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| Teen was bullied prior to alleged murder by Virginia Tech student, mother says | Teen was bullied prior to alleged murder by Virginia Tech student, mother says |
| (7 months later) | |
| A Virginia teenager whose body was found over the weekend overcame serious health problems as a young girl and was then bullied at her school and online before her death, her mother said. | A Virginia teenager whose body was found over the weekend overcame serious health problems as a young girl and was then bullied at her school and online before her death, her mother said. |
| Virginia Tech student David Eisenhauer, 18, has been charged with first-degree murder and abduction in connection with the death of 13-year-old Nicole Madison Lovell, whose body was found on Saturday in North Carolina, police said. Another Virginia Tech student, Natalie Keepers, 19, faces charges of improper disposal of a body and accessory after the fact in the commission of a felony. | Virginia Tech student David Eisenhauer, 18, has been charged with first-degree murder and abduction in connection with the death of 13-year-old Nicole Madison Lovell, whose body was found on Saturday in North Carolina, police said. Another Virginia Tech student, Natalie Keepers, 19, faces charges of improper disposal of a body and accessory after the fact in the commission of a felony. |
| Nicole’s mother, Tammy Weeks, told the Roanoke Times that her daughter survived a liver transplant, MRSA and lymphoma when she was five. | Nicole’s mother, Tammy Weeks, told the Roanoke Times that her daughter survived a liver transplant, MRSA and lymphoma when she was five. |
| Nicole didn’t like going to school because girls called her fat and talked about the scars from her transplant, Weeks said. Lovell often cried to stay home from school, her mother said. | Nicole didn’t like going to school because girls called her fat and talked about the scars from her transplant, Weeks said. Lovell often cried to stay home from school, her mother said. |
| “It got so bad I wouldn’t send her,” Weeks said, but the bullying continued on social media. | “It got so bad I wouldn’t send her,” Weeks said, but the bullying continued on social media. |
| Lovell loved pandas and wanted to be on American Idol when she got older, Weeks said. | Lovell loved pandas and wanted to be on American Idol when she got older, Weeks said. |
| Davy Draper, who said he was a close family friend of the Lovells and knew the teen most of her life, called her an energetic and outspoken girl who got along with everyone. | Davy Draper, who said he was a close family friend of the Lovells and knew the teen most of her life, called her an energetic and outspoken girl who got along with everyone. |
| “She was an awesome little girl. She was an angel here on earth, and she’s an angel now,” Draper said on Sunday. | “She was an awesome little girl. She was an angel here on earth, and she’s an angel now,” Draper said on Sunday. |
| Eisenhauer and Keepers were being held without bond at the Montgomery County jail. The students appeared in court for the first time on Monday morning. | Eisenhauer and Keepers were being held without bond at the Montgomery County jail. The students appeared in court for the first time on Monday morning. |
| Eisenhauer arrived early and was not seen by reporters. He has retained a court-appointed attorney. | Eisenhauer arrived early and was not seen by reporters. He has retained a court-appointed attorney. |
| Keepers appeared in court in an orange jumpsuit and shackles. She said she understood the charges against her and has retained the services of an attorney. | Keepers appeared in court in an orange jumpsuit and shackles. She said she understood the charges against her and has retained the services of an attorney. |
| Neither entered a plea. They are both being held on bond and are due back in court on 28 March. | Neither entered a plea. They are both being held on bond and are due back in court on 28 March. |
| Police said they had evidence showing Eisenhauer and Lovell knew each other before she disappeared. | Police said they had evidence showing Eisenhauer and Lovell knew each other before she disappeared. |
| “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,” Blacksburg police said in a statement. But police did not comment further on any motive. | “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,” Blacksburg police said in a statement. But police did not comment further on any motive. |
| A state police search and recovery team searched a pond on Sunday and Monday on the Virginia Tech campus. State police spokeswoman Corinne Geller would not say what officials were trying to find. | A state police search and recovery team searched a pond on Sunday and Monday on the Virginia Tech campus. State police spokeswoman Corinne Geller would not say what officials were trying to find. |
| Authorities said they located Lovell’s remains in Surry County, North Carolina, just over the Virginia border. | Authorities said they located Lovell’s remains in Surry County, North Carolina, just over the Virginia border. |
| Montgomery County commonwealth’s attorney Mary Pettitt told local news station WDBJ7 that an autopsy on Lovell was scheduled for Monday, but the results are not expected until just before the next court date in the case. | Montgomery County commonwealth’s attorney Mary Pettitt told local news station WDBJ7 that an autopsy on Lovell was scheduled for Monday, but the results are not expected until just before the next court date in the case. |
| Blacksburg police chief Anthony Wilson told the Roanoke Times that Eisenhauer had not confessed to involvement in Lovell’s death and did not give police information that led to the discovery of her body. | Blacksburg police chief Anthony Wilson told the Roanoke Times that Eisenhauer had not confessed to involvement in Lovell’s death and did not give police information that led to the discovery of her body. |
| The girl had been missing since last week. Her family says she disappeared after pushing a dresser in front of her bedroom door and climbing out a window. Lovell’s family members did not immediately return messages seeking comment. | The girl had been missing since last week. Her family says she disappeared after pushing a dresser in front of her bedroom door and climbing out a window. Lovell’s family members did not immediately return messages seeking comment. |
| Eisenhauer was a standout track and field athlete in high school, who was named Boys Indoor Track Performer of the Year by the Baltimore Sun in March. The Sun said Eisenhauer had moved to Columbia from Yakima, Washington, for his junior year and quickly became a star. His coach told the newspaper Eisenhauer was “the best-kept secret in Maryland”. | Eisenhauer was a standout track and field athlete in high school, who was named Boys Indoor Track Performer of the Year by the Baltimore Sun in March. The Sun said Eisenhauer had moved to Columbia from Yakima, Washington, for his junior year and quickly became a star. His coach told the newspaper Eisenhauer was “the best-kept secret in Maryland”. |
| Virginia Tech said on its website that Eisenhauer was a freshman engineering major at the school and that hundreds of students and researchers had assisted in the search for Lovell. The school said in a statement on Saturday that he had been suspended from the university. | Virginia Tech said on its website that Eisenhauer was a freshman engineering major at the school and that hundreds of students and researchers had assisted in the search for Lovell. The school said in a statement on Saturday that he had been suspended from the university. |
| A number listed for Eisenhauer’s parents was busy on Sunday. A message left at Keepers’ home in Laurel, Maryland, was not immediately returned. Officials at the county jail where the two are being held would not say whether either suspect has a lawyer. | A number listed for Eisenhauer’s parents was busy on Sunday. A message left at Keepers’ home in Laurel, Maryland, was not immediately returned. Officials at the county jail where the two are being held would not say whether either suspect has a lawyer. |