Sydney Loofe /// Part 1 /// 864

Summary

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.

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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.

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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.”

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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)

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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).

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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?”

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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.

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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...”

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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.”

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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?”

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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.

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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.

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

Transcript

[The Captain]

SA.

[Nick]

Welcome to True Crime Garage, wherever you are, whatever you are doing. Thanks for listening. I'm your host, Nick, and with me, as always, is a man who is a traveler of both time and space. Here is the captain.

[The Captain]

Yeah, it's good to be seen and good to see you. Thanks for listening. Thanks for telling a friend.

[Nick]

Today we are going to go dark and get out of this sun. We are drinking Moonlit by the adventurous brewers over at New Trail Brewing. Moonlit is an imperial stout brewed with plenty of dark and English pale malts. This is a highly decadent stout, ABV 9.1%. So drink this one at home in your garage. Our garage beer grade is 4 out of 5 bottle caps. All right, let's give some thanks and praise to our good friends that helped us fill up the old garage fridge. First up, a cheers to Jen in the dark Ozarks of Arkansas.

[The Captain]

And a big we like your jib goes out to Candace from Williamston, South Carolina. And a big tall cans in the air to Katisha Doyle from Tasmania, Australia. From your very clueless husband, Adam. Very clueless, but very persistent. We like your jib.

[Nick]

Next we have a big Texas cheers to Cameron Gross in Houston. And last but certainly not least, we have Kelly Muncie in Defiance, Ohio. Everyone we just mentioned, they went to true crimegarage.com and helped us out with this week's beer fund. And for that, we thank you.

[The Captain]

Yeah, BWR you and beer run. Make sure you go to truecrimegarage.com sign up on the mailing list. I will be sending out a promo code this week so you can get a discount on everything in the merch store. And that's enough of the business.

[Nick]

All right everybody gather round. Grab a chair, grab a beer. Let's talk some true crime. It was November 15, 2017 and 24 year old Sydney Loof was excited. She was going on a second date with someone she liked very much. She sent a Snapchat to a close friend which was a photo of her face and shoulders with the caption ready for my date? Sydney went on the date. Her friend expected to hear from her afterward to hear all about how much she liked the person and that it went as well or better as their first date. But unfortunately, that's not what happened. Sydney did not call or text. Sydney did not come home. This is True Crime Garage. Sydney Loof was born on August 21st first 1993 in Broken Bow, Nebraska to parents George and Susan. She has a younger sister, Mackenzie, and an older brother, Levi. Her father George was the assistant football coach and the principal at NEI Oakdale High School where Sydney's mother was a special education teacher. Both parents were very involved in the community and Sydney had the benefit of having involved caring parents. The family was very close with movie nights, Christmas Eve sleepovers, bike rides, church and so on. Sidney was in a church youth group and was an excellent fisherman and was involved in band, Future Business Leaders of America and played golf, volleyball and basketball in high school until a devastating scoliosis diagnosis sidelined her. As a result of this condition, she had a distinctive walk, but she made the best of it, graduating from high school in 2011, where her teachers saw her as responsible, quiet and diligent. Two years later, Sydney moved to Lincoln where she worked at Menards. Now Menards is a DIY type of big box store. There she made very good friends and was considered to be one of the kindest, most polite cashiers. She was the kind of person who took people in when they were struggling to pay their rent or between places to live. She helped out three different co workers. In this way, Sidney hoped to start a family of her own. But that dream sadly would not come to fruition. By 2017, it seems Sydney was not in a great place personally. First of all, Menards was not her dream job. As much as I like the store, it was not her career. She wanted to work in a veterinary clinic and she was actively job hunting around this time. But it was also more than that. Captain right. Her mom, Susie told the media that Sydney had some mental health struggles. Specifically she had anxiety and depression and she had been managing these conditions since high school. But it was getting worse. But then she vanished. In fact, the very week that Sidney disappeared, her mom took her to a doctor's appointment in Lincoln, Nebraska. This to obtain a new prescription for antidepressants. This was the last time that Susie saw her daughter alive.

[The Captain]

Yeah, we talk about this topic a lot, mental health, especially in your late teens and early 20s. But every antidepressant has some side effects and that affects everybody differently. And so she was going down this journey to figure out what medication was going to work best for her.

[Nick]

It's trial and error in a lot of those cases. Let's go to Thursday, November 16. Sydney did not show up for her regular shift at Menards. She didn't tell her friends and family that she was skipping work. And her phone, well, it's going straight to voicemail. This was unheard of for Sydney. She was very responsible, very work oriented. Her worried co workers and friends of Sydney's called her sister Mackenzie, who they knew as well. And then in return, her sister calls the parents. So George and Susie called and text. Here's one of the texts from Susie to Sydney that read, please Sydney, you're scaring me. By 5pm on 16th November, George and Susie had reported their daughter missing to the Lincoln, Nebraska Police Department.

[The Captain]

Well, this would be extra scary for a parent because you know that she's now taking a new drug. And how is that drug going to affect her daughter? You don't know. And some of these antidepressants can make people suicidal, even if they weren't suicidal before.

[Nick]

On Friday, the following day, they decided to go to her apartment. This is a two hour drive for them. It's not clear whether they had a key or if the landlord let them in, but they do get access to the apartment. Once inside, they're saying, you know, nothing seems amiss here, with the exception of three things. One, Sydney's cat, Mimsy had no food or water and appeared to be hungry, so this would be not common. Two, Sydney's car was parked outside of her apartment. Three, Sydney's glasses and purse were in the apartment as well. And the lights were left on. The car and purse and glasses, of course, are going to be startling. You're, you're expecting to, if you don't find your daughter, you're expecting to not find the car. Would be, would be the scenario here when you're arriving.

[The Captain]

Exactly. And again, she didn't show up for work and she's not answering her phone. And I think the other problem is, okay, so you get there, you see the car, okay, the cat's hungry, no big deal. Maybe she went on a walk or maybe she's out with somebody, but after 30 minutes to an hour. So you have to be thinking the worst at this point.

[Nick]

And this will be the same day that things are going to go from 0 to 60 very quickly in this case because we have. After the parents visit the apartment, Lincoln police issued a statement that they didn't know for sure that Sydney was in any real danger, but they wanted to check on her welfare, given her AWA status. The police here are reaching out to the public to look for this young woman. And if they're doing that this quickly, I have to, you have to believe that there's something there telling them to do this because this doesn't seem to be standard police protocol. Not only has Sydney vanished without her car and her personal items left the cat unfed, but her bank account Was untouched. And police IT personnel verified that Sydney's phone had been powered off. So they're doing some work behind the scenes to figure some of this stuff out to confirm that, you know, she's off the grid, she's gone dark here.

[The Captain]

Question for you. Does this mean that they know somebody shut the phone off, or is it just her phone is off and we don't know if somebody turned it off or if the battery's dead.

[Nick]

The statement is that it had been powered off. Now, I, I don't. I don't think that there would be clear indication of why, what method was used to do that. But I, but the, One of the problems here is her normal life, her daily. She was always on Snapchat, posting stories, according to friends and family. So she's one of those types that, like, if she's not posting anything, it's a safe assumption to assume that the phone is off or she's sleeping or, or something of that nature. But we have law enforcement, IT personnel that have determined bank accounts not being activated or accessed, and the phone is. Is often not being used. And then they track her phone through her cell phone provider and found that the last ping before her phone was turned off was a tower in Wilbur, Nebraska, which is about 40 miles away from Sydney's apartment. Immediately, the reaction is, hey, there's no reason for this young woman to be in this tiny town. She knows no one there. Plus, they find her car at home. It was evident that she. That Sidney, or at least her phone, got to this location 40 miles away via someone else.

[The Captain]

Yeah, I think some of the confusing things, especially for these cases, when we have a young adult, they're not living with their parents. The parents don't know every detail of their daughter or son's life. They don't know their weekly schedule at that point. Like you said, she's. She was posting a lot to Snapchat. She missed work. She hasn't fed her cat, her car's there. But there's one good thing about her posting on Snapchat. She posted that she's going to go out on a date.

[Nick]

Yeah. The local media was reporting a heavy police presence at a home near the 600 block of West 7th Street. This was a home that was owned by a husband and wife who were in their 60s. At this time, police wouldn't comment on what they were doing there or why they were there, other than acknowledging that they were looking for a missing person whose final phone ping was in Wilbur. So it was a quick connection to the missing Person, Sydney case. From the onlookers, police had quickly learned that they needed to talk to someone specific, someone who may have been the last person to see or hear from Sydney. So getting into what you're talking about here, Captain, with the Snapchat, her friend Tara was able to produce a text from Sydney that was sent to her on that Wednesday. And like you said, she was raving about a date that she had gone on on Tuesday night. She and her date were going to see each other again on that Wednesday evening.

[The Captain]

Her and her date, dummy.

[Nick]

On that Wednesday, Sidney went to Snapchat, sent her friend Tara a photo of herself that was captioned, ready for my date.

[The Captain]

Right.

[Nick]

Tara had either screenshotted this or saved it in their chat, which is how she was able to show the police. She showed the this to the police. Police needed to talk to whomever Sydney had planned to meet on that Wednesday night because their trail for her ends there. They're tracing, retracing her steps, tracing her movements, and this is where it ends. So now we need to figure out who this person was and communicate with them. They learned from Tara that it was a woman that Sydney had met online named Audrey. Someone Sydney called her dream girl. The two had a very successful first date, like we said, and Sydney was excited to see her again on Wednesday night. But police were mum about the details, confirming only that they had actually spoken to this date. But Sydney's father, George, told local news, we are afraid that she has been abducted.

[The Captain]

Yeah, I think she was pretty open. Sydney was pretty open with her friends, that she was on Tinder, I believe, and that she was, you know, seeking out dates through Tinder.

[Nick]

The police released a Description of Sidney. 5 foot 7 inches tall, 135 pounds, blonde, last seen wearing a white Columbia jacket and a cream blouse. The family also released some photos of Sidney's tattoos, hoping they might help someone recognize her. My Antelope County News reported, quote, we feel that she could be anywhere. So we've decided to post her tattoos because they're easily recognizable. Please let us know if you have any information that may be useful in locating her. We're asking for you to please continue to share these posts and pray for her safe return. Thank you for all of your kind thoughts and prayers. This was from Susie Loof, her mother.

[The Captain]

I see a lot of similarities between Sydney and Amy Bradley. I understand the circumstances are different, but I see similarities as far as victimology.

[Nick]

They're similar in age as well. And like you said, there are some things that. That match up in Both of those cases, as far as victimology goes. Susie also posted on Facebook. We just wanted to let everyone know that Sydney still hasn't returned home despite outstanding efforts by the Lincoln and Wilbur police departments. We've had very few leads, but haven't lost our hope that she will return safely soon. Sidney's friends organized a vigil desperate to bring attention to her case in her hometown. Green light bulbs and ribbons sprang up on porches and trees. By 21 November, with nothing from Sydney in five days, Susie Luff told WOWT that she was having a hard time putting her feelings into words. Of course, the lack of any new information must have been incredibly devastating, frustrating and disheartening for Susie and the rest of the family.

[The Captain]

But if there's one thing that people should take away from this case, tell people what you. What's going on in your life. She talks to her friends about that. She's seeking dates through Tinder. She is posting a lot of her activities on Snapchat. And that might seem a little silly to some, but these are going to give us some leads because it's not a situation where it's just Sydney didn't show up for work and we have no clue about her whereabouts or what she was planning on doing. We at least know and you. And even though she's been missing for five days, like you said, at this point, you go, well, we know that she was planning to go on a date with somebody that is a solid lead, and we now have to talk to that person, scrub that person for information and to see did they go on the date. If so, where did they go?

[Nick]

Yeah, both the Lincoln Police Department and the Saline County Sheriff's Office worked the missing persons investigation, along with Nebraska State Patrol, the US Marshals and the FBI. So we have a big presence here, a collaboration of work being done by these different agencies. Searches for Sydney were intensive. Ponds were being drained. Every inch of Wilbur was being searched. Meanwhile, Sydney's family raised money for a Billboard near Interstate 80 with photos of their daughter and their information. There was also a NAMUS page that was set up rather quickly, two Facebook pages, and lots of local media coverage that would begin to fan out from there. Sydney had snapped her friend, Brooklyn McChrystal, about her second date with Audrey. She'd sent Brooklyn a snap with a photo of an attractive brunette and her Tinder profile, which said that Audrey was her name and she was 32 miles outside of Lincoln. Brooklyn got on Tinder and created a profile for herself that indicated that she liked Women. She used the same hashtags or interest, whatever people use on Tinder to find dates. She's using all the same stuff that Sydney had in her profile. So she's trying to mimic Sydney's profile as much as she can.

[The Captain]

This is very smart.

[Nick]

Yeah. She specifically made an account to try to match with this Audrey person. And indeed, this fishing expedition worked. Audrey found her and Brooklyn was able to message her and get her phone number. She learned that she hailed from Missouri and she worked at a financial institution. According to her profile.

[The Captain]

Anyway, you can be whoever you want to be online.

[Nick]

Yeah, there's a lot of people that are doing that on the streets of the country as well. And look. And it creates a whole huge long list of problems.

[The Captain]

Yeah, definitely. But if I was going to create a character online, I mean, first his name would be the captain, but I'd also my occupation would be starting point guard for the Chicago Bulls.

[Nick]

Yeah, because there's no way for people to figure out if that's incorrect. The vigilant friend Brooklyn fed all of this information to the cops. Police days before learned that the phone Ping and Wilbur approximately 30 miles from Lincoln or so. And guess what? Bingo, bango, Jingo, Django. Audrey lived there and she lived there with her boyfriend.

[The Captain]

Yes.

[Nick]

Investigators went to the home where the couple were renting a basement. So they basically had a basement apartment that they were renting. This has got to be from that 60 year old couple that we had mentioned earlier. The couple had lived in this home since June of 2017.

[The Captain]

Yeah, but I think that shows you the technology that they got a ping on this house, not. Not just within that area.

[Nick]

This couple presented themselves as antique dealers. When police entered the apartment in the basement of the home, they found everything was neat and tidy, but it reeked of bleach. And even when police returned the following day, this time armed with a search warrant, they found nothing necessarily incriminating. Later, when the apartment was cleaned out, among the Items collected were 56 Beanie Babies, Antique toys, a lion rug, a pair of shackles, and over 20 phones. Then, on November 28, we've got some big news. Two people were publicly named persons of interest in Sydney's disappearance. Police named them publicly because they could not find them and needed the public's help in tracking them down. Lincoln PD said they are asking for the public's assistance searching for Aubrey Trail, 51 years old. Trail is 6ft tall, 284 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. And Bailey Boswell, age 23. Boswell is 5ft 8 inches tall with brown hair and hazel eyes. Lincoln PD said. The two people have connections in multiple states. Summer's winding down and whether your kids are just soaking up the last few weeks or already asking when school starts, this is the perfect time to ease back into learning with ixl. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand what they're learning through fun, engaging and personalized content. IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 US school districts and is the perfect tool to keep learning going without making it feel like school. I love ixl. You're going to get the results that you want. I did tutoring when I was a kid and it was incredibly inconvenient. You had to get a date, a time, a location, a ride. IXL is incredibly convenient because it's online and it's a fraction of the price of traditional services. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and True Crime Garage listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com garage. That's ixl.com garage to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. You know what doesn't belong in your epic summer plans? Getting burned by your old wireless bill. While you're planning beach trips, barbecues and three day weekends, your wireless bill should be the last thing holding you back. Make the Switch to Mint Mobile With Mint, you can get the coverage and speed you're used to, but for way less money. And for a limited time, Mint mobile is offering three months of unlimited premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month. So while your friends are sweating over data, overages and surprise charges, you'll be chilling. Literally and financially. I have had many cell phone service providers over the years and I can tell you if you make the switch to Mint Mobile or one of two things is going to happen. Either you will get better, more reliable service than you currently have and save a bunch of money. Or you'll get the same quality of service that you currently have and save a bunch of money. Either way, you win this year. Skip breaking a sweat and breaking the bank. Get this new customer offer and your three month unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com tcg that's mintmobile.com tcg upfront payment of $45 required equivalent to $15 a month limited time new customer offer for first three months only. Speeds may slow above 35 gigabytes on unlimited plan taxes and fees. Extra cement Mobile for details, this message is sponsored by Greenlight. In every crime we cover, money is an invisible thread. Sometimes the motive, the trigger, or even the desperation that pushes someone over the edge. Financial stress can turn ordinary people into criminals. And a lack of financial literacy makes victims more vulnerable. That's why teaching kids about money isn't just smart, it's essential. Greenlight is a debit card and money app for kids and families. It's a safe way to teach kids and teens about money, preparing them for bigger financial decisions later. Give your kids the financial education many of us didn't get. Join millions of parents already using Greenlight, the number one family finance and safety app. Greenlight is fantastic. They do not teach your kids about finances at school. That's something that the parents have to do. That's your job. It's 2025. Don't hand your kid cash. Give them green light. I have friends that use green light with their sons so their sons can set goals, save their money, and parents can keep an eye on their spending. Have your kids set some goals, save up for something, and then they get rewarded when they make that awesome purchase. Start your risk free Greenlight trial [e-mail] garage. That's greenlight.com garage to get started. Greenlight.com garage.

[The Captain]

All right, we are back. Cheers, mates. Tall cans in the air. Cheers to you, colonel.

[Nick]

Cheers to you, captain.

[The Captain]

So let me get this straight. We have a cell phone ping to this house. There's owners of that house, they live upstairs. We have a couple that lives in the basement. We believe that the female is possibly the individual that was talking to Sidney on Tinder and possibly went on a date with Sydney. Before they search their house, you say it's clean, it's neat. They have some items they claim their antique dealers. They sound more like garage sale dealers. But then these two individuals, this couple now are missing.

[Nick]

Yeah, they cannot locate this couple. They've been to the apartment at least twice. You know, they return with the search warrant and then publicly announce that they're looking for these two individuals and that they, they publicly say that they're persons of interest in this missing persons case. Diving into some of the details of this and we're going to try to sort this out the best we can because remember, we have Tara and Brooklyn who are Sidney's friends and they're the ones that inform police that the date was with this so called Audrey. And now police are looking for two people, but they're not looking for anyone named Audrey. They're looking for an Aubrey who's not a woman, he's a man. And they are looking for Bailey Boswell. And this has to lead back to the date even though the, the names are not lining up. So once, once they got the name Audrey and the phone number from Brooklyn police investigated this Audrey. A Lincoln detective called the number and after a couple of tries got Audrey to call him back. This air quotes Audrey was evasive saying she didn't want to talk to the police because she had warrants and did say that she had gone on a date with Sidney but had actually dropped her off at a friend's house in Wilbur afterwards. But a little, yeah, a little digging by police into this Audrey revealed that her name was not Audrey at all. It was in fact Bailey Boswell. Her Tinder date with Sydney was confirmed by social media post made by Bailey and 140 plus messages on the Tinder app between Bailey and Sydney. In one of the final Tinder messages confirming their first date on the 14th, Sydney messaged Audrey just going to be me and you, right? Okay. Yes, of course, responded Audrey. Police tried to talk to this Audrey slash Bailey person but she was missing in action. Police declared her and her 51 year old boyfriend Aubrey Trail also missing in action, official persons of interest. The two apparently split town immediately after they were labeled as such.

[The Captain]

That's not suspicious or anything?

[Nick]

Oh no. Aubrey and Bailey denied that they had suddenly left Nebraska because they were on the run from the cops. Aubrey posted online as far as I know I'm not wanted for anything. I'm a person of interest and I'm not really running from anything. He said, well yeah well listen to this. He says I'm this quotes from, from Aubrey, 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. End quote.

[The Captain]

Yeah, so I've been a piece of shit my whole life but I didn't do this one.

[Nick]

From tracking their movements here Captain. What they're doing is the two are they hastily leave town which cannot be a coincidence, right? They're out on the road, they're staying in cheap motels and they are working their way down south. But these two like felt the need to talk about what was going on. In fact they posted two. The two of them posted a nine minute Facebook live stream complaining about being chased around by police like dogs. In their live stream, a close up video filmed in a vehicle. Aubrey said it was time for them to share their side of the story. This video was posted for just about two hours before it was deleted and was posted on none other than the Finding Sidney Loof Facebook page. So they. They went right to the Sydney Loo Facebook page and posted this. In this video, Bailey admitted to going on the date with Sidney, but said that she was innocent of any wrongdoing and that she had simply driven around and smoked some pot. That the two. They were hanging out, driving around, smoking pot, and she said, I gave her a quarter ounce of really good weed. She asked me to drop her at a friend's house. I did. So I have not heard from her since. She said the two women had planned to go to a casino that weekend, but Sydney had never contacted her. Since then, Aubrey claimed he, like, chimes in during the video. He's saying that he was praying Sydney would be found safe. And then Bailey concluded with, quote, 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.

[The Captain]

Yeah. I don't know how much. These two are antique dealers. I think they opened up a canning operation where they're canning tuna. Because this is fishy as fishy gets, my friend.

[Nick]

Well, and to add to it a little bit like this, the stream, this live stream.

[The Captain]

Yeah.

[Nick]

It looks like they're deliberately trying to obscure their faces, which is all kinds of weird because, you know, we know who you are from the live stream. But maybe it's possible that they're on the run and their look is a little different at the time, and they kind of want to keep it that way. They want to voice it. They want to voice it out there and throw that out there. But they also don't want police to catch up with them at the same time.

[The Captain]

Would the guy have, like, 21 different charges against him?

[Nick]

That might be conservative.

[The Captain]

Yeah. In like, a 50 year period. Like, you're a lifetime loser. You're a lifetime piece of. That's what you are. Of course we're gonna look at you. And by the way, the cell phone ping puts her at your house. So this story of you driving around and smoking pot and you dropping her off somewhere just doesn't make a lot of sense.

[Nick]

Well, we know some of their movements during this time. Right. So Bailey and Aubrey travel to Omaha. They picked up a woman whom they say Bailey was seeing. Her name is Caitlin Brandell. But we'll learn more about Caitlin and in some other people that they were associates with, let's say. They had checked into a Holiday Inn at the Ameristar Casino in Council Bluffs. They stayed until November 19, using Caitlin's vehicle for what they told her was a cocaine drop from a plane on grand island that would net them about 25k. Surprise, surprise, the drop never happened. Sorry, that's my impression. It's from a Pink Floyd album and the cool folks will get it. And there the three moved to onto Carney, where Bailey and Aubrey wanted to abduct and kill an exchange student. They told Caitlin, we know this because Caitlyn tells us about this. They told Caitlyn that she had to participate or Aubrey threatened her family. But at the motel in Kearney, Caitlin receives a message from the Lincoln Police Department because her mother had filed a missing person's report on her. She's gone, her car's gone.

[The Captain]

Yeah.

[Nick]

This seemed to scare the couple that were on the run, Bailey and Aubrey, who told her that another young woman was missing and that Bailey was being falsely blamed because she was the last person seen with this missing woman. According to this, Caitlyn Bailey cried and insisted she did not hurt the missing woman. Caitlin left the duo and returned to her home. Smart move by Caitlin.

[The Captain]

Yeah, but let's pause for a second. Okay, so they're at this hotel, motel, Holiday Inn. Caitlyn's around these two awful pieces of shit people. They're going to go to an island to get some cocaine that's going to be dropped from a plane. And all, by the way, you have to be involved in killing this exchange student. And if you don't, we're going to harm your family. Bailey has the nerve to put on an Oscar winning performance of crying and saying, well, there's this other girl missing and well, I have nothing to do with that. I mean, think about how nuts that is, the craziness that they're trying to get this girl involved in and then to have the nerve or the balls or whatever to then cry and say, we're not involved in this other stuff. There's no way that Caitlyn is believing anything coming out of their mouths.

[Nick]

Yeah. And it may not have had to have been much of an act. I mean, you can spin it and say why you are crying or why you're upset, but she is very likely crying because she knows that the police are after her.

[The Captain]

Right.

[Nick]

For a very serious crime, murder. And they are closing in. And so I, I think she's just spinning it. And you're absolutely right there, Captain. It's, it's pure insanity.

[The Captain]

It's Insane.

[Nick]

The. The juxtaposition between their movements and what they're saying publicly to what's going on behind closed doors with this third wheel here. After Caitlin leaves them, Bailey and Aubrey continued on their odd journey, checking into motels in Spencer and Ames, Iowa, and then they moved on to Branson, Missouri. The cops seem to be about two steps behind them. All the while, they're trying to track a digital trail left by the two. But the two are using burner phones, so they're speed bumps for the police that are behind them and on their trail.

[The Captain]

Well, I have a question. So when Caitlyn gets dropped off, is she talking to police at this point or is she just too scared? Because, I mean, like, like you said, they said you're going to help kill this exchange student, and if you don't, we're going to harm your family. So I wonder, when they dropped her off, did they say, you better keep your mouth shut or we're going to harm your family?

[Nick]

That's a great question. I don't know. We know that Caitlin communicated everything or we believe everything.

[The Captain]

To law enforcement.

[Nick]

Yeah. To her knowledge about these two. To law enforcement. We just don't. We don't know when that.

[The Captain]

When that happened.

[Nick]

Right place. And if they're moving city to city, then state to state, it still leaves them. Leaves law enforcement behind. But see, the FBI, they're able to use that Facebook live stream video to hone in on the digital source because they're using these phones. But the Facebook livestream video, they. They used a phone registered to Bailey Boswell. That phone had called a number at the Windmill Inn in Branson, Missouri. Naturally, you're going to go there hoping to either A, find this couple there or B, sitting there waiting for them when they arrive. And that is where the two of these, the two will be arrested on November 30th. So they're nabbed on federal persons of interest warrants as well as charges unrelated to Sidney Luff's case. Completely. So Aubrey was wanted for possession of a firearm by a felon. Bailey was wanted on failure to appear on a minor drug charge in Lincoln, Nebraska. When the two were arrested, found in their possession were maps, hiking and camping gear, a supply of bottled water, sleeping bags, and so on. Every indication is that they were on their way to Mexico. Bailey and Aubrey agreed to speak with police investigating Sidney's case. The short of it is they're going to stick to their story that was on the live stream video that Sidney was last seen by them alive and well in Wilbur Bailey had dropped her off at someone's house and went about her life. She had no idea what happened to Sydney. Neither did Aubrey. You know, at the top of the show, we were giving out some toast. I should probably mention here a shout out. That is in order. We. We could not have written this episode without the incredible reporting by the Grand Island Independent in cooperation with the Lincoln Journal Star and the Omaha World Herald, all on Omaha.com's website. Using phone tracking information from two of Bailey's cell phone accounts and a flip phone registered to Aubrey, Lincoln police Detective Bob Hurley and the FBI tracked the movements made by the phones on Wednesday, November 15th and Thursday. Thursday, November 16th. So keep in mind this is, this is at the time when Sydney is first missing, right? This is 14 to 15 days before the two who are seemingly on the run are apprehended in another state. They looked at the pings and considered the length of time it appeared the phone spent in different locations. They started looking at a very specific location, then methodically did a foot search 25 miles of remote roadways using cadaver dogs. So Sidney's missing. Two weeks later, these two are apprehended. Who said they had nothing to do with her? Even though it appears at least Bailey may have been the last person to see Sydney. But then it's on December 4th. Body parts were found in and spilling out of black trash bags scattered in overgrown ditches along a gravel road outside of Edgar. This is in rural Clay County. The location was an hour's drive from Wilbur and had been visited by Bailey's and Aubrey's phones on November 16. Then more remains were found the following day. The total number of body parts recovered was 14. The body was not complete and upper arm was never located. And it was Jesus at the time. Obviously it's not yet confirmed to be Sydney, but the cops were pretty much, yeah, sure that she had been disposed of. And a lot of this, basing a lot of this on phone locational data.

[The Captain]

Yeah, I'm guessing the FBI, like you said, they're able to track down these pings, look at the location, look at the time spent, the chances of them. I mean this is somewhat of a Hail Mary, but obviously there was some detective work, some Sherlock Holmes stuff going on here. But then to find body pieces like, like you said, it's not confirmed. But what are the chances it's going to be somebody else or just some random person?

[Nick]

Well, that wasn't the only thing found in the ditches. Wrapped inside 30 gallon trash bags were sex toys. A cat leash, a size 7 women's boot, duct tape tarps, a sauna suit with the crotch missing a glove, men's underwear, two socks and a size 4 XL green shirt with a bleach stain on it. Also found were Sydney's slip bra and shirt. The shirt was the one she was wearing in the last Snapchat photo she sent to her friend saying, ready for my date? The cops told the media, quote, by their own statements on social media, we believe that Aubrey Trail and Bailey Boswell were the two of the last people to see Sidney before her disappearance. Thus they remain persons of interest. End quote. Remember, they had not been arrested for anything related to Sidney at this time because they had outstanding warrants. But that's going to change.

[The Captain]

But it's good that they have these other charges because it's. It places these suspects in holding. Basically, yes.

[Nick]

The autopsy told us that she had been cut into 14 pieces by at least two, possibly three different instruments. The doctor, a forensic pathologist, said there were indications of a struggle before death, with deep bruises on the back of her head, down the middle of her back and on her inner thigh. She had been restrained at the wrist and. And had freshly torn. A freshly torn earlobe at the piercing site. As for the cause of death, Sydney's hyoid bone had been crushed. Other evidence concluded that she had been strangled. Sidney's body also showed indications that around the time of death she experienced blunt force trauma. The autopsy was complicated by the absence of most of the organs of Sydney's torso and abdomen, as well as the absence of other body parts such as the upper part of the trachea, windpipe, larynx, and veins and arteries of the neck. These appear to have been removed post mortem by the use of a sharp blade. None of these items were ever found.

[The Captain]

One thing about this ruse, we're going to get on a dating website. We're a couple. They're essentially looking for a female, but they. This female doesn't have to be willing. But hey, I go on this date, I try to present myself as best I. As I can to the version of the person I'm telling you I am online. That will drop your guard a little bit. Little trust. Hey, you don't need to drive. I'll come pick you up. And we don't know if they drug to her when she got in the car. Hey, I got. I picked up a drink for you at the gas station. Here you go. And all of this was just a ruse to find a victim?

[Nick]

Well. And yes, let's talk about what we do know happened because there is a digital paper trail here.

[The Captain]

Right?

[Nick]

So Sydney met this Audrey on Tinder on November 11. They exchanged 140 plus messages on the dating app in which Sydney relayed that her family lived two hours away, that she lived alone, and she worked at Menards in Lincoln. It was evident she was lonely and alone. On Bailey's half of the conversation, posing as this Audrey, no mention was ever made of a male in Audrey's life. The two arranged for this first date on Tuesday the 14th. So Sydney gave Audrey her home address, and within moments, Bailey had searched the location and found a hotel. On the 14th, Bailey and Aubrey, her beau, checked into that motel or that hotel. Bailey picked Sydney up and they drove around and smoked some pot.

[The Captain]

And they smoked some pot, and then she dropped her off back at home.

[Nick]

Aubrey never made an appearance on this date. Now, after the date, Bailey met Aubrey at the hotel. They spent the night together. Then the two women agreed to meet up the next evening after that first date, on the morning of Bailey's second date with Sidney. So remember, this is November 15th. Bailey and Aubrey went to a Lincoln Home Depot. They're captured on video. There's no disputing this. And purchased tin snips, hacksaws and tarps. Then they went to the Menards where Sidney worked. She's actually working at this time. It's unclear if this was so Aubrey could check Sydney out. But what we figured out is there's no sign that Bailey ever went inside. But their security video from Menards showing Aubrey walking past Sydney in the other direction as she walked outside. She was going to do a shift at the lumber yard shack. So the video captures this Aubrey walking past the victim.

[The Captain]

Yeah. Almost stalking their prey.

[Nick]

Yeah. And so right after the victim passes him, he turns around and looks at her, maybe does a double take. And then he makes a call on his cell phone. We now know that that call went to Bailey Boswell. So after stalking Sidney at the Menards, Aubrey went to a hardware store and bought chemical drain cleaner and an extension cord. Meanwhile, Bailey purchased bleach, trash bags, duct tape, and roasting pans. Throughout the day, Bailey texted Sydney to ask how her day was going and to communicate that she was looking forward to their date later that day, after Sydney got off work and got home, Bailey messaged Sydney at 6:54 saying, quote, I'm outside. So she picked Sydney up and brought her to the Wilbur apartment. Aubrey was, we're guessing, waiting inside this apartment. Some of this can be sorted out through cell phone records.

[The Captain]

Right.

[Nick]

Sydney's phone shut off at 8:32pm they're communicating at 6:54. Let's call it 7pm they make. They drive this distance. It's a considerable distance to get to the apartment in another city in. In Wilbur. In the town of Wilbur. Sidney's phone shuts off at three. At 8:32 after pinging in Wilbur at that location. At 8:30.

[The Captain]

Yeah. This is a setup. And there would be no way of Sidney knowing. We have to speculate because we don't know. Like I said, did. Did they give Sydney a drink to incapacitate her before she got back to this basement apartment? Or was it just a complete ambush once they got her back? Because she wouldn't have known what she was walking into or who she was going to walk into.

[Nick]

Well, if. If the pings and the cell phone information is accurate to the second is, it's two minutes from arriving at that location to the phone being turned off. And I can't believe that the victim walks into a place and goes, you know what? I'll turn off my phone while I'm here. I. I think that the. That the trauma to her back and head are like you said, probably an ambush takes place and the phone goes off right away. And it wasn't Sydney that turned it off. Now, as far as torture or whatever that. That followed, we don't know anything about that. But based on what we have learned since about the proclivities of these two, we can sort out that that's probably part of it. The bruises and the restraint marks on Sidney's body spoke for themselves. Then one or two, one of the two, Bailey or Aubrey, held Sidney down while the other strangled her with an extension cord. Then they drove the parts 60 miles away to Clay county using Aubrey's Ford 500 sedan. Cell phone records placed them in remote Clay county on the afternoon of November 16, leaving the parts and trash bags behind when they leave. Back at the apartment, 621 W. Seventh St. Bailey and Aubrey went crazy with the bleach. They even wiped down the walls with it. They use so much bleach to clean up the basement that the owner remember. So the owners are living above, Right?

[The Captain]

That's my question is they're in the basement apartment. We don't have any eyeball witnesses or earball witnesses.

[Nick]

Well, you can access the basement. You don't have to go through the main home. Right, but it's essentially a. Like a duplex.

[The Captain]

But what I'm wondering is like, do they do they hear somebody scream? Do they hear any commotion? Do they hear anything?

[Nick]

We don't have statements from them indicating that they heard anything or saw anything that was suspicious.

[The Captain]

They might not have even been home at the time.

[Nick]

Well they were at home for part of this because before the couple goes on the run between the killing and going on the run they, they wipe down the entire basement with bleach. And the, the smell is so bad that the, that the wife actually had a physical reaction. She got sick from the amount of bleach that was used. And the odor of that will can cause people to, to get sick.

[The Captain]

Right.

[Nick]

And when news of Sydney's disappearance made headlines, made news and these two are named persons of interest they left town.

[The Captain]

So much more to get to join us back here in the great garage. Same bat time, same bat channel.

[Nick]

Until then be good, be kind and don't litter. It.