Nicole Lovell was 13 years old when she was found dead. She was stabbed to death and dumped in the woods 90 miles from her home in Blacksburg, Virginia. She met her killer on the popular chat app Kik. Former Virginia Tech engineering students David Eisenhauer, 18, and his friend Natalie Keepers, 19, were charged with the abduction and slaying of Lovell. Eisenhauer was indicted for kidnapping, first-degree murder and concealing a body. Keepers, who confessed to her part in the crime, was indicted for being an accessory before the fact and concealment. Both face life in prison if convicted on all charges.
Eisenhauer’s trial is scheduled to begin the week of March 6, 2017; Keepers’ trial is scheduled for the week of March 27. Both defendants have waived their right to a speedy trial. Doing so allows their attorneys to take more time to prepare their defenses. Peter Van Sant’s investigation of Lovell’s murder will air on 48 Hours on Saturday, September 24 at 10pm on CBS.
