True Crime Garage – Sydney Loofe /// Part 1 /// 864

Podcast & Hosts: True Crime Garage, hosted by Nic and the Captain
Date: August 19, 2025
Episode Focus: The disappearance and murder of Sydney Loofe in Nebraska in 2017, focusing on the initial investigation and the key figures involved.

Episode Overview

In this gripping first installment, Nic and the Captain delve into the mysterious disappearance of 24-year-old Sydney Loofe from Lincoln, Nebraska. The episode unpacks her background, the disturbing details of her vanishing, the rapid escalation of the search, and the emerging suspects. With their trademark banter, the hosts guide listeners through the dark twists of the case, highlighting the unsettling power of online relationships and the dangers lurking behind social media profiles.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sydney Loofe’s Life and Circumstances Before Disappearance

• Background:

  • Born 1993, Broken Bow, Nebraska; parents were prominent educators in the community.
  • Close-knit family, active in school and community; involved in sports and clubs until a scoliosis diagnosis (03:20).
  • Had mental health struggles – anxiety and depression, managed since high school, worsening by 2017 (04:30).
  • Recent job dissatisfaction and struggles; working at Menards but seeking a veterinary job (04:50).
  • Known by friends as kind, polite, and someone who helped out others.

• Notable Quote:

  • Nick (04:25): "She was the kind of person who took people in when they were struggling to pay their rent or between places to live... but that dream sadly would not come to fruition."

• Concerns:

  • Recently began a new antidepressant prescription; family worried about side effects (06:55).
  • Last seen by her mother at a doctor’s appointment in Lincoln before the disappearance.

2. Timeline and Discovery of Disappearance

• November 15, 2017:

  • Sydney excited about a second date; sends "ready for my date?" Snapchat to her friend Tara (02:32).
  • Does not return home; doesn’t show up for work November 16th; phone goes straight to voicemail.
  • Apartment found with her car outside, purse and glasses inside, hungry cat, and lights left on (08:29).
  • Uncharacteristic absence raises immediate concern—parents report her missing by 5pm on the 16th.

• Escalation:

  • Police and family rapidly mobilize, suspicious due to Sydney's responsible habits.
  • Sydney’s phone last pings in Wilbur, Nebraska, ~40 miles from her apartment (10:46).

• Quote Highlight:

  • Captain (08:10): "Some of these antidepressants can make people suicidal, even if they weren't suicidal before."
  • Nick (11:16): "It was evident that Sidney, or at least her phone, got to this location 40 miles away via someone else."

3. Immediate Investigation and Public Attention

• Community & Media Response:

  • Vigils, green ribbons, social media campaigns (16:24).
  • Description and tattoo photos distributed.
  • Family’s public appeals (15:19): “We feel that she could be anywhere… Please continue to share these posts and pray for her safe return.”

• Law Enforcement:

  • Lincoln PD, Saline County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, US Marshals, FBI all involved (18:16).
  • Billboard near Interstate 80, NAMUS page, and two Facebook pages set up for tips and coverage.

4. The ‘Audrey’ Tinder Lead and Breakthrough

• Digital Breadcrumbs:

  • Friends confirm Sydney had shared she was on Tinder; was open about online dating (15:08).
  • Tara shares "ready for my date" Snapchat and confirms date was with a woman named 'Audrey' (13:57).
  • Friend Brooklyn undertakes her own ‘catfish’ operation to match with Audrey on Tinder, secures phone number and information, feeds to authorities (19:45-20:09).

• Quote Highlight:

  • Captain (19:45): “This is very smart.”
  • Nick (21:24): “Bingo, bango, Jingo, Django. Audrey lived [in Wilbur] and she lived there with her boyfriend.”

5. Aubrey Trail and Bailey Boswell: The Suspects Emerge

• Police Action:

  • House in Wilbur searched; basement reeked of bleach but appeared clean.
  • Apartment contained unusual items: shackles, 20+ phones, 56 Beanie Babies (21:35).
  • Persons of interest identified: Aubrey Trail (51), Bailey Boswell (23) – both disappear before they can be questioned (21:47–22:18).

• Online Behavior:

  • Aubrey and Bailey post a bizarre 9-minute Facebook livestream, denying involvement but admitting they met Sydney (“I just want the family to know I am truly sorry. I didn’t have anything to do with this. I hope Sidney is found. She is a sweet, amazing girl.” - Bailey, 33:11).
  • Aubrey’s sinister admission: “I’m a crook, I’m a thief. Have been my whole life. But I’m not what you are trying to make me out to be. I’ve never killed anyone in my whole life.” (31:04)

6. Details of the Manhunt and Other Victims

• Flight & Live Updates:

  • Aubrey and Bailey flee Nebraska, hop from motel to motel using burner phones (37:58).
  • Travel with another woman, Caitlin, whom they threaten and try to coerce into a bizarre plot (34:32-37:56).
  • Caitlin escapes, supplies police with crucial information, but timing of her contact is unclear (38:36).

• Their Arrest:

  • FBI tracks down duo via the Facebook livestream digital trail to Branson, Missouri; arrested November 30, 2017 (39:13).

7. Digital Trail & Discovery of Remains

• Location Data:

  • Using cell phone records from Bailey and Aubrey, police search rural Clay County.
  • December 4, 2017: Human body parts in black trash bags found over an hour from Wilbur (41:56).
  • 14 pieces recovered; not all remains found (42:37).
  • Alongside remains: sex toys, cat leash, Sidney’s clothes, tarps, men’s underwear, women’s boots, and stained clothing (43:54).
  • Forensic evidence: strangulation, restraints, bruises, post-mortem dismemberment (45:04).

• Quote Highlight:

  • Captain (46:14): “One thing about this ruse, we’re going to get on a dating website... That will drop your guard a little bit, little trust... And all of this was just a ruse to find a victim?”

8. The Digital Setup and Execution

• The Catfish:

  • Bailey (“Audrey”) and Aubrey target Sydney over Tinder, never revealing Bailey’s relationship with Aubrey (47:06).
  • Exchanged 140+ messages before first date; planned and executed violent crime after gaining Sydney’s trust (47:06–48:00).
  • Day of crime: Aubrey surveils Sydney at her workplace, duo buy tools and cleaning products in advance (48:00-49:16).

• Timeline:

  • Bailey texts Sydney: “I’m outside” at 6:54pm; her phone is powered off at 8:32pm after arriving at Wilbur (50:24–51:22).
  • Likely ambush; trauma and restraint marks on Sydney’s body align with this theory.
  • Remains transported and scattered in rural locations next day.

9. Aftermath & Investigation Realities

• Physical Evidence and Clean-Up:

  • Massive bleach clean-up effort in the basement, to the extent that the upstairs owner becomes physically ill from fumes (53:30).

• Public and Police Encourage Transparency Online:

  • Noted importance of leaving digital footprints and telling friends about plans – may have made the difference in finding suspect quickly.
  • Captain (17:24): “If there’s one thing people should take away from this case, tell people what you… what’s going on in your life. She talks to her friends, and that… gives us some leads...”

10. Conclusion and Teasers for Part Two

• Episode ends with the crime scene processing, connections between digital evidence, cell phone records, and the anticipation of the courtroom battle and further insights into the mindsets of Aubrey Trail and Bailey Boswell (54:19).

• Sign-off Quote:

  • Nick (54:24): “Until then, be good, be kind and don’t litter.”

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Nick (02:32): “It was November 15, 2017 and 24 year old Sydney Loofe was excited. She was going on a second date with someone she liked very much... But unfortunately, that's not what happened. Sydney did not call or text. Sydney did not come home.”
• Captain (08:29): “You don't know how that drug is going to affect your daughter...”
• Nick (11:16): “It was evident that Sidney, or at least her phone, got to this location 40 miles away via someone else.”
• Susie Loofe (Facebook post, relayed by Nick at 16:13): "We're asking for you to please continue to share these posts and pray for her safe return."
• Captain (19:45): “This is very smart.” (on Brooklyn’s Tinder sting).
• Aubrey Trail (31:04): “I'm a crook, I'm a thief. Have been my whole life. But I'm not what you are trying to make me out to be. I've never killed anyone in my whole life.”
• Bailey Boswell (33:11): "I just want the family to know I am truly sorry. I didn't have anything to do with this. I hope Sidney is found. She is a sweet, amazing girl."
• Captain (46:14): “...all of this was just a ruse to find a victim?”

Important Timestamps

• 02:32 – The last night Sydney is seen and her background.
• 06:55 – Sydney's mental health history and family’s concerns.
• 10:46 – Police trace Sydney’s phone to Wilbur, a key lead.
• 13:57 – Friends produce Snapchat and Tinder evidence of Sydney’s last planned date.
• 19:45–21:24 – Brooklyn’s Tinder sting to identify the suspect.
• 21:47 – Named suspects Aubrey Trail and Bailey Boswell announced.
• 29:29–33:22 – Aubrey and Bailey address public in Facebook livestream.
• 41:56 – Discovery of remains in Clay County.
• 45:04 – Details of autopsy and dismemberment.
• 50:24 – Timeline during the night of Sydney’s disappearance and forensic deductions.

Closing Thoughts

With their investigative rigor, Nic and the Captain reveal the unfolding threads of deception, digital footprints, and chilling violence that characterized Sydney Loofe’s case. The episode’s meticulous attention to both the victim’s humanity and the complexity of the investigation sets the stage for the unraveling of one of Nebraska’s most haunting modern crimes. Part 2 is teased to dive deeper into the “why” and the subsequent legal proceedings.

For more in-depth analysis and continued discussion of the Sydney Loofe case, don’t miss Part 2.