being watched, reminded them at one point, "We shouldn't be talking in here." But they continue speaking, his mother, Crystal Smith, questioning Fucci about his interactions the night before with Tristyn Bailey, the 13-year-old he has now admitted murdering.
"You know they found this girl, right?" she asks her son.
"Where?" he responds.
"In our neighborhood. Down our main street."
"Is she good?" he asks.
"No," Smith says. "She's dead. That's why this is very important. It's all on you right now.
Fucci is set to be sentenced Friday. A portion of the interrogation room video was played at Fucci's sentencing hearing by prosecutors. First Coast News obtained the video, redacted by the State Attorney's Office. A transcript of that redacted video is below.
AIDEN FUCCI What's this place?
JASON FUCCI It’s a holding room. It’s a holding room. [To Crystal Smith] Want to sit down?
JASON FUCCI Have they asked you any questions
AIDEN FUCCI Well they asked like what color is my hair? What color are my eyes and how tall I am, and then where you lived.
CRYSTAL SMITH You know they found this girl, right?
AIDEN FUCCI Where?
CRYSTAL SMITH In our neighborhood. Down our main street.
AIDEN FUCCI Is she good?
JASON FUCCI No she’s not.
CRYSTAL No, she's dead. That's why this is very important. It's all on you right now.
AIDEN FUCCI How’s it my problem?
CRYSTAL You were the last one…
JASON FUCCI You were the last one seen with her. So right now it's a lot is facing you right now, son, so however you talk, you breathe, you think and you respond…
CRYSTAL SMITH This is very serious, Aiden. You can't act like I don't know, I don't know. And you can't say noting that’s going to mess you up.
JASON FUCCI You understand this is serious? Clearly. You understand right?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-hmm [yes].
CRYSTAL SMITH Everything you say will affect you.
JASON FUCCI That Snapchat that you did was not very smart.
CRYSTAL SMITH Not good at all. Now we have people wanting to burn our house down, our cars down. Because of that Snapchat thing it's all over, you’re all over the internet everywhere, social media.
JASON FUCCI It’s on social media. You'll probably come stay with me after we get done with this just for your well safe being.
JASON FUCCI You have no scrapes or nothing on you, right?
AIDEN FUCCI No sir.
JASON FUCCI Did you tell them anything different in the cop car that we don’t know about?
AIDEN FUCCI No?
CRYSTAL SMITH Do you know if this girl got picked up?
AIDEN FUCCI Maybe got picked up by her dealer.
CRYSTAL SMITH You think she got picked up by him?
AIDEN FUCCI Maybe. She said she wasn’t going home. She said she was going to find somebody to stay at their house.
CRYSTAL SMITH After you left her there walking? Like do you think she got picked up after that? She just kept walking?
AIDEN FUCCI Probably. I mean I don’t know.
CRYSTAL SMITH Do you know was she turning the other direction or she was just walking behind you?
JASON FUCCI So you pushed her down and then you walked away? … We shouldn't be talking in here.
CRYSTAL SMITH I was just asking what he told the cops. I was just asking what you told them.
JASON FUCCI I understand. You walked away, way you came straight home. You didn’t like turn around, see where she went? What are you doing outside that late at night?
AIDEN FUCCI Well, I went to Tre’s house, was hanging out with him.
JASON FUCCI Did you kiss or do anything with this girl?
CRYSTAL SMITH Be honest as you can to them.
AIDEN FUCCI Yeah I kissed her.
JASON FUCCI Anything further?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-mm [no].
JASON FUCCI So your DNA is going to be on her?
CRYSTAL It’s very serious.
JASON FUCCI We saw your shoes were off on the camera. Why were your shoes off?
AIDEN FUCCI Because my feet were hurting and those shoes give me blisters.
CRYSTAL SMITH Did you come home and then leave again?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-mmm
CRYSTAL SMITH Did you sneak back out are you just you're still Tre’s house the whole day?
AIDEN FUCCI I was at Tre’s house.
CRYSTAL SMITH Ok. It’s just the one night I didn't ask where you were. So, I was just wondering.
CRYSTAL SMITH This is serious, Aiden.
JASON FUCCI It’s very serious.
CRYSTAL SMITH This isn't no joke this is your whole life. Your whole life.
JASON FUCCI And ours.
CRYSTAL SMITH And ours. And your brothers and sister. Enough where they can't go to school tomorrow.
AIDEN FUCCI Why?
CRYSTAL SMITH Because the kids will hurt them. They’re going to keep him here, right?
JASON FUCCI I don't know. They don’t have no evidence that I know of yet. Unless you know any other thing I don't know.
AIDEN Hm?
JASON FUCCI Did you all have sex?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-mm [no].
CRYSTAL SMITH Did she really grab you and you just really pushed her or was that …?
AIDEN FUCCI No, she did.
CRYSTAL SMITH OK.
JASON FUCCI You don't know what happened to her after you pushed her?
CRYSTAL SMITH Did she say “Ow!” or get mad?
AIDEN FUCCI She said ‘Aiden.’ She was like ‘Aiden!’ And I was like, I pushed her. And I told her to F off, and I just walked home.
JASON FUCCI Do you know what direction she walked in?
AIDEN FUCCI Probably the other way because she wasn't next to me anymore.
CRYSTAL SMITH You didn’t look back or nothing?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-mm [no].
JASON FUCCI Nothing to worry about, right?
AIDEN FUCCI [Shakes head]
CRYSTAL SMITH They’re searching our house right now.
JASON FUCCI Why were you damp?
AIDEN FUCCI Hum?
JASON FUCCI Were you wet when you got home?
AIDEN FUCCI A little bit, yeah.
JASON FUCCI From what?
AIDEN FUCCI Water.
JASON FUCCI [Unintelligible]
AIDEN FUCCI Water from a cup.
JASON FUCCI Her cup?
AIDEN FUCCI No water from a cup. I drank.
JASON FUCCI You spilled on yourself.
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-hm [yes].
JASON FUCCI Why?
AIDEN FUCCI I fell walking home.
CRYSTAL SMITH What a day. What a nightmare.
JASON FUCCI I just hope I keep waking up.
CRYSTAL SMITH Me too. Me too.
CRYSTAL SMITH They’re going to go home and get your clothes.
AIDEN FUCCI What clothes?
CRYSTAL SMITH The clothes you were wearing.
JASON FUCCI There’ll be nothing on those clothes, right?
AIDEN FUCCI No sir.
CRYSTAL SMITH You wore khakis or blue jeans?
AIDEN FUCCI Blue jeans.
CRYSTAL SMITH You sure there’s nothing on those pants?
AIDEN FUCCI I don’t think so.
CRYSTAL SMITH [mouths] Blood
CRYSTAL SMITH When we looked on the camera you were wearing khakis.
CRYSTAL SMITH Right?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-hmm [yes].
CRYSTAL SMITH All right.
CRYSTAL SMITH Did you see this 20 year old kid? You didn't get in his car?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-mm [no]. I never even saw him. I just heard about him.
CRYSTAL SMITH That night? You just heard about him that night?
AIDEN FUCCI No, I've heard about him many times.
JASON FUCCI Did he have a black car?
AIDEN FUCCI I don’t know.
CRYSTAL SMITH Are you not scared?
AIDEN FUCCI Not really.
CRYSTAL SMITH Not really?
AIDEN FUCCI A little scared but…
JASON FUCCI If he didn't do nothing he’s got nothing to be worried about.
CRYSTAL SMITH Well, that’s all I was asking.
JASON FUCCI You didn’t do nothing, right?
AIDEN FUCCI No sir.
JASON FUCCI This is a hell of a bad time, bad spot. Leaving a 13-year-old girl by herself in the middle of the streets at three o'clock in the morning or whatever time is not smart, bra. Walking home with her in the middle of the night -- that was not smart either. You stay away from females. Anything could happen.
JASON FUCCI Did you kiss her this night? This, last night?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-hm [yes].
CRYSTAL SMITH At Tre’s house?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-mm [no].
CRYSTAL SMITH On the walk?
AIDEN FUCCI Nods [Yes].
CRYSTAL SMITH I just don’t see why you kissed and then all of a sudden she grabbed you and then you pushed her.
JASON FUCCI You better find your story and stay to it.
CRYSTAL SMITH Yeah, they don’t like all that switching back and forth stuff.
JASON FUCCI Think about every question he's gonna ask you, and before you answer it, you think about the answer again. The next hour or two…
CRYSTAL SMITH They’re going to make it rough on him. Ask him the same question and make sure he gives them the same answer. They’re going to badger you and badger you and badger you and badger you. Till your answer changes. Or even goes off a little bit.
CRYSTAL SMITH [Unintelligible.]
JASON FUCCI Who has your phone?
AIDEN FUCCI The officer.
JASON FUCCI Did you get your food at least?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-hm [yes].
JASON FUCCI I didn’t know what to get you so I got you a Baconater.
AIDEN FUCCI No, that was good.
JASON FUCCI Did he ask any questions inside the car?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-mm [no], just about what I look like.
JASON FUCCI Did you tell Dylan to get Preston?
CRYSTAL SMITH No, Jacob uh um Jimmy or one of them got him. And told him he brought him to his house until you get there.
JASON FUCCI Dave said it’s gonna take at least 72 hours to do the autopsy.
AIDEN FUCCI What’s that?
CRYSTAL SMITH Whoo. This is crazy.
CRYSTAL SMITH Did they ever say why it took you so long to get home?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-hm [yes].
CRYSTAL SMITH Why?
AIDEN FUCCI They asked me why. I just said I walked home.
JASON FUCCI By yourself?
CRYSTAL SMITH Did you just walk really slow home?
AIDEN FUCCI Mm-hm [yes].
*Recording ends*