Medical examiner: Florida teen was fatally stabbed; 13-year-old suspect makes first court appearance
By Associated Press and FOX 13 News staff
Published
14-year-old Florida boy charged in classmate s murder
Investigators in north Florida say a 14-year-old boy is charged with the murder of a 13-year-old girl who was the subject of a statewide Missing Child Alert.
ST. JOHNS, Fla. - The Florida teen who was found dead this week was fatally stabbed, the medical examiner announced Tuesday.
According to the chief medical examiner, 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey’s death was a homicide caused by sharp force trauma by stabbing. The details were announced by the St. Johns County Sheriff s Office in a news release.
Tanya White, one of her cheer coaches, remembered the teen s “beautiful smile and presence.
“She always was the first to hug me,” White said at Monday night s vigil. “She was officially my favorite.”
Flowers and notes to Tristyn and her family were left outside the community center where she was last seen.
Her parents reported her missing around 10 a.m. on Sunday and a neighbor found Tristyn s body in a heavily wooded area that evening, St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick said during a news conference on Monday afternoon. Hours later, investigators made an arrest.
“The community helped us solve this case,” Hardwick said.
Boy, 14, held on murder charge in 13-year-old girl s death
by The Associated Press
Last Updated May 11, 2021 at 2:28 pm EDT
ST. JOHNS, Fla. (AP) Classmates, friends and family members gathered for a candlelight vigil Monday night in honor of a 13-year-old cheerleader whose body was found in the northeast Florida woods.
Sheriff’s officials said in a news release on Tuesday that a 14-year-old boy fatally stabbed Tristyn Bailey, and left her body in a wooded area in the community where they both lived.
The suspect made his first appearance in court earlier Tuesday, via a Zoom call which his parents were also on. A judge ordered him held on a second-degree murder charge for 21 days. State attorney’s officials told the judge they would likely have a decision by then on whether he will be tried as an adult.
Cause of Missing Girl’s Death Is Determined as 14-Year-Old Suspect Charged With Murder
A medical examiner in Florida said that the missing 13-year-old girl who died over the weekend was stabbed to death.
St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office said on Tuesday that a medical examiner confirmed that Tristyn Bailey had died from “sharp force trauma by stabbing,” ruling her manner of death as a homicide. Bailey was reported missing by her family on Sunday and was found deceased hours later.
The office said that 14-year-old Aiden Fucci, the suspect in her death, is now in custody and was charged with second-degree murder.