Mother of teen murder suspect charged with evidence tampering

The mother of a teen murder suspect was charged with tampering with evidence on Saturday for allegedly washing the bloodied jeans worn by her son.

CNN reports that Crystal Smith, 35, was booked into St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Detention in St. Augustine, Florida. She was reportedly released less than two hours after being booked.

Smith’s son, 14-year-old Aiden Fucci, has been charged with first-degree murder for allegedly stabbing 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey over 100 times. Bailey’s body was found on May 9 a few hours after she had been reported missing. Around 50 defensive wounds were found on her head, hands and arms.

Video surveillance from their home showed Smith going into her son’s bedroom and taking a pair of jeans to the bathroom where she appeared to scrub them in the sink, CNN reports.

The jeans were later found and tested positive for the presence of blood. Blood was also detected in the sink where Smith washed them.

“Crystal Smith will be held responsible for her role in this case and justice will be served for Tristyn Bailey and her family,” a statement from the sheriff’s office read.

Fucci, who is being tried as an adult, had initially been charged with second-degree murder for his connection to Bailey’s death, but this was later upgraded to first-degree murder due to the nature of the crime.

State attorney for Florida’s 7th Circuit, R.J. Larizza, has previously said that the attack on Bailey was premeditated and that the teens had been seen walking together on surveillance tape before Bailey disappeared.

“To say that it was horrific could arguably be made as an understatement,” Larizza said of the killing.