ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — At the eleventh hour, just before jury selection was set to start in the case of the State of Florida vs. Aiden Fucci, the 16-year-old pleaded guilty to murdering Tristyn Bailey.
Tristyn was 13 when Fucci killed her. He stabbed her 114 times -- records show she had defensive wounds and was fighting back before her death.
Fucci was 14 at the time.
So what happens now? Will the Baileys get to address Fucci? And how long could he spend in prison?
How much time will Fucci get?
Fucci has pleaded guilty to charges of first-degree murder. This means he faces a maximum of life in prison and a minimum of 40 years.
When deciding his sentence, the judge must consider 10 potentially mitigating factors, including the nature of the crime, the effect of the crime on the victim’s family and the community, the defendant’s upbringing, prior criminal history and potential for rehabilitation.
Because Fucci was a juvenile when he committed the crime, his case will be up for review in 25 years.
At that point, a judge can grant him release, keep his sentence the same or add to his sentence.
Fucci will mostly likely be housed apart from adults -- at least until he's 18 years old. At that point, he could be sent to a youthful offenders facility.
He will be housed in the state of Florida.
When will Fucci be sentenced?
In juvenile cases, sentencing is not up to a jury, but the sole responsibility of a judge. The date for Fucci's sentencing has not been set at this time.
The deadline to submit any additional discovery is Feb. 16. Fucci's next hearing is set for the week after, on Feb. 23 at 9 a.m.
At the Feb. 23 hearing, the defense must submit a presentence investigation and a predisposition report.
The purpose of these reports is to synthesize a picture of the defendant's background and circumstances. This could include evidence of Fucci's disciplinary history at school, grades, health history, family history, home life and any family criminal history.
The judge will set a sentencing date as this hearing as well. The sentencing phase is expected to last two days.
What happens at the sentencing?
Fucci's sentencing hearing could involve expert witnesses on both sides. This could include psychologists or any doctors who can offer an opinion on Fucci's mental health -- something that has been called into question in the past. (Fucci said at Monday's hearing that he is on several medications but has not been diagnosed with a mental disorder.)
The trial could also include character statements from Fucci's family members, teachers or anyone who knew him before the crime.
Fucci's legal team may try to prove that he feels remorse for the crime.
Will the Bailey family get to address Fucci?
Victim impact statements are usually part of the sentencing phase. The Bailey family will have the opportunity to address Fucci at his sentencing. They have not released a statement on whether or not they will choose to do so.
The family, who calls themselves "The Bailey 7," released a statement to the public Monday. They said in part: "This morning's suprise change of plea brings our family significant relief... Just as Tristyn fought for her life, we equally fought for her and would not agree to any plea deal." They also thanked the judicial system and law enforcement for their work on the case.