CHRISTIANSBURG (WSLS 10) - David Eisenhauer, the man accused of killing 13-year-old Nicole Lovell, worried about the teen's mental state and whether she was suicidal, according to new documents filed in the case.
Commonwealth's Attorney Mary Pettitt filed a brief this week in Montgomery County Circuit Court in opposition to a defense motion to suppress statement's Natalie Keepers made to police regarding what she knew about Eisenhauer and their roles in the death of Lovell.
Keepers is also facing charges related to Lovell's death.
During questioning by Blacksburg police on January 30, 2016, Keepers told investigators she and Eisenhauer were strictly friends. She said they had a "fling" last summer then became best friends with him when school started. Keepers referred to their relationship as "really tight."
Investigators told Keepers that Eisenhauer had been communicating with Lovell and she responded, "interesting." When asked what she knew about that, Keepers responded she "knew he was communicating with people, goes to parties and may have gone to a party she would have been at." She said Eisenhauer "still has high school friends and has gone to high school parties."
Keepers later told investigators Eisenhauer, who didn’t drink because he's an athlete, went to a high school party in Blacksburg with one of his friends. She then told investigators Eisenhauer told her he woke up in a ditch the morning after the party.
Keepers stated Eisenhauer told her his friend told him he was making out with a girl, but he couldn't remember it. Eisenhauer told her he made out with a girl who said she was 16 years old and communicated with her after the party. He said he was worried about it because she was underage. Keepers said Eisenhauer was freaked out about the fact when he didn't know what happened with the girl (whether he had sex with her or not.)
Keepers said she did not remember the name of the girl.
According to the brief, Keepers said Eisenhauer came to her dorm earlier that week and was more "freaked out" over the fact that the girl was 13 or 14. Eisenhauer said the girl "revealed to him" she was 13 or 14. He told her Keepers he met up with the girl in her neighborhood, the same girl from the party, and found out how young she was. Eisenhauer was worried about his relationship with a 13-year-old because he was afraid to get arrested.
Keepers said Eisenhauer was also worried about Lovell's mental state and said she was suicidal, saying Lovell told him that if he stopped talking to her she would kill herself. Keepers explained that Eisenhauer had never been in a situation where someone made such a threat, but she had because she has "done that to guys and guys had guys do that to me." Keepers went on to say there was a good chance Lovell was just saying those things.
The documents also show, according to Keepers' statements, Eisenhauer thought there was a possibility Lovell was pregnant during winter break, about a week after Christmas.
The statements are all part of questioning Keepers' lawyers are trying to have thrown out because, the defense argues, investigators did not tell her she could remain silent or have a lawyer present.
A judge will rule on whether to suppress the statements in the coming weeks.