BLACKSBURG, Va. – Blacksburg Police have made a second arrest in the abduction and murder of Nicole M. Lovell, who went missing from her Blacksburg, Va., residence Jan. 27, 2016. Natalie M. Keepers, 19, is being held without bond at the Montgomery County Jail on one felony count of improper disposal of a dead body (Code of Virginia 18.2-323.02) and one misdemeanor count of accessory after the fact in the commission of a felony (Code of Virginia 18.2-19). Keepers, a Virginia Tech student from Laurel, Md., was arrested Sunday (Jan. 31) morning.
On Saturday afternoon (Jan. 30), the four-day search for the missing 13-year-old Blacksburg girl came to an end. At approximately 4 p.m. Saturday, Virginia State Police located Nicole’s remains near Route 89, in Surry County, N.C. With the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, FBI Charlotte, N.C., Field Office, and the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office, her remains arrived early Sunday morning (Jan. 31) at the Office of the Medical Examiner in Roanoke, Va., for autopsy and examination.
David E. Eisenhauer, 18, is also being held at the Montgomery County Jail without bond. The Columbia, Md., native was arrested Saturday on one felony count of first degree murder and one felony count of abduction.
Based on the evidence collected to date, investigators have determined that Eisenhauer and Nicole were acquainted prior to her disappearance. Eisenhauer used this relationship to his advantage to abduct the 13-year-old and then kill her. Keepers helped Eisenhauer dispose of Nicole’s body.
The investigation into Nicole’s abduction and death remains very active as investigators continue to pursue roughly 300 leads generated during the course of the past five days. The Blacksburg Police are being assisted in the investigation by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Christiansburg Police, City of Radford Police, Virginia Tech Police, Virginia State Police, ATF and FBI.
Investigators are still encouraging the public to come forward with any information concerning Nicole Lovell, David Eisenhauer and/or, now, Natalie Keepers to contact the Blacksburg Police Department at 540-961-1150.