The sentencing hearing for 53-year old Aubrey Trail, convicted of the murder-dismemberment of a Lincoln woman, has been delayed from next week until March
In its successful motion to postpone, the defense said a member of its team has COVID-19.and that the pandemic is also preventing out-of-state witnesses from traveling to Nebraska at this time.
A jury last year found Trail guilty of 1st-degree murder and other charges in the death of 24-year old Sydney Loore.
Normally, a sentencing hearing is held with the jury recommending either death or life in prison, If it’s death, a second hearing is held before a 3-judge panel that makes the final decision. Trail waived the jury hearing, sending the case to the judges.
Trail’s girlfriend, 26-year old Bailey Boswell, was convicted on identical charges earlier this year, and also waived the jury sentencing. No date has been set for her hearing before the same 3 judges as Trail.
The prosecution said at both trials that Trail and Boswell wanted to kill someone and used social media to find Loofe, who disappeared in Nov 2017 after going on a date with Boswell that had been set up through a dating app.
Loofe’s dismembered remains were found in garbage bags along rural roads at more than a dozen locations along rural roads in south-central Nebraska.