WILBER, Neb. (AP) - A hearing to determine whether a Kansas felon should be sentenced to death for killing a Nebraska woman who arranged a Tinder date with him has been delayed until March after one of his attorneys tested positive for COVID-19.
Aubrey Trail was convicted last year of first-degree murder and conspiracy in the November 2017 death and dismemberment of 24-year-old Lincoln store clerk Sydney Loofe, who disappeared after arranging a date with him.
The hearing was scheduled to begin this week in Wilber.
In a court motion seeking a delay, attorney Ben Murray said the coronavirus pandemic has prevented out-of-state witnesses, including Trail's relatives in Tennessee, from traveling to Nebraska.
He also said Trail's attorneys have been able to meet with him in person just once in six months, and argued that the notoriety of the case could draw large crowds and "become a significant community spreading event."
And he said Trail is at high risk for death or serious illness should he contract COVID-19.
Trail's girlfriend, Bailey Boswell, was convicted in October of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and improper disposal of human remains for her role in Loofe's deat