David Eisenhauer

David Eisenhauer was born in approximately 1997 and was raised in Washington State before his family later moved to Columbia, Maryland.

He was described by former teachers as intelligent and academically capable. He attended Virginia Tech as an engineering student and was 18 years old when he met Nicole Lovell online.

Eisenhauer initially communicated with Lovell through an anonymous chat application before the two moved their conversations to Kik. Their communications continued for several months.

The relationship eventually developed into an in-person association despite the significant age difference between Eisenhauer and Lovell.

David Eisenhauer murdered one known victim, Nicole Lovell.

On January 27, 2016, Lovell left her family's apartment in Blacksburg during the early morning hours after communicating with Eisenhauer.

Prosecutors said Eisenhauer had arranged to meet Lovell and lured her out of the apartment under the pretext of a secret date.

Lovell was subsequently abducted and taken to a remote wooded area across the state line in North Carolina.

She was stabbed 14 times, including a fatal wound to the neck. Her body was concealed in the wooded area and was discovered several days later.

Eisenhauer's crime involved an online relationship, deception, abduction and a targeted knife attack.

He communicated with Lovell online for months before arranging an in-person meeting. On the night of the murder, he lured her from her home and transported her away from the area.

The prosecution alleged that Eisenhauer killed Lovell because he feared their relationship would be exposed. Evidence presented during the proceedings included incriminating messages, Lovell's blood in Eisenhauer's vehicle and DNA evidence beneath her fingernails.

Lovell disappeared on January 27, 2016.

Investigators quickly examined her digital communications and identified Eisenhauer as a person connected to her disappearance. Police arrested him on January 29.

His vehicle became an important piece of evidence in the investigation, with investigators finding Lovell's blood in the trunk. (oxygen.com)

Investigators also recovered digital evidence documenting communications between Eisenhauer and Lovell.

Eisenhauer was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, abduction and concealing a body.

Eisenhauer's trial began in February 2018 in Montgomery County Circuit Court.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Eisenhauer had communicated with Lovell online, arranged the meeting and subsequently killed her. They also presented forensic evidence linking him to the crime.

The prosecution alleged that Eisenhauer was concerned that his relationship with Lovell could become known and that this motivated the killing.

On February 9, 2018, after several days of testimony, Eisenhauer entered a no-contest plea to first-degree murder, abduction and concealing a body. The plea ended the trial and resulted in findings of guilt on all three charges.

On June 26, 2018, Judge Robert Turk sentenced Eisenhauer to 50 years in prison, followed by 25 years of probation. The sentence consisted of 60 years for murder, 10 years for abduction and five years for concealing a body, with portions suspended to produce an active 50-year prison term.

Before sentencing, Eisenhauer apologized to Lovell's family.