Former Virginia Tech student David Eisenhauer pleads not guilty in murder trial of 13-year-old girl
The gruesome trial began Monday and is set to last two weeks
This morning, former Virginia Tech student David Eisenhauer pleaded not guilty to charges of abduction, murder, and concealment of a dead body in the Nicole Lovell case.
Eisenhauer appears in court more than two years after the tragic death of Nicole Madison Lovell, a 13-year-old from Blacksburg who went missing on January 27, 2016, and whose body was found four days later.
Today's proceedings began with the Court ruling against the defense's motion to suppress recorded conversations between Eisenhauer and law enforcement that took place after he invoked his right to an attorney during his initial arrest. Judge Robert Turk, who presides over the case, denied the defense's request to dismiss those conversations as evidence, stating that the record shows Eisenhauer understood his rights and chose to waive them.
Jury selection started today and is expected to be finalized as early as 1:00 PM tomorrow, according to Judge Turk. The case is scheduled to last until at least Friday, February 16th.
Montgomery County Courthouse
Nicole's family reported her missing on January 27, 2016, after waking up to discover she was not in her bedroom. After an extensive four-day search, officials discovered her remains in Surry County, North Carolina, near the Virginia state border. The body had sustained multiple stab wounds, which were determined to be the cause of death.
Eisenhauer was initially arrested on charges of abduction while Nicole was still missing, but police also charged him with first degree murder once her body was recovered. Evidence shows that Eisenhauer and Nicole knew each other and were involved in some kind of online relationship. On the night of her death, Lovell snuck out of her apartment through her bedroom window to meet Eisenhauer. Eisenhauer denies that Lovell went with him that night, saying in his statements that he left after seeing how young she was.
On January 31, one day after Eisenhauer's arrest, police apprehended another suspect — Natalie Keepers, a friend of Eisenhauer's who was also a Virginia Tech student. Keepers was charged with accessory after the fact and improper disposal of a body. Her testimony contradicts Eisenhauer's, describing the murder as pre-meditated. She is set to appear in court on September 17 of this year.