Convicted Killer Believed He Was a Warlock, Told Filmmaker He 'Picked the Wrong Person' to Murder
Aubrey Trail, who murdered Sydney Loofe after meeting her on Tinder, is featured in a new Hulu docuseries.
Convicted murderer Aubrey Trail, who killed 24-year-old Sydney Loofe in 2017, admitted that he "picked the wrong person" to murder, according to filmmaker Christopher St. John. Trail, who believed himself to be a warlock, is featured in the new Hulu true crime docuseries "Swipe Right on the Devil."
Trail, then 52, was convicted of strangling Loofe with an electrical cord, dismembering her body into 14 pieces, and disposing of the remains in roadside ditches in Nebraska. During the trial, witnesses testified that Trail and his girlfriend, Bailey Boswell, discussed the occult and the pursuit of "powers" through killing. St. John, who interviewed Trail from death row, stated that the killer expressed no regret for the murder itself but regretted choosing a victim whose strong support system ultimately led to his capture.
Loofe disappeared after a second date with Boswell, whom she had met on Tinder. Loofe's family reported her missing when she did not show up for work. Her friend, Brooklyn McCrystal, created a Tinder profile to contact Boswell, identified as "Audrey" on the app, and obtained her phone number, which was then given to the police. This provided the first significant lead in the investigation.
Investigators tracked Boswell's burner phone to local hotels, and surveillance footage combined with a state-issued ID helped identify her. The video also showed her traveling with Trail. According to court documents, Loofe's phone last pinged at Boswell and Trail's apartment on the night she disappeared. A search of their apartment revealed a strong smell of bleach.
Boswell and Trail were arrested on Nov. 30, 2017, in Missouri on unrelated federal fraud charges. Their arrest came nearly three weeks after Loofe's disappearance. On Dec. 4, 2017, investigators discovered Loofe's dismembered upper arm, car keys, a phone, and a label with her name in a roadside ditch near Edgar, Nebraska. A tattoo on her arm read, "Everything will be wonderful someday."
Trail and Boswell were captured on surveillance video purchasing tools at a Home Depot in Lincoln on Nov. 15, 2017, the same day Loofe was murdered. Prosecutors alleged that the couple lured Loofe via Tinder, killed her, and then dismembered her body. During his interrogation, Trail discussed his belief in witchcraft and increasing power through killing.
Trail was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in 2019 and sentenced to death in 2021. Boswell was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and improper disposal of human skeletal remains in 2020 and sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2021.
The docuseries "Swipe Right on the Devil" explores Loofe's murder and features interviews with her loved ones and investigators, as well as recordings of Trail. The series also highlights the accounts of other women who were allegedly manipulated by Trail and Boswell, detailing patterns of control and abuse.