CHRISTIANSBURG (WSLS 10) -- A grand jury handed down indictments for David Eisenhauer and Natalie Keepers on Tuesday in the death of 13-year-old Nicole Lovell. The Montgomery County grand jury also handed down a direct indictment for an additional charge of concealment of a body against Eisenhauer.
Lovell was reported missing on January 27. Her body was found three days later in Surry County, North Carolina. A preliminary autopsy showed she had been stabbed.
Tuesday's indictments come on the same day as Eisenhauer and Keepers appeared in Montgomery County Circuit Court court to have their respective trial dates pre-set.
Motions hearings were set for February 8-9, 2017 at 9 a.m. for Eisenhauer. His jury trail is scheduled for March 6-15, beginning at 9 a.m.
Motions hearings for Keepers are set for January 17-20; her jury trial set for March 27-31. No motions have been set at this time, Commonwealth's Attorney Mary Pettitt said; however, the dates are scheduled in advance in an effort to avoid potential trial delays.
Tuesday's hearing was delayed briefly as Eisenhauer's attorneys questioned the approval of a cameras in the courtroom request. Judge Colin Gibb approved the media request for a single still camera in the courtroom, but defense attorney Tony Anderson argued Eisenhauer, in court in his jail issued orange jumpsuit, was "not dressed in appropriate courtroom attire." Unaware of the camera request, Anderson said they were unable to provide Eisenhauer with proper attire. In previous hearings, Eisenhauer wore a suit and tie.
Anderson explained he was trying to protect Eisenhauer's right to a fair trail and jury selection and was concerned about "prejudice if pictures were circulated" with Eisenhauer in the jumpsuit and shackles.
Judge Gibb granted the motion and did not allow photography for Eisenhauer or Keeper's appearance Tuesday.
The separate hearings continued with both Eisenhauer and Keepers waiving their rights to a speedy trial.
Both stood at the podium to answer questions from Gibb. Eisenhauer answered "Yes, your honor," when asked if he agreed to the court dates and whether he understood and discussed with his attorneys that he was waiving his right to a speedy trial.
He answered, "no" when asked if he had any questions.
Keepers answered "yes" when asked about the trail and waiving of her right to speedy trial.
The grand jury returned indictments on Eisenhauer, for previous charges of first-degree murder and abduction, according to Pettitt. He faces up to life plus 15 years in prison, if convicted.
Keepers faces up to life plus 5 years if convicted of charges of accessory before the fact to first degree murder and transporting or concealing a body.
In previous hearings, prosecutors argued Eisenhauer and Keepers plotted and planned and even sat inside a Blacksburg restaurant to bounce ideas off each other long before Lovell disappeared. The plan, Pettitt said, was to lure the teen out of her house under the guise of a date with Eisenhauer and take her to a remote location where he would kill her. Pettitt said Eisenhauer admit to meeting Lovell outside her apartment after she crawled out the window with her cell phone and her Minion blanket but said he gave Lovell "a side hug" and went back to the Virginia Tech campus.
During their preliminary hearings in May, Blacksburg investigators testified the pair discussed different ways to kill Lovell, including "drugging her," "making it look like suicide," or making it look liked she died of exposure to the elements, Detective Ryan Hite testified.
EISENHAUER AND KEEPERS DISCUSSED DIFFERENT WAYS TO KILL NICOLE LOVELL, INVESTIGATOR SAYS
The two communicated over text messages following the killing, according to Blacksburg Police Detective Scott Craig who specializes in mobile device extractions. Craig used FBI software to pull a conversation of instant messages between Eisenhauer and Keepers following the killing, in which the two talked about the search for Lovell and about smelling of cleaning supplies.
Both Eisenhauer and Keepers remain in jail without bond.